Cholesterol Drugs Increase Risk of Diabetes; Diabetes Drugs Increase Risk of Heart Attacks

In the age of medical specialists,  we can find ourselves being treated as a collection of conditions.   Our whole health can get lost.   You may find yourselves taking a variety of medications,  perhaps one for cholesterol,  another for high blood pressure and yet another to regulate blood glucose levels. These medications each may be appropriate,  but they also may works against each other.
Two studies regarding cholesterol lowering medications and a diabetes drugs are cases in point.

Lipitor, Crestor and other statin medications taken to lower cholesterol also increase the risk of diabetes,  by about a 9 percent, according to a study that quantified a complication that doctors only recently discovered.

Meanwhile, hundreds of people taking Avandia, a diabetes medicine, needlessly suffer heart attacks and heart failure each month, according to confidential government reports that recommend the drug be removed from the market.

The statin study analyzed 13 studies undetaken after a 2008 trial from London-based AstraZeneca unexpectedly found patients given its drug Crestor had a 25 percent higher risk of diabetes. The new analysis involving more than 90,000 patients, published in the journal Lancet, shows the actual increase in diabetes is 9 percent, the risk is tied to the entire class of medications and the danger increases with age. As a class,  statins are the leading class of drugs sold in the world today,  with annual sales exceeding $35 billion.

Avandia, the diabetes medication,   was once one of the biggest-selling drugs in the world. Driven in part by a multimillion-dollar advertising campaign, sales were $3.2 billion in 2006. But a 2007 study by a Cleveland Clinic cardiologist suggesting that the drug harmed the heart prompted the F.D.A. to issue a warning, and sales plunged. A committee of independent experts found in 2007 that Avandia might increase the risk of heart attack but recommended that it remain on the market, and an F.D.A. oversight board voted 8 to 7 to accept that advice.

Yes, medications may be approrpriate based on overall risk factors,  but they also are powerful chemicals that can negatively effect on our whole health.  A solution optimizing the power of nutrition to significantly improve whole health and prevent heart disease can be used in many cases --- either to avoid the intake of medications or significantly reduce the dosages required to achieve target health result. kardea nutrition - heart healthy and inspired - defining statin alternatives. kardea gourmet - great science, fantastic foods and cardiovascular health.

Salmon with Caper Berries, Vermouth & Apricot Preserve

Serves 4

When it comes to heart healthy Omega-3s, not all fish are created equal. Salmon remains one of the the best source of these heart healthy fatty acids. Lighter, whiter fish like sole, flounder and cod have substantially less. Even then, different types of salmon can deliver significantly different amounts. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, some types can deliver nearly twice as much omega-3s as others:

Atlantic, farmed: 2.5g
Atlantic, wild: 2.1g
Chinook: 2.0g
Coho: 1.5g
Sockeye: 1.4
USDA Nutrient Data Laboratory Database, Release 18

The cooking method also can substantially alter the Omega-3 content. If you broil or grill, you are likely to lose more of the Omega-3s than if you poach. There are two reasons here. First, when grilling or broiling, more of the Omega-3 will drain out of the fish. Moreover, in poaching, the broth is typically consumed. Any Omega-3s that do drain out of the fish are still eaten. The lower cooking temperatures associated with poaching also preserve the benefits of the Omega-3s.

There are terrific poaching recipes, but if you prefer the taste and texture of the broiled salmon, here is a Kardea Gourmet recipe that blends the great taste of broiling with the benefits of poaching.

2.0 Pounds Salmon Filet (skin on)
½ Cup Dry Vermouth (or White Wine)
2 Tablespoons Apricot Preserve
12 Caper Berries (or 2 teaspoons of capers)

In your oven, heat a heavy pan under the broiler. When the heavy pan is hot, place in the salmon with the skin side down. After 3-4 minutes under the broiler, turn oven to 325 degree.

While fish is broilng, heat vermouth in a sauce pan and then stir in the apricot perserve. Pour vermouth/apricot mixture over fish when you reduce the oven heat. Bake uncovered for 5 minutes. Add caper berries and cover. Bake fish until done, typically another 7-8 minutes depending on the thickness of the fillet. Serve with Kardea's wholesome barley pilaf--great for soaking up the sauce---and a wilted spinach.

Roasted Tuna with Rosemary

Carving a roast at the table kicks off a great social meal. For heart health and cholesterol management, we have replaced the beef or pork tenderloin with tuna–a 3-4 pound filet.
You may be able to find this filet at your local grocery, but it is more likely that you will need to go to a fish store or upscale food market. Be prepared. They likely will ask what you are planning on making with this large chunk of fish.

Like any good roast, this tuna not only anchors a festive meal, but it also makes great sandwiches the next day.

3-4 Lbs Tuna (skinned whole filet, not steaks)
½ Fennel Bulb, chopped (optional)
2 Cloves Garlic, chopped (optional)
1 Teaspoon Kosher or Sea Salt (optional)

Marinade
½ Cup Olive Oil
1 Juice of a Medium Lemon
½ Cup White Wine preferably one that is not too dry.
2 Teaspoons Rosemary

Combine ingredients for the marinade and pour over tuna. Let stand in covered bowl outside the refrigerator for about 1 hour.

If you decide to use the fennel, prepare while the tuna is marinating. Beyond its lovely flavor, the fennel serves as a moist bed on which the tuna sits while roasting.

Heat a pan on medium heat and then add about 1/4 cup of the marinated, chopped garlic and fennel. Cover and cook until the fennel is tender, stirring occassionally (about 15 minutes). Remove from heat.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Heat a large, heavy pan and coat hot pan with olive oil. Brown the tuna on all sides. If you opted to use the fennel, remove the tuna and place the sauted fennel on bottom of pan. Place the tuna on this bed of fennel . Pour the remaining marinade over the tuna and sprinkle salt. Cover and place in preheated oven. Roast for about 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven. Let this rest for about 5-10 minutes. Bring to the table. You are now ready to slice this tuna into meaty slices, serving medium-rare to medium slices. Spoon over gravy from pan.

Serves 6-8

Nutritional Profile Per 6 ounce Serving:Total Calories: 270Total Fat: Fatty Acid Profile: 7g mono, 2.5g poly, 2.5g saturated, 0g trans; Protein: 34g ; Cholesterol: 55mg; Carbohydrates: 1g; Total Fiber: 0g Soluble Fiber: 0g; Plant Sterols: 250mg (.25g) if using Kardea sterol-fortified olive oil; Omega-3s: 1.7g (Bluefin) Magnesium 20% Recommended Daily Intake (RDI)

Serve with a barley pilaf to enhance cholesterol-lowering benefits.

And if you have leftover, serve cold on a crusty roll with a slice of tomato, a few diced capers, a drizzel of olive oil & bit of dijon mustard.

Kardea Nutrition Links Dietitians & Natural Foods Retailers with Natural Cholesterol Management Speakers’ Bureau

Lifestyle changes emphasizing therapeutic nutrition offer significant opportunities to positively affect a range of interconnected health issues --- including cholesterol management, metabolic syndrome, diabetes and hypertension. Generally, where these multiple issues occur, the importance of cholesterol management is amplified.

The challenge: consumers are often confused or misinformed in regard to the best ways to use nutrition to naturally improve cholesterol levels. Numerous studies, including those reviewed by the Food & Drug Administration, the American Heart Association and the National Institutes of Health, have shown that a 20-30% reduction in LDL cholesterol levels is readily achievable with nutritional therapy.

As part of an initiative to enhance consumer understanding, Kardea Nutrition is developing a program to link food retailers, particularly natural foods retailers, with registered dietitians.

Among the components of this Kardea initiative is the creation of a Natural Cholesterol Management Speakers’ Bureau. As part of this program, dietitians with proven expertise in cholesterol management will be providing in-store classes that address the integrated roles of fiber, plant sterols, niacin, omega-3s, and monounsaturated fats.

Nutritional health professional and natural foods retailers interested in participating in this program should contact Kardea Nutrition directly at customerservice@kardeanutrition.com.

Updated Mediterranean Diet Pyramid From Oldways

Despite the fact that calories from fats may account for upwards of 40% of a Mediterranean diet, many studies show reduced incident of cardiovascular diseases in those populations that follow the traditional eating habits of this region.

Certainly, there is no single Mediterrean cuisine. The aromas, flavors and recipes vary widely from Spain and Italy to Greece and Lebanon and then across North Africa. Moreover, not all foods of these regions are necessarily healthful. Oldways, a leading advocate of traditional, healthful eating has released a revised Mediterranean diet pyramid to provide clear direction.

The major change in this updated Mediterranean Diet Pyramid, writes the staff of Oldways, is that all plant foods (fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, legumes, seeds, olives and olive oil) are grouped together to emphasize the health benefits they provide. A new addition to the Mediterranean Diet Pyramid is herbs and spices—for reasons of both health and taste. Increasingly, nutritional science is identifying active micro-nutrients in herbs, spices and other plant compounds that collectively may deliver health benefits well beyond what is provided by the better known vitamins, minerals, proteins, fats and carbohydrates.

The Oldways pyramid also points out the healthfulness of fish and shellfish, and suggest that it is beneficial to eat fish and shellfish at least two times per week.

Other specific recommendations of Oldways include:

• Make olive oil your primary source of dietary fat
• Eat low to moderate amounts of cheese and yogurt daily
• Drink a moderate amount of wine (one to two glasses per day for men, one glass per day for women)
• Snack on almonds instead of fat-free cookies.
• Spread avocado on a sandwich to replace the mayonnaise.

Cardiovascular Disease Prevention: Between Healthy Habits and Prescription Medications

With cardiovascular disease the largest cause of death and disability in the United States, the scientific community continues intense investigations into approaches for prevention. In the New England Journal of Medicine, Doctor Mark Hlatky of Stamford University School of Medicine, writes, "The aphorism 'prevention is better than cure' makes perfect sense when applied to healthy habits such as following a sensible diet, maintaining an ideal body weight, exercising regularly, and not smoking. But increasingly, prevention of cardiovascular disease includes drug therapy, particularly statins to lower cholesterol levels."

In this editorial, Dr. Hlatky is reponding to the growing interest in prescribing cholesterol-lowering medications to a much larger segment of the American population---including those with cholesterol levels well below the risk standards established by the National Cholesterol Education Program of the National Institutes of Health. These medications already are the single largest class of drugs sold in the U.S. today, exceeding $30 billion/year.

There is mounting evidence that lowering LDL cholesterol below the NCEP risk-adjusted standards is reducing the incidence of cardiovascular events such as heart attack and strokes. Further, recent studies, notably the JUPITER study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, reinforces the evidence that statin medications not only favorably alters cholesterol levels but also reduce the level of inflammation in the arteries. In addressing inflammation, the medication may reduce a root cause of arterial plaque development.

Yet, what remains lost in the discussions between healthy habits and drug treatment is the positive, therapeutic power of nutrition. Nutritional solutions extends beyond the restriction of saturated fats, trans fats and cholesterol to nutrients that actively improve cholesterol levels and reduce inflammation. For many, these nutritional tools can allow the individual to achieve target cholesterol levels and serve as an effective statin alternative. For others, the nutritional approach offers an opportunity for reductions in the dosages and number of medications required to achieve heart healthy targets.

The tragedy: compared with the funding for pharmaceutical studies, an incredible small amount of money is being spent to advance the nutritional science. With few major studies reporting on the benefits of nutritional cholesterol management, the news media reports on the pharmaceutical studies. The extensive and widely reviewed understanding of the nutritional solution is then overshadowed.

Here at Kardea, we are working to provide you with both the knowledge and the natural products that advance heart health. We are only one source. For others, discuss with your medical providers. Also, check out our the resource page on the Kardea Nutrition website or for great recipes for cholesterol management, click over to Kardea Gourmet .

Another good source of information: http://cholesterol.about.com/od/treatments/u/Treatments.htm

Kardea Nutrition, Heart Healthy & Inspired.

Father's Day Gourmet & Cholesterol Management

The science is clear and convincing. Therapeutic nutrition---that incorporates 2g of plant sterols, over 10g of soluble fiber, monounsaturated fats replacing saturated and trans fats, and reduced animal sources of protein-- can achieve cholesterol reductions comparable to many of the widely prescribed medications.

With my daughter, we have created a delicious, natural, cholesterol-lowering Father’s Day menu.

We recommend recipes for lunch, a snack and dinner. With a single serving of each dish, you will enjoy:

• 2g of natural plant sterols from foods and taken through the course of the day.
• 30g of total fiber
• 7 grams of heart healthy soluble fiber.
• 1g Omega-3 fatty acids (EPA/DHA)
• Only 150mg of dietary cholesterol (from the chicken and salmon)
• Saturated fat is below 7 percent of total calories.
• Monounsaturated fats equal about 23% of total calories.

Overall, we are nearly in-line with the recommendations of the National Cholesterol Education Program, but we fall a bit short on the heart healthy soluble fiber.

So look to breakfast to finish your therapy. Here are some simple guidelines. A good morning start would be an oat cereal and fruit. If you are looking for something a bit more interesting, there are a number of oat pancake recipes that can be found online. Stay away from the ones with butter and lots of eggs in the ingredients. Either way, you should get you to the 10g minimum recommendations for soluble fiber.

In my life, I actually shoot for the higher, 20-25g recommendation. The only way I have been able to achieve this goal is with psyllium husk or concentrated oat bran. I dissolve a tablespoon of one of these fibers into my morning juice. A heaping tablespoon of the psyllium husk, for instance, delivers 9g of heart health soluble fiber. Most people can tolerate such a dosage, but it is probably something you need to work up to.

The Menu

Luncheon
Mediterranean Salmon Salad
Chick Peas with Oregano
Roasted Asparagus
Whole Grain Bread or Whole Wheat Roll

Snack
Kardea Gourmet Nutrition Bar with 1g plant sterols, 7g fiber, and 7g protein.

Dinner
1st Course
Gazpacho: Quick, Bold & Delicious

2nd Course
Chicken Balsamic Reduction
Steamed Broccoli
Barley Pilaf

Dessert
Sorbet of Your Choosing
Fresh Berries or Sliced Ripe Peaches.

Plant Sterols or Plant Sterol Esters: Count Correctly!

Here at Kardea, we use natural plant sterol esters that combine the free plant sterol found in soy bean with a safflower oil. Sterol esters are considerably more expensive than the plant sterols, but much of the research in regard to the efficacy of sterols to consistently lower total and LDL cholesterol without adversely lowering HDL (good) cholesterol was based on the sterol ester.

The FDA first approved the sterol heart health claim only for the plant sterol ester. In this claim, the FDA defines that individuals should consume 1.3 grams/day of plant sterol esters to have a meaningful effect on heart health. To make this claim, food manufacturers are required to incorporate at least .65 grams of plant sterol esters into each serving as listed on the nutritional statement. Generally, sterol esters contain about 60% free sterols.

Since then, the FDA has allowed the claims for the free plant sterol. Under this claim, the FDA targets .8 grams of plant sterols per day with each serving containing .4 grams.

Looking beyond the FDA health claims, the National Cholesterol Education Program of the NIH, along with the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology, recommends daily consumption of 2 grams/day of plant sterols.

For those of us utilizing a natural and nutritional approach for cholesterol management, we must make certain that we are counting our sterol intake correctly. Kardea seeks to make this as clear as possible. We provide you with the numbers for the free sterol content in our products. For example, our bars contain 1 gram of plant sterols, and we utilize a significantly greater amount of plant sterol esters to reach this level. So, you need two bars per day to reach the NCEP recommendation.

Alternatively, a bar and two tablespoons of our sterol-fortified olive oil will achieve the same results. For recipes using Kardea olive oil with other heart healthy foods, visit www.kardeagourmet.com.

Other products might fit into your lifestyle. If you are a chip snacker, you might try the natural products at Corazonas Foods. One serving contains .4 grams of the sterols. For products containing non-natural ingredients, try Proactiv Supershots and their margerine-like spreads. Lots of other products are available.

There also are plant sterol supplements on the market. Different brands deliver different levels of sterols. Count correctly!