Dr. John Day, Cardiologist

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If aggressive lifestyle changes are made soon enough, the A-fib may completely go away.  I have seen many patients “beat” A-fib just by making significant lifestyle changes.  For others, the A-fib attacks may significantly decrease.  Sometimes, lifestyle changes alone may not be enough.  If this is the case, all is not lost.  These lifestyle changes will double your chances of successfully beating A-fib with a minimally invasive procedure called an A-fib ablation.

If we are going to beat A-fib, we need to know everything that may be contributing to this condition.  If we can aggressively attack each of these 10 items early enough there is an excellent chance that you can get rid of A-fib once and for all!

1. Get Rid of High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure is one of the main causes of A-fib.  It puts a big strain on the heart which can cause the lower chambers of the heart to thicken and the upper chambers of the heart to enlarge.

If you have high blood pressure you are not alone.  Studies show that half of all Americans have a blood pressure above the goal of 120/80 mmHg as established by the American Heart Association.  As with A-fib, if significant lifestyle changes are made early enough, high blood pressure is completely reversible.

I have seen this with many of my patients.  In fact, after just a few weeks of making major lifestyle changes, under the direction of their physicians they can start getting off of their high blood pressure medications.  I personally dropped my blood pressure which could go as high as 150/90 mmHg down to 110/70 mmHg without medications.

For more information on how to reverse high blood pressure, please read my article “How to Get Off Your Blood Pressure Medications: Lower Your Blood Pressure with These Eight Steps.”

Until you can reverse your high blood pressure with lifestyle modification, you may need to work with your physician on getting this under control.  For my patients with A-fib, I tend to be aggressive on getting the blood pressure under control.  I usually shoot for a target of less than 135/85 mmHg.

2. Reverse Your Biologic Age

Unfortunately, getting older is a big risk factor for developing A-fib.  Even though you are getting older year-by-year (your chronological age), you can reverse your biologic age now!  Your biologic age can be 10-20 years younger than how “old” you are.  You can regain your youth, feel great, and reverse the effects of aging on your heart.

How do you reverse your biologic age?  Please read my recent article “We Can Reverse the Aging Process“.

3. Keep Stress in Check

It seems like we are all stressed out.  According to a study from Everest College, 83% of Americans are stressed out at work.  One study showed that our chronic stress is the equivalent of smoking 5 cigarettes a day!  Even if you just think you are stressed is enough to increase your risk of a heart attack by 27%!

When we are stressed our bodies release cortisol and adrenalin into the blood stream.  These substances are toxic to the heart if it continues long enough.

What can we do to get our stress under control?  Make it a priority to do something every day to get your stress levels under control.  We will never be able to completely avoid stress.  It is part of the human experience.

Even something as simple as yoga to calm your nerves has been shown to decrease your risk of A-fib by 50%!  The key is to recognize your stress and do something actively every day to bring your stress levels down.  For some people this could be exercising, spending time in nature, reading a good book, getting a good night of sleep, or just hanging out with your friends.

For more information on this, please read my article “Seven Ways to Manage Stress”. https://drjohnday.com/?p=779

4. Reduce Inflammation

Inflammation is like stress, it can be helpful to the body for short periods of time. However, when inflammation never turns off it can damage the heart and the rest of the body as well as result in premature aging.

It has been recognized for quite some time that inflammation is an important cause of A-fib.  The good news is that if we can turn off the inflammation for our heart it will help the rest of our body to recover as well.

Did you know there is a simple blood test your doctor can order for you to check your inflammation level?  This test is called C Reactive Protein or CRP for short.  The goal is to have a CRP of less than 1 mg/L.  If you can get your CRP to less than one you can dramatically reduce your risk of A-fib, heart attacks, cancer, and even Alzheimer’s Disease.

How can we reduce inflammation?  Please read the article I wrote on this subject entitled “Six Strategies to Reduce Inflammation and Chronic Pain“.

5. Get Your Weight in Line

Did you know that being overweight is one of the biggest causes of A-fib today?  A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association by my good friend, Dr. Prash Sanders, showed how important weight loss is with reversing A-fib.  In this study, if overweight people could lose just 32 pounds, they could reduce their A-fib attacks nearly three-fold.

This is something I have seen time and time again in my practice.  Overweight people with A-fib who can lose the weight can often make their A-fib go away.

6. Eat the Right Foods

Did you know the rates of A-fib are several times higher in North America than anywhere else in the world?  The Standard American Diet (SAD) is like pouring gasoline on the A-fib fire.  The right foods can reverse most of the factors, discussed in this article, driving A-fib.

For my patients with A-fib I recommend the following:

-Nine servings of fruits or vegetables daily

-At least one serving of nuts or seeds daily

-At least one serving of legumes daily

-Two servings of a low mercury oily fish, like salmon, weekly

For many of my patients, they need to learn how to eat vegetables.  Vegetables can be the most wonderful tasting food if prepared right.  These foods can heal our hearts and our bodies.

To go along with these must eat healing foods, I recommend that my A-fib patients minimize or avoid the following three foods.

-Processed or prepared foods

-Animal meat, especially processed meats (hot dogs, sausage, bacon, deli meats) and red meat

-Sugar, including foods that are immediately turned to sugar like wheat flour, white rice, or potatoes

The goal is to eat real food.  To get back to cooking and sharing meals with friends and families!

7. Rejuvenating Sleep

I cannot stress enough how important it is to get rejuvenating sleep if we are to beat A-fib.  For most people this means at least seven hours of sleep.  It also means sleep free from sleep apnea.

What is sleep apnea?  That is where people stop breathing while sleeping.  These big drops in oxygen levels when people are not breathing can lead not only to A-fib but also to heart attacks, sudden death, heart failure, or high blood pressure.

How do I know if I have sleep apnea?  Generally I find that the spouse or sleeping partner can easily make this diagnosis.  People with sleep apnea usually snore like a train and then will stop breathing for 20 or 30 seconds.

Fortunately, for most people, sleep apnea is totally reversible. It is a complication of being overweight.  With weight loss the sleep apnea usually goes away.

Until the weight can be lost, I recommend that my patients with sleep apnea get treated.  Studies show that you can cut the numbers of A-fib episodes by about 50% with getting the sleep apnea treated.

8. Get Moving

Did you know that people with the least amount of physical activity are at high risk of developing A-fib?  The key is to get moving!  The first thing I recommend for my patients is to get a pedometer.

Studies show that just the mere act of tracking your steps will increase the number of steps you take each day by 2,500.  That is the equivalent of walking more than one extra mile each day just by tracking your steps!

The pedometer is so helpful because people overestimate their activity.  In fact, based on pedometer data, less than 5% of Americans get enough physical activity.

I have found that in my practice, most of my A-fib patients only get 2,000 to 3,000 steps each day.  The average American gets 5,000 steps each day.  The average European, where A-fib is much less common, often gets about 10,000 steps each day.  The goal is to get at least 10,000 steps a day.

While this may seem hard to achieve, most of my patients can easily get to this goal.  You just have to be creative. Can you walk somewhere instead of driving? Can you add an evening walk to your day?  The possibilities are endless.

In addition to 10,000 steps daily, I recommend at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise each day.  I am often asked, what exercises should I do.  My answer is simple, do what you enjoy.  Anything counts.  Gardening, dancing, skiing, hiking, etc. are all great.  The most important thing is that you are consistent and do something each day.

I do recommend varying your daily exercise to keep it fun, work different muscle groups, and to prevent overuse injuries.  Depending on what you choose to do, you may also need to incorporate a couple days of strength training into your routine.

9. Get Rid of the Vices

Tobacco, alcohol, and any stimulants, including caffeine, can be a trigger for A-fib.  Did you know there is even a condition called Holiday Heart?  This is when someone drinks a lot of alcohol and then goes into A-fib.

For many of my patients, just getting rid of these vices can eliminate A-fib episodes.  Other stimulant medications, including Sudafed, Ritalin, or other attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medications can also trigger A-fib.

To learn more about the effect of caffeine to heart arrhythmias, please read this article I wrote.

10. When All Else Fails Get it Ablated

For most of my patients, aggressive lifestyle modification can drive A-fib into remission.  Unfortunately, there will always be some cases that just don’t seem to resolved with lifestyle modification.  What should be done in these cases?

For these patients, blood thinners, medications to slow the heart, and rhythm controlling medications are often prescribed.  Unfortunately, for most patients, rhythm drugs only work for a few years at most.

When medications are no longer effective in controlling the symptoms of atrial fibrillation, an ablation is the next step. This is also an excellent option for patients who have side effects from the medications or just do not want to be on life-long medications.

Fortunately, the lifestyle changes we have discussed in this article can double the chances of a successful procedure if an ablation is ultimately required to control the symptoms.

With an ablation, we go into the heart through an IV in the leg, map where the A-fib is coming from in the heart, and then ablate those areas.  The entire procedure takes about three hours and patients will typically spend the night in the hospital following the procedure.  The following day patients will go home with just a band aid.

I have personally done nearly 4,000 of these A-fib ablation procedures.  In experienced hands, most patients can ultimately be free of atrial fibrillation.  There are certainly risks associated with this procedure but these can largely be avoided by physicians with the most experience in performing these procedures.  Please discuss the risks, benefits, and alternatives of A-fib ablations with your physician.

Here is a link to see more that I have written about atrial fibrillation.  Also, be sure to sign up for my free weekly newsletter or subscribe to my podcast.

Feel free to leave your questions and comments below.

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Did you know that half of all American adults have a blood pressure above what the American Heart Association recommends?  Of the 70% of Americans on prescription medications, a large percentage of these take medications for high blood pressure.

High blood pressure is a leading cause of atrial fibrillation, stroke, and coronary heart disease.  If we are going to reverse or prevent those conditions, we need to get our blood pressure under control.

For many of my patients, these medications often leave them feeling tired, groggy, or lightheaded.  Some even report weight gain with these medications.  Do so many Americans really need to take all of these high blood pressure medications?  Is there another way?

Welcome to the foods that lower blood pressure.  These are the natural ways to lower blood pressure.

My Experience with High Blood Pressure

The first time I saw a high blood pressure reading was at about age 30.  I had a routine check up at the doctor’s office and they told me my blood pressure was 150/100 mmHg.  At the time I thought I was just “stressed” and did not pay it much attention.

For years, even as a physician I just pushed it to the back of my mind.  I was young and healthy.  Why should I worry about my blood pressure?  I couldn’t possibly have high blood pressure.

Of course, as a physician, I knew all of the long-term complications of high blood pressure.  I knew that high blood pressure can lead to heart failure, heart attacks, arrhythmias, strokes, kidney failure, blindness, and other problems.  Somehow, this all seemed “academic” or something that did not apply to me.

By age 40 my blood pressure consistently ranged anywhere from 135-150/85-90 mmHg.  Once I hit my 40s I knew I could no longer ignore it.  I decided to try a medication.

As I had Cozaar samples (losartan) at my medical practice, I decided to give this a try.  I put myself on 50 mg a day of Cozaar and it brought my blood pressure down by about 10 mmHg.

Fortunately, I did not have too many noticeable side effects.  I was a bit fatigued from the medication.  The hardest part was remembering to take it every day.

At the time, it never crossed my mind if there was another way.  Like most of my patients at the time, I also took my daily medications.

By my mid-40s, my health had hit rock bottom.  I was on 5 medications and felt horrible.  Not only did I have high blood pressure but I also was overweight, had high cholesterol, chronic fatigue, chronic pain, esophageal problems, and an autoimmune disease.

After learning of a small remote mountainous village in Southwest China where people live very long lives free of medical problems, medications, and surgeries, I knew this was a place we had to visit.  We had to learn their secrets to optimal health.  We spent several years studying the villagers and learning from them.

After completely changing my diet and lifestyle, the weight naturally dropped off and my blood pressure came way down.  Today, my blood pressure averages 110/70 mmHg.  I am also off of all medications.  I feel better now than I have ever felt.

Most of my patients who follow this same lifestyle can also drop their blood pressure 20-40 mmHg and get off of their high blood pressure medications.  This is far more than what most doctors think is even possible from making lifestyle changes.  It is not easy, but you will feel so much better if you can faithfully follow the 8 steps below and get off your medications!

A word of caution.  These eight steps will drop your blood pressure very fast and very significantly.  Please work very closely with your physician in lifestyle changes to treat high blood pressure and never stop any prescribed medications without first discussing it with your physician.

Eight Natural Ways to Lower Blood Pressure

1. Eat Less Sodium

When physicians talk to patients about lifestyle changes to reduce blood pressure, this is probably the number one piece of advice we give.  Unfortunately, this is often the only advice patients receive about how to lower their blood pressure naturally.

There is some controversy, even with physician organizations, on how low we should go.  The most aggressive recommendations are from the American Heart Association who recommend keeping sodium (salt) below 1,500 mg per day.  Some studies indicate potential harm with this ultra low sodium diet.

I now recommend eating approximately 2,300 mg of sodium each day for my patients.  Considering that the average American consumes 3,400 mg of sodium each day, this will require some significant sodium reduction.

When I discuss this with my patients they generally tell me, “I never salt my food”.  While that may be true, that is not where we are getting our salt overload.  For the typical American, 80% of their daily salt intake comes from processed foods.

If you are going to get to 2,300 mg/day of sodium you have no choice but to minimize processed foods and be very careful when eating out.  You have to eat real food to reach this goal.

2. Stay Physically Active

Did you know that exercising daily can lower your blood pressure?  Just as important as exercising daily is to keep moving throughout the day.  For my patients, I recommend 30 minutes daily of at least moderate intensity exercise AND 10,000 steps per day as recorded by a pedometer.

Studies show that even if we faithfully go to the gym each day, if we sit the rest of the day we negate the beneficial effects.  We need to find ways to keep moving throughout the day.

Too often we are confined to “desk sentences”.  This is not real living.  Our bodies were genetically designed to move. The old adage is true.  Use it or lose it.

3. Get Plenty of Potassium and Magnesium in Your Diet

A diet high in potassium and magnesium has been shown to also lower blood pressure.  You don’t typically find these important electrolytes in processed foods or sports drinks.  Rather, these electrolytes are found in certain fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and legumes.  These are the foods that lower blood pressure. Once again, to lower your blood pressure you need to eat real food!

4. Eat Animal Meat Sparingly

While I am not advocating a vegetarian diet, I am suggesting that animal meats, especially processed and red meats, may raise our blood pressure.  The processed meats, like hot dogs, bacon, sausage, and deli meats, can be especially detrimental to our health and blood pressure.

For my patients, I recommend that animal meat should be a special treat eaten one or two times a week rather than something that is eaten several times a day.  For those who do enjoy animal meats, I recommend lean and organic cuts.

Fish, on the other hand, may lower blood pressure and has many other beneficial effects.  The key to selecting fish is to find a fish low in mercury and other contaminants.  My favorite fish for nutrition is Wild Alaskan Salmon.  While this can be quite pricy, places like Costco offer very affordable Wild Alaskan Salmon.  I personally eat Wild Alaskan Salmon twice a week.

5. Minimize Stress

When we are stressed out our bodies release chemicals, such as cortisol and adrenalin, which both raise blood pressure.  Not only will stress raise our blood pressure but stress is also an important cause of coronary heart disease. With our fast paced, hectic lives, we need to do something each day specifically to release our stress.

For me, I find that exercising in the mountains has a powerful effect on lowering my stress levels.  Regardless of what I may be feeling at the time, just spending some time exercising in the mountains seems to make it all go away.

For others, it could be meditation, yoga, spending time with friends, or reading that help with stress.  Find what works for you and do something each day to reduce your stress.

6. Minimize Processed Foods and Sugar

This recommendation goes without saying.  Our processed food and high sugar diet in the U.S. is a big cause of high blood pressure.  It also raises our blood pressure through weight gain.   These simple or hunger causing carbs also cause us to retain fluids which only further raise our blood pressure.  We have to return to real foods.

With regards to added sugar, the World Health Organization (WHO) now recommends keeping added sugars to 25 grams/day or lower.  As there are 4 grams of sugar in a teaspoon, that works out to be a little more than 6 teaspoons a day.  That really is not much if you consider that a 12 oz can of Coke has 39 grams of sugar!

7. Eat Primarily a Plant Based Diet

Eating primarily unprocessed real foods, like fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and legumes with fish, is the key to a healthy diet.  These are the foods that lower blood pressure.  It is always better to first try natural ways to lower blood pressure.  These foods heal us.  These foods not only lower our blood pressure but can also reverse many other medical conditions.

8. Keep Your Weight in Check

High blood pressure and being overweight generally go hand-in-hand.  Being overweight is also an important cause of atrial fibrillation, coronary heart disease, and heart failure.

I saved this for number 8, as if you are doing numbers 1-7 then weight loss will occur naturally.  Most of my patients report dramatic weight loss without feeling hungry by following numbers 1-7.

One of the biggest challenges I have had in working with my patients is in teaching them how to prepare healthy foods. It seems that as a society we have forgotten how to cook.  Instead we have outsourced food preparation to the processed food and fast food corporations who often do not care about the long-term health of their customers.

If we can focus on eating real foods and real living then the weight will come off naturally.  We won’t need to count the calories.  We can live the way we were genetically designed to live!

One point to remember.  When lowering your blood pressure naturally it is important to work with your physician very closely.  Your blood pressure can drop very fast when you make healthy lifestyle changes.  Never stop medications on your own.

How is your blood pressure? What have you found that helps to keep your blood pressure in check? You can leave a comment by clicking here.

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I am an emotional eater.  When I have something I need to do but don’t feel like doing, I suddenly feel hungry and will reach for food.  Over the years, I have given myself permission to procrastinate if I “need to eat” first.

I also use food to “reward” myself.  If I have just finished a killer work out or spent hours grueling with a difficult surgery, as soon as I finish I want to “reward” myself with something my body does not need.

Interestingly, I had no idea I was even an emotional eater.  I really had no idea I was subconsciously “eating” to procrastinate or “rewarding” myself for accomplishing something difficult.

It was not until I kept a food journal that I actually realized I did this.  With the food journal it reminded me of how much I had already eaten and when so I knew I wasn’t really hungry.  Interestingly, prior to the food journal experiment, I would forget what I had just eaten and was convinced I was hungry again.

As cumbersome as it can be to keep a food journal, it did finally give me insight on something I had been doing my entire life.  I came to realize that I wasn’t really hungry at these times.  I just did not want to do what needed to be done.

Food was, and still is if I am not careful, an emotional distraction for me.  Like so many people, I got “hunger” confused with other emotions I was feeling.

Emotional eating can come in many different forms.  These experiences and associations with food were often learned in childhood.

Emotional Eating: What Medical Studies Tell Us

Certain foods, especially the high sugar or unhealthy fatty foods, have provided us with emotional comfort over the course of our lives.  Indeed, studies show that these are the foods emotional eaters primarily turn to for comfort.

Emotional eating is a major reason for eating more than what our bodies really need.  Studies also show that unless emotional eating is addressed, long-term weight loss for emotional eaters is extremely difficult.

Six Strategies to Overcome Emotional Eating

The key for success and long-term health is to identify these emotions, determine if you really are hungry, and then redirect the action once these emotions arise.  Here are my 6 tips:

1. Recognize Your Emotions

Are you sad, bored, lonely, stressed out, or angry?  Most likely you are not really hungry at all.  Most of the time I wasn’t really hungry at all.

It could be that what you really need is to connect with a supportive friend or family member, some physical activity, or to do something that you really enjoy like reading a great book, listening to some wonderful music, etc.

Often, if we do one of the above activities, the sensation of “hunger” will pass.  You could even create a new rule for yourself such as “when I feel __, I will go for a walk first”.

2. Eat Three Healthy Options First

If you really feel that you need some food when you are feeling this way, try eating three healthy food options (i.e. celery, apple, handful of nuts, etc.) before you give yourself permission to turn to your old comfort foods.  Generally, by the time you have had 3 healthy options you will lose the urge to return to the old comfort foods.

3. Have a Plan

If you are in a situation where you are feeling very overpowered by your emotions, it often helps to have a plan. Write down what you will eat for the day the night before.  Prepare all of your foods ahead of time so you are ready to go the next day.

This is something that has been very helpful for me.  If I don’t bring a lunch and snacks with me in the morning, I will reach for the pizza and Diet Coke as a “reward” after a long or difficult surgery.

This takes away the decision making process as you have already decided ahead of time what you will eat for the day.  Write down everything you eat as part of this plan.  Sometimes, just writing down everything that we eat makes us responsible to ourselves.

4. Get Enough Sleep and Physical Activity

Often I find that when people are not getting enough sleep or physical activity it is a normal thing to turn to these comfort foods.  Our bodies are hard-wired to seek out high sugar/unhealthy high fat foods when we are sleep deprived, stressed out, etc.

5. Keep a Food Journal

This has been my best tool for fighting emotional eating.  Too often, I forget what I have just eaten and think I am “hungry” again if I don’t want to do something or am very tired after a long surgery.  The food journal reminds me that it is not hunger but a different emotion I am struggling with.

While food journals are a big hassle, this hassle has been another key to my success.  When I walk past the nurses station and see chips, cookies, or candies just the fact that I will have to record what I eat prevents me from unconsciously taking “just a little”.  The journal has taught me how to eat mindfully.

6. Learn From Bad Days

It is human to have bad days and “fall off the wagon”.  When this happens, don’t beat yourself up.  Rather, analyze the day and try to identify the triggers that led you to “fall off the wagon”.  Learn from these experiences so that you will do better next time.  A bad day can teach you how to improve going forward.

You can leave a comment by clicking here.

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Did you know that taking regular vacations can help you to prevent a heart attack? While it seems strange, most Americans do not take their full vacation time. I was the same way once. It really makes no sense at all.

Is stress crushing you?

According to the 2013 Work Stress Survey, 83% of Americans reported being stress out at work. Where are you right now in your life? Are you buried at work? Is stress crushing you?

Do you need a vacation?

The problem is that as Americans we just do not take many vacations. While Europeans get up to 30 days of paid vacation each year, we just get 14 days. Even with these 14 days of vacation, the average American only takes 10 days off.

I get this. I used to be the same way. I would never take any time off. I would let my vacation time go unused so that I could work more. Seems strange doesn’t it?

I’m really not sure what was going on in my head at the time. I think I was trying to work hard and not spend any money in hopes for an earlier retirement. That is if I still had my health by the time I hit retirement age…

It was not until I hit my own health crisis a few years ago that I started taking vacations. Now I know that vacations are absolutely critical to our health, happiness, and longevity!

Let me give you 6 Reasons Why You Need a Vacation Now!

1. Less Stress

We just do not do a good job of dealing with stress in our modern lives. 70% of all doctor visits are due to stress or illnesses brought on or made worse by stress. I see this every day in my medical practice. In fact In a study of 1500 women in Wisconsin, those who rarely took vacations were 90% more stressed out than those who regularly took vacations.

2. More Happiness

While we have always been taught money cannot buy you happiness, that is not always the case. Studies have shown that spending money on life experiences, such as vacations, actually improve happiness.

Interestingly, in a study of 1,530 Dutch people, vacations seem to boost their pre-trip happiness the most. Somehow, just thinking about your upcoming vacation makes you happier. I know this is the case for our family. For the last 20+ years our annual family vacation has been on my parent’s houseboat at Lake Powell. If we even bring up Lake Powell our kids instantly become joyous! Now that I am thinking about this vacation, I can already feel my spirits lifting!

3. More Energy

Yes, vacations can give you more energy! Perhaps it is because they give you a new perspective on life or a chance just to de-stress. Regardless, from the Wisconsin study cited above, women who rarely took vacations were 67% more tired and fatigued than those who regularly took vacations.

4. Better Marriage Satisfaction

Can you really improve your marriage just by taking a vacation? Yes, according to the results of this Wisconsin study. In this study, women who regularly took vacations reported 55% more satisfaction with their marriage. Vacations give us a chance to reconnect with those that are most important in our lives free from all of the stressors of everyday life.

5. Protect Your Heart

Yes, a vacation will help to save you from ever developing heart disease! In fact, from over 12,000 men followed for 9 years in the MRFIT Trial, those who regularly took vacations were 29% less likely to die from a heart attack. Studies of women have shown the same heart protective effects of vacation. Vacationing is indeed good for your heart!

6. Live Longer

If all of the above benefits were not enough, those who regularly take vacations live longer than those who do not. Based on the MRFIT Study above, regular vacationers were 17% less likely to die over the 9 years of the study.

What if I can’t afford a vacation?

You may be thinking, yeah that all sounds great Dr. Day but my wife and I just cannot afford a vacation right now. Vacations do not have to be expensive. In fact, you could even do a “stay’cation”.

Stay’cations, if done right, can yield the exact same health benefits. Of course, a stay’cation does not mean stay home and do chores around the house. It means to get out and explore the area around where you live!

What can I do today?

My challenge to each of you is to take some time and plan a vacation with your family or friends today. There is no better time than the present. It just might make you happier!

How have vacations helped you in your life? What was your best vacation? You can leave a comment by clicking here.

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I once had high cholesterol. My total cholesterol was 211 mg/dL. I had even put myself on a low-dose statin (Lipitor or atorvastatin) to treat this. Like most of my cardiology colleagues, I thought statins were the answer to heart disease. Too often I heard at major cardiac meetings that we should just “put statins in the drinking water.”

So I started taking my statin. Several weeks later while playing competitive basketball I tore my calf muscle. I screamed in agony. I could not even walk off the court. I was not even playing that hard when the muscle tore.

I had heard countless patients tell me how statins made their muscles hurt. To be honest, like most cardiologists, I wasn’t convinced so many of them were having side effects. That is until I tore my calf muscle.

It took several weeks for the muscle to heal. I suspected it was the statin and so I stopped taking it like many patients who are prescribed this medication.

I thought I would just take my chances. Playing basketball was so important to me at the time that it was not worth risking injury to take a drug.

As I have gained an awareness of the healing effects of real food, real living, and real happiness I have started to question why some cultures in the world can avoid heart disease.

In cultures and regions of the world where they can keep their total cholesterol naturally low (without medications), below 150, blockages in their arteries are just not seen. These people rarely have heart attacks, their stroke risk is very low, and they are much less likely to develop dementia or other diseases with aging.

I should mention that this target of 150 mg/dL is far below what the American Heart Association (AHA) would classify as “normal”. The AHA goal level for total cholesterol is below 200 mg/dL.

It has often been said in cardiology that you are only as old as your arteries.  How true this is.  If you can keep your “pipes clean” you will live a long and healthy life.

Please do not ever stop a medication on your own.  If your physician has prescribed a cholesterol lowering medicine for you, please continue to take this medication.  As you make the necessary lifestyle changes to lower your cholesterol, you can have your cholesterol checked again in 2-3 months.  If your cholesterol has come down significantly, talk with your doctor about reducing or eliminating cholesterol lowering medications.

Our Approach to Cholesterol

Unfortunately, half of all adults in the U.S. have a total cholesterol above the goal level of 200 mg/dL. While cholesterol is by no means the only cause of cardiovascular disease, it is one of many risk factors that need to be controlled to live a life free of chronic diseases.

Personally, I have never seen a heart attack or coronary artery disease (cardiac plaque build up) in any patient who is physically fit and has a total cholesterol of less than 150 mg/dL without medications. The same lifestyle that naturally leads to a low cholesterol is the same lifestyle that can allow us to avoid the chronic diseases of “aging”.

Too often, the approach in the medical community is to just prescribe a statin. I know, I was trained in this environment. My mentors shared with me that few, if any, patients can make life lasting changes. Thus, just prescribe a pill.

The problem is that this pill, according to the FDA website, not only increases your risk of muscle injury but also can cause diabetes or memory loss. There has to be a better way…

How do we keep our arteries free of plaque build up?

While genes do play a role in some people, for most of us the choice is really up to us. By not smoking, exercising regularly, maintaining an idea body weight, eating real food, keeping our blood pressure under control, and by keeping our cholesterol in check we can slow the aging process and prevent heart disease.

How serious of a problem is cholesterol?

As Americans we are doing a better job at controlling our cholesterol. The average total cholesterol in the US has dropped from about 220 down to about 200 over the last one to two decades. With this, there has been a sharp drop in heart attacks, stents, and coronary bypass surgeries in the US. Personally, I think the real goal should be to be physically fit AND have a total cholesterol below 150 naturally if we really want to finally end heart attacks.

Transfats

Most of this reduction in total cholesterol in the US has been by eliminating most transfats out of our diet. Transfats are primarily found in unhealthy oils and processed foods. Thanks to new laws now in place, the FDA has baned transfats from our food supply. The only problem is that this law will take some time before it is in effect.

Until this new transfat ban kicks in, you can still find transfats in processed foods. According to US law, if there is less than 0.5 grams per serving, food manufacturers can list “zero transfats” on their labels. This is not right and is very deceptive to people. If you consume a lot of processed foods you could easily pick up a few grams of this incredibly toxic and artery damaging fat.

How do we avoid transfats?

Read the labels very closely if you eat anything processed. Anything that says hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated should be avoided. If you eat out, fried foods usually have transfats. At home, only use the healthy oils like extra virgin olive oil.

Five simple ways to lower your cholesterol

If your cholesterol is too high, do not despair. It is easy to bring it down! Here are 5 simple ways for most people to get their total cholesterol below 150 naturally.

1. Get Moving!

Regular physical activity lowers your LDL (bad cholesterol) and raises your good cholesterol (HDL).

2. Minimize Animal Protein

Cholesterol is only found in meat and dairy. You do not need any cholesterol in your diet. Your body will make what ever your body needs. Fish is relatively neutral overall to cholesterol. While fish does slightly raises LDL (bad cholesterol) it also raises HDL (good cholesterol) and lowers your triglycerides. Fish, especially oily fish, is very heart healthy provided it is a fish low in mercury and other contaminants. If you enjoy animal meat, eat only organic grass fed meat and in limited quantities.

3. Eat More Fiber

Fiber scrubs the cholesterol out of your body. The more fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, and legumes (beans and lentils) the better.

4. Eat Only Healthy Fats

Nuts and seeds have the healthy fats our bodies need. For cooking, stick to healthy fats like extra virgin olive oil. Margarine, vegetable oils, or anything like this is toxic to our bodies.

5. Minimize Sugar and Processed Foods

This is where most of the chronic diseases we are now seeing come from. This is not real food. Stick to real food not stuff made in a factory and sold in a box, can, or jar.

Since completely changing my lifestyle, I have been able to drop my total cholesterol from 211 mg/dL to 118 mg/dL without any medications. I am 100% medication free at this point in my life and feel great. You cannot see this degree of cholesterol lowering from statins alone. Many physicians do not even feel this is possible but it is. I have many patients who have dropped their total cholesterol more than 100 points from lifestyle alone. We underestimate the power of a healthy lifestyle!

One point to always remember.  Please work with your physician when lowering your cholesterol naturally.  You never want to just stop your medications.

How is your cholesterol? Have you had it checked recently? What are you doing to keep your total cholesterol below 150? You can leave a comment by clicking here.

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I often work late at the hospital. Baseball practice is on Tuesday and Thursday nights. Soccer practice is Wednesday night. On Friday nights we have another activity. It can be hard to get the family together for a regular family dinner. How can we possibly get the family together for family dinner in our over programmed lives? Welcome to modern life!

Unfortunately, for us getting the family together for dinner is just half of the battle. We still struggle with keeping our younger children in their seats and engaged in meaningful conversation and eating healthy foods.

Eat Home Cooked Meals and Live Longer

I recently reviewed an interesting study that was published in the Public Health Nutrition medical journal. This study evaluated 1,888 adults living in Taiwan and followed them for 10 years. The key finding of this study showed that people who ate home cooked meals on most days were 53% less likely to die over the 10 years of this study! Not only did these people live longer by eating home cooked meals on 5 or more days a week, these people also were more likely to eat more vegetables and less meat and to walk and shop more frequently (it takes a lot of effort to make nutritious home cooked meals!).

Our Fast Food Nation

According to the USDA Economic Research Service , 49% of the food dollars spent in the US are spent eating fast food and other meals outside of the home. That is twice as much as it was a generation or two ago. Not only are we not having family dinner as a society but we are also forgetting even how to cook. We have outsourced cooking to Food, Inc.

7 Reasons to Eat at Home with the Family

Even if you don’t have any kids living at home with you or you live alone, there still are significant health benefits of a home cooked meal. Let me give you 7 reasons why we need to bring back home cooked meals.

1. You Will Live 53% Longer

There is something magical that happens from eating real food. Real food heals the body and protects against disease and illness.

2. Your Diet Will Be Much Healthier

Countless studies have shown that people who eat home cooked meals are much more likely to eat fruits and vegetables and less processed foods.

3. You Will Be Less Likely to Gain Weight

4. Your Portion Control Will Be Better

Eating out portions are generally twice as much as what our bodies need. When we eat at home our portion sizes are more in line with what we need. Using smaller plates (10″ plates instead of 12″ plates), chewing our food well, keeping the TV off, and dishing our food from the counter rather than the table are all additional strategies to keep our portion sizes in check.

5. You Will Have Closer Family Relationships

Eating meals with friends and family has a profound healing effect. This is real living. Connecting with others over healthy foods.

6. Your Children Will Do Better in School

Eating real food together as a family will give children that extra boost to perform well in school.

7. Your Children Will Be Less Likely to Turn to Drugs or Alcohol to Cope With Life

Once again, the connections made at home and strengthened over family dinners will help to give them the tools to succeed in life.

What has been your experience with family dinner? You can leave a comment by clicking here.

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I am a recovering Diet Coke addict.  We had soda pop in our home growing up but it was rationed.  As kids we were allowed 2 cans of Sprite each week (76 grams of sugar or 19 teaspoons of sugar).  I would save mine until Saturday and then have 2 cans after my basketball game. It became a comfort drink for me that was associated with happy memories.

At the age of 16 I got my driver license and could now have it whenever I wanted.  My drug of choice was now a 32 ounce Pepsi Big Gulp from 7-11 (123 grams of sugar or 31 teaspoons of sugar).

Through college and medical school I regularly consumed 1-2 liters of Pepsi or Coke each day, depending on what was on sale at the time, to get me through the long hours of studying. It seemed to give me a short burst of energy. It also gave me 224 grams of added sugar each day (56 teaspoons of sugar).

To prevent the energy crash an hour or two after drinking it I would just drink it all day long. Naturally, I developed severe insomnia at night. It never dawned on me that the two could somehow be connected.

In my 30s with my waistline expanding I decided to switch to Diet Pepsi/Coke to help me lose weight. It didn’t work. I had daily headaches. Once again it would be years before I figured out that diet sodas were causing my headaches.

With my health crisis a few years ago I gave it up cold turkey. It was hard and I went through withdrawals. After a couple of weeks I felt so much better and more energetic off the stuff. All of my headaches went away. No longer would I get the energy crash an hour or two after drinking it.

I wish my story ended here but it doesn’t. Even to this day I crave it…

Diet Soda is Killing Women

I was recently in Washington DC giving a presentation at one of the largest cardiac meetings in the world, the Annual Scientific Sessions of the American College of Cardiology.  A very big study came out of this conference.  Namely that diet soda is destroying women’s hearts.

In this study they looked at nearly 60,000 women with no prior heart disease from the U.S. Women’s Health Initiative. After following these women for an average of 9 years they found that those women who drank 2 or more diet drinks daily (24 ounces) were 50% more likely to die from a heart condition than those women who did not consume diet drinks.

Soda Pop is an American Addiction

According to Gallup research, half of all Americans drink soda pop on a daily basis. 10% of our daily calories in the U.S. now come from high fructose corn syrup, primarily from soda pop. Older, more wealthy, and overweight Americans are more likely to drink diet sodas.

Diet Soda Makes You Fat Except in Studies Sponsored by the Soda Pop Manufacturers

The sad thing is that the more diet soda you drink the more weight you gain! One study even showed that diet soda drinkers gained 70% more weight than non-drinkers over a 10 year period of time.

While many studies have all associated soda pop with weight gain, there is one study that noticeably stands out. This was supported by the soda pop manufacturers. In this very short three-month dieting study, they found that diet soda drinking dieters were able to lose more weight. Perhaps the real reason why soda pop drinking dieters did better in the three short months of this study is because they only had to give up their calories not their diet soda.

Why Are We Addicted to Soda?

Why do we still crave soda pop even though it is making us fat, killing our hearts, and even has know carcinogens from the caramel coloring?

1. Sugar

 A 20 ounce bottle of Coke has 65 grams of added sugar! We now know that sugar may be as addictive as cocaine.

2. Caffeine

The stimulant caffeine is another known addictive substance.

3. It is a Comfort Drink

Comfort foods and drinks allow us to “medicate” ourselves when we are not feeling well. I know this is the case for me. Whenever I am feeling tired or overwhelmed I long for a Diet Coke.

3 Ways to Kick Soda Pop or Another Other Bad Habit

1. Change Your Environment

Get soda pop out of your house. Don’t even go anywhere near where it is sold. If you don’t see it you are less likely to crave it. Are there any other triggers? For me, feeling fatigued or a slice of pizza and Coke/Diet Coke went hand-in-hand.

2. Change Your Routine

When I was tired or wanted a slice of the white flour, full-fat, salt loaded pizza I reached for a Coke/Diet Coke. Now when I realize I am feeling tired I will drink a glass of water or eat a fruit and do something physically active. Likewise, if I can avoid unhealthy pizza I lose the urge to also drink a Diet Coke.

3. Take Care of Yourself

If you get enough sleep at night, stay physically active, eat the right foods, connect with others daily, and maintain your own spirituality it can give you the power to resist these temptations and maintain your new healthy habits. It works for me. My cravings always seem to come when one of these things is missing from my life.

What do you think? What things work for you in resisting the temptation of soda pop and other junk foods? You can leave a comment by clicking here.

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I thought I would never live another day without pain. Every step hurt. Like 100 million other Americans I lived with chronic pain.

Something always hurt. My left knee was always in pain, my neck hurt to turn, and my lower back hurt.

I could only take a few doses of ibuprofen or naproxen before my stomach would start to hurt. Celebrex (a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug or NSAID) was my answer at the time for the pain. I took Celebrex daily and my autoimmune disease was very active. Although I was just in my mid-40s at the time, I just kept wondering, if the pain is so bad now how on earth am I going to survive to retirement?

The Dangers of NSAIDs

While Celebrex did raise my blood pressure 5-10 points, fortunately I did not have any severe complications from taking my daily NSAID. NSAIDs will not only raise your blood pressure but they are also known to increase your risk of bleeding, strokes, kidney failure, and ulcers.

NSAIDS May Cause Heart Attacks and Atrial Fibrillation

It has been known for quite some time that taking these anti-inflammatories increase the risk of a heart attack. Depending on what study you look at, this risk is any where from a 2-4 fold increase.

While it is not clear exactly how NSAIDs cause heart attacks, it is likely due to their effect on how our blood actually clots or the increased blood pressure that is a known side effect of these medications.

Recently there was yet another study published linking atrial fibrillation to the use of NSAIDs Yes, that little ibuprofen, Aleve, Motrin, etc. pill can also cause atrial fibrillation. In this study, NSAIDs increased the risk of atrial fibrillation by 76%. Even more frightening is that there was an increased risk of atrial fibrillation for up to one month after taking the NSAID!

Is there anything else I can take for pain?

Unfortunately, the other pain medications are not without risk either. There are now increased warnings of potentially life-threatening liver complications from acetaminophen. Not only can the opiate pain killers cause addiction issues but they can also cause people to die from a cardiac arrest due to prolonging the QT interval on an EKG.

When I was in severe pain, I did not see any other way to fight the pain than to take my Celebrex. I knew I was increasing my risk of heart problems but if I did not take Celebrex there was no way I could have even gone to work. Today, I realize that there are lifestyle changes that you can make now to prevent the pain so that there is no need for NSAIDs. Fortunately, everything turned around for me over time. This turn around did not happen over night. It took many, many months for the pain to finally go away. I have not taken anything for pain in a long, long, time. I never thought this was even possible.

How do we know if our bodies are inflamed?

There is a simple blood test which measures the level of inflammation in our body. This test is called C-reactive protein or CRP. High levels of CRP have been linked with many chronic diseases such as atrial fibrillation, heart attacks, and Alzheimer’s Disease. This is a test that can be easily ordered by your physician.

6 Ways to Reduce Inflammation and Pain

How can we reduce the inflammation in our bodies so that we don’t need anti-inflammatory drugs? Let me give you 6 ways we can reduce our inflammation.

1. Stay Physically Active

Physical activity helps to reduce inflammation. If something hurts, there are physical things like stretching, yoga, or strength training that we can do to help relieve the pain. Withdrawing from all physical activity just because something hurts only makes the pain worse long-term.

2. Avoid Foods That Cause Inflammation

We know what these are. Sugar, processed foods, wheat flour, and excessive amounts of animal meats can all cause our body to become inflamed and hurt. By eating real food we can allow our bodies to heal over time.

3. Eat Foods Which Reduce Inflammation

Did you know there are many anti-inflammatory foods? Yes, fruits and vegetables, legumes (beans, lentils, etc.), oily fish, nuts, seeds, and whole grains except for wheat flour can all help to reduce inflammation and pain.

4. Maintain An Ideal Body Weight

Fat cells secrete many hormones and other substances which cause inflammation throughout our bodies. Also, the extra weight causes a lot of wear and tear on our joints over time. As you get lighter the pain the pain will lessen or even go away.

5. Get Your Stress Under Control

Stress causes inflammation and magnifies any pain in your body. Make sure you do something each day to help you get your stress under control.

6. Discuss Alternative Treatments For Pain With Your Physician

There are many anti-inflammatory supplements, like fish oil, or herbs will not only make your food taste even better but they can also reduce inflammation. Also, acupuncture and massage therapy can be extremely helpful for long-term pain challenges.

What have you found that works for managing pain? You can leave a comment by clicking here.

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The number one complaint I hear from my patients in my cardiology practice is that they feel so tired. Why is this the case? With power drinks and other energy drinks all around us, why have we become so tired? Do we have to live fatigued?

I get it. I used to feel this way as well. I would easily go through more than 32 oz of Diet Coke each day just to get through my day. I was so tired between surgeries and procedures that I had to make my way to the nearest nurses station or the Doctor’s Dining lounge where I could find a free, nice and cold Diet Coke. While I was always dragging through the day, ironically I just could not fall asleep at night. It never even dawned on me at the time that my processed food, sugar loaded, stress filled life could have anything to do with a lack of energy.

Could our modern lifestyle be driving all of the fatigue patients we are now seeing? By changing my lifestyle the energy has come back and I no longer need Diet Coke to get me through the day.

If you suffer from chronic fatigue, please also work with your primary care physician. It is possible that your fatigue could also be due to anemia, an under active thyroid, diabetes, nutritional deficiencies, or a myriad of other hormonal and metabolic problems. For those without an underlying medical problem causing their fatigue, it is completely reversible.

Let me suggest 10 ways you can get your energy back now!

1. Get a Good Night of Sleep

It seems basic but is often neglected. If you do not sleep well or have sleep apnea you will be tired during the day.

People with sleep apnea generally snore and stop breathing in the middle of the night. Usually their spouse can make this diagnosis.

For men, if your neck size is 17 or more there is a good chance you have sleep apnea. For women, it is a neck size of 16 or more.

Sleep apnea is also a big cause of atrial fibrillation. Fortunately, most cases of sleep apnea are totally reversible with weight loss. Until you can get the extra weight off, if you have sleep apnea, please use your CPAP machine. If you suspect you might have sleep apnea, please contact your physician to order the necessary testing to determine whether or not you have this condition.

If it is insomnia you are struggling with there are things you can do to improve your sleep. Have a set sleep and waking time schedule. Fasting 4 hours before going to bed at night can be tremendously helpful. Avoid computer, TV, or other screen lights that activate our brains and suppress our natural sleep hormone, melatonin, before bed. Get outside and stay physically active. A clean, dark, cool, and quiet room will do wonders for sleeping as well.

2. Get Off As Many Medications As Possible

Most of the medications we take can make us tired. While you cannot just stop taking your meds, you can work with your doctor to get off as many medications as possible. Bring your medication list each time you meet with your doctor. Discuss each medication. Is there anything you can stop?

By faithfully following our lifestyle, most of you will be able to get off your blood pressure and cholesterol pills. You may even be able to get off any pain pills you may be taking as well.

3. Get in Sync With the Sun

Make sure you get outside and get plenty of natural light each day. Likewise, when the sun goes down start wrapping up your day’s activities. Work with your body and the sun’s natural rhythms. Night owls may suffer from more depression and fatigue during the day. If you try to fight the natural rhythms of life you will be fatigued.

4. Eat a Healthy Breakfast

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Make sure you get in the right foods to start out your day. This will give you energy and set you up for success later in the day. Conversely, a big meal at the end of the day just sets us up for poor sleep, weight gain, and fatigue the next day.

5. Stay Hydrated

When we get dehydrated it makes us tired. Drink plenty of water for more energy. Carry your BPA free water bottle with you and make sure you are never without water.

6. Keep Moving

It seems counter intuitive, but those who are the most fatigued are the people who need to start moving the most. As we stay physically active it will energize us.

7. Focus on the Fruits and Vegetables

Fruits and vegetables give us life and vitality. Make sure you get in your American Heart Association recommended 9 servings of fruits and vegetables each day. This is not hard to do if you make this part of every meal. Your body will thank you.

8. Avoid Large Meals

Big meals wreck havoc on the body. They make you tired, put a big stress on the body, and paradoxically set you up to be hungry again soon. Eat lighter to keep your energy levels up.

9. Avoid the Biggest Energy Draining Foods: Sugar, Excessive Animal Meats, and Processed Foods

While sugar may give you a very short energy boost, the crash will leave you more fatigued than ever. Also, the foods that have the same effect as sugar in the body (high glycemic index foods) like wheat flour will also drain your energy. Excessive amounts of animal meats can also leave you tired. Rather than indulge in processed foods, which will only leave you feeling worse, focus on real foods.

10. Live Happy

When we are happy we feel alive. Depression and feeling down can rob us of our energy. While tips 1-9 all help us to live happier, I find that if I also review what I am grateful for each day, look for ways to help others, find some time for myself, and am progressing in my personal goals I feel very happy.

What things work for you to give you more energy? Please drop me a line and let me know what works for you. You can leave a comment by clicking here.

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The Scientifically Proven 4 Ways to Reverse Aging

No one wants to grow old.  Is there a way that we can stay forever young?  Read on to find out the proven 4-step process to reverse aging by a Nobel prize-winning scientist.

Birthdays

I recently turned 50.  Birthdays used to be very depressing for me. Each new candle seemed to represent one step closer to having my body breakdown.

Perhaps this was because for years my patients had told me not to grow old or that the so-called golden years aren’t that golden.  And, watching their progressive decline, I started to believe them.

It was almost like the “nocebo effect.”  The nocebo effect is the opposite of the placebo effect.  With the nocebo effect, you think that something bad will happen and then it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

I distinctly remember my 40th birthday. Turning 40 was something I had been dreading for a long time.  Forty years seemed like a marker to me that I was getting older.

At that time, I was 35 pounds heavier and was on multiple medications. I did not feel well and was very depressed to be 40. I was taking Celebrex twice daily to help with neck pain, and I had such weakness in my C5-C6 nerve root that I could not even pull my laptop out of my computer bag with my right hand.

Through a series of events in my life, which I describe in our book The Longevity Plan, I reversed aging.  Interestingly, many of the things which helped me were also found to be quite helpful in the first study to show that you can reverse aging by Nobel Prize-winning scientist, Dr. Elizabeth Blackburn.

Today I feel fabulous. I have not taken any pills, not even a Tylenol or ibuprofen, in a long, long, time. It is almost as if I am 30 all over again.  And I no longer dread birthdays.

Quest for Youth

Who doesn’t want to be forever young?  When I think of the quest for immortality, I think of Emperor Qin who was born in 260 BC.

He was a ruthless emperor who conquered all of China for the first time. He unified China and even constructed the Great Wall to protect his new kingdom.

Emperor Qin also wanted to live forever. He sent thousands of people on quests throughout Asia to find the secret elixir that would make him young again. Sadly, Emporer Qin never found it. In fact, he died at the young age of 50 likely from Mercury poisoning which was being given to him by his physicians to make him young again.

As a result of mercury poisoning, Emporer Qin was buried with his thousands of terracotta soldiers to protect him in the after-life.  When you think about it, Emperor Qin’s quest for youth was not much different than our search for lotions, potions, and plastic surgery that can do the same for us today.

The Reverse Aging Study

Fortunately, we now have scientific proof that you actually can reverse aging. Recently, the famous cardiologist, Dr. Dean Ornish from the University of California, San Francisco, published a medical study with Nobel Prize-winning scientist Dr. Elizabeth Blackburn which gained worldwide attention.

In this study, Doctors Ornish and Blackburn included 35 men with early prostate cancer who opted not to undergo surgery or radiation.  Some of these men committed to making healthy lifestyle changes, and some chose to continue to live the way they had always lived.  The lifestyle changes prescribed in this study consisted of just four simple things that the motivated men did faithfully for the five years of this study.

1. Eat a plant-based diet

Eating a plant-based diet in this study means they didn’t eat added sugars, processed carbohydrates, or added oils.  They completely cut out processed foods.  Rather they ate a diet extremely high in real foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and legumes.

2. Exercise daily

These study participants all became physically active.  It was a daily habit, and they did everything possible not to sit too long at any time.

3. Did something for stress each day

While yoga was the preferred way to manage the daily stress in this study, these study participants also did other stress-reducing activities as well.  For example, meditation, nature walks or hikes, prayer, or exercise in any form may be a mindful way to manage stress.

4. Social connection

Study participants met weekly for the five years of this study.  During these meetings, friendships formed with the researchers and fellow members of the study.  Even outside of these weekly meetings, study participants encouraged each other to continue living this healthy lifestyle.

Results of the Reverse Aging Study

After living this way for five years, Drs. Ornish and Blackburn found that the telomere length of the group who adopted these lifestyle changes was 10% longer than it was before they started five years earlier. In contrast, the control group, who did not make any lifestyle changes, experienced a 3% shortening of their telomere length which is typical of growing five years older.

What is a telomere?

Telomeres are the caps on the end of our chromosomes. The telomeres protect our DNA through the aging process.

Over time, as our cells divide our telomeres shorten. When they get too short, they can no longer protect our DNA which can then lead to the usual diseases of aging and ultimately death. Short telomeres equate to a high risk of heart disease, cancer, and many other chronic diseases.

Practical Tips

This study is remarkable in that it showed for the first time that you could reverse aging.  After five years, the group of men who adhered to this lifestyle turned back the aging process by 10%.

To reverse aging doesn’t require any expensive lotions, potions, or plastic surgery.  All you have to do to reverse aging is eat a real food plant-based diet, stay physically active every day, embrace stress, and connect socially with people who also value health and happiness.

The power is up to us! We can reverse aging!

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Does it really matter what time of the day we eat? At the end of the day it is all about the total number of calories taken in, right?

My philosophy in the past was a calorie is a calorie. I remember as a teenager or even in college sometimes eating a whole pizza right before bed. I was hungry so I ate right before bed. A calorie is a calorie, right?

Wrong! The timing of when we eat really does matter. Even if we eat the same number of calories, depending on what time of the day they are consumed can help to determine whether we are able to maintain a normal weight or become obese.

Eating Time of the Day Study

In a recent issue of the prestigious heart medical journal, Circulation researchers from Harvard’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital report their findings on nearly 27,000 American men from the Heath Professionals Follow-Up Study. At the beginning of this study, none of these men had coronary heart disease, however, after 16 years of follow-up, 1,527 of them developed coronary heart disease. Coronary heart disease is where the arteries feeding blood to the heart become plugged up with plaque and put people at risk of a heart attack or even a cardiac arrest.

In this study, the researchers asked the question as to whether or not these men skipped breakfast or ate late at night had any impact on their development of coronary heart disease or not. Interestingly, 13% of the men routinely “skipped” breakfast and 1% reported eating late at night. When they looked at the risk of coronary heart disease, those men that skipped breakfast were 27% more likely to develop coronary heart disease and 55% of those who ate late at night were more likely to develop coronary heart disease.

How do we explain these findings?

Paradoxically, many studies have shown that those people who skip breakfast are much more likely to become obese. In addition to carrying extra weight, skipping breakfast has also been shown to affect insulin and lipid metabolism which likely also leads to increased plaque build up in the arteries of the heart. Likewise, eating late at night also had a deleterious effect on the heart. Our body’s metabolism is highest in the morning and lowest just before bed. Thus, consuming calories earlier in the day with steady meals seems, in harmony with natural body rhythms, seems to optimize the way our bodies burn fuel.

The common saying, “eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper” really is true. This study, along with many others, have all shown the same thing. Breakfast is important and should not be skipped. Earlier dinners are best and we should not eat after finishing dinner. Taking these simple steps not only lowers our risk of heart disease but also helps us to maintain a normal weight and avoid obesity.

My Simple Two Suggestions:

1. Never Skip Breakfast

This is the most important meal of the day. Get your body’s metabolism working properly from the start. Get your calories in while your metabolism is at its highest.

2. Don’t Eat or Drink After 7 pm

Your body does not know what to do with calories right before bed other than just store them as fat. You will sleep much better without a full stomach. Also, if you are not drinking right before bed you are more likely to make it through the night without having to get up to use the bathroom. A proper night’s sleep is also critical in optimizing your body’s metabolism.

A calorie consumed at 7 am is much more likely to be burned than a calorie at 9 pm. A calorie is not a calorie with regards to your body’s metabolism.

What about you? Do you ever skip breakfast or eat late at night? You can leave a comment by clicking here.

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Recently, I saw the news headlines from around the world—if you work longer you can help to prevent Alzheimer’s Disease.  Is this really the case? Do we really want to work forever?

For years I killed myself at work. I worked long hours. Like most Americans, I did not take my full vacation time. I burned out. My goal was to work as hard as I could, save our money, and retire early so that I could then kick back and relax.

Needless to say, this approach nearly killed me. My health suffered. The goal is to pace yourself at work and enjoy each and every day of life along the journey.

What does it mean to keep working and not retire?

Prevent Alzheimer’s Disease by Not Retiring Study

This controversial study was presented at the recent Alzheimer’s Conference in Boston.  As it was just a one page abstract, the actual study has not yet been peer reviewed or published in a medical journal.  Thus, the findings of this study can be considered preliminary at this time.

This study reviewed 430,000 French retirees and evaluated the risk of Alzheimer’s Disease based on the age of retirement.  Based on this study, the authors concluded that for each year you delayed retirement your risk of Alzheimer’s Disease decreased by 3.2%.

My Take on this Study

The findings of this study are in line with what we are seeing in other studies.  Namely, with regards to the mind the old adage “use it or lose it” really is important.

As a cardiologist, I am always worried when I hear my patients tell me they are ready to retire.  This is especially true for men as their job is often their reason to get up each morning and often the main source of their social interaction.  For a man, one of the most dangerous days of their lives is the day they “retire”.

My wife and I, along with our research team, have been studying a remote village in China near the Vietnam border. In this village people just don’t get sick and they live these amazingly long and healthy lives free of disease including Alzheimer’s Disease.

When we ask them if they look forward to their “retirement” they all laugh.  To them, there is no concept of retirement.  You never withdraw from the Village. You always contribute in some way.

Does Retirement Need to be Redefined?

Perhaps the problem is how we have defined retirement.  For many of us, while slaving away in the daily grind of our jobs, we dream of retiring and sitting next to the pool or playing golf each day.  For many of my patients who have “achieved” this dream life, they quickly find that it soon becomes old.  Many are looking for a new reason to live.

Perhaps retirement should be redefined as going from a “for profit” to a “non-profit” focus.  Instead of working for “the man”, perhaps it is time for us to work for ourselves, for our families, or for the community when it comes to “retirement.”

Thus, when it comes to retirement and preventing Alzheimer’s Disease let me suggest the following:

1. Enjoy Your Work Today

If you are in a job that you hate, what can you do to change things? Do you need to look for new employment? Can you get paid for doing what you love?

2. Take All of Your Vacation Time

Taking vacation time is critical to your health. Never let a day go unused. Pace yourself.

3. Never Stop Learning

To enjoy your current career, you can never stop learning. This will also keep your mind sharp and Alzheimer’s at bay.

4. Work Reasonable Hours

In the U.S. we work longer hours than the rest of the world. Studies show that when we work more than 40 hours a week we significantly increase our risk of heart disease. Are we really contributing the most when we are burned out and worked to the bone?

As you get further along in your career, perhaps you start scaling back the hours or even work part-time as a consultant.

Regardless, don’t neglect yourself in the name of your job. Make sure you have enough time to eat right, exercise regularly, and can spend meaningful time with your family and friends.

5. Find a Meaningful Second Career

When you are ready to move on to “retirement” find a meaningful second career. People who volunteer enjoy much more fulfilling and healthier lives. There is so much you can do to make the world a better place.

What do you think?  Do we have the concept of retirement all wrong in the U.S.? You can leave a comment by clicking here.