WorldofOmega goes Red on Feb. 4! Also offering additional 5% off on heart health products with coupon womheart (expires Feb. 14th, 2011).

Heart disease has probably touched you or someone you know. The American Heart Association is calling every one of us to make it our mission to fight heart disease and stop the No. 1 killer in North America. Go Red for someone you love.

Some facts:

• 90% of women have 1 or more risk factors for developing heart disease
• More than 82 million American adults are estimated to have 1 or more types of cardiovascular disease. That is 1 in 3 people
• On average 2200 Americans die of cardiovascular disease every day, average of 1 death every 39 seconds
• Heart Disease is No. 1 cause of death among women 20 and older, killing about 1 woman every minute
• More women die of heart disease than the next 4 causes of death including all forms of Cancer.

Learn more how you can participate at: http://www.americanheart.org & http://www.goredforwomen.org/

The study was led by Dr. Mihai Gheorghiade of Northwestern University in Chicago examined 93 patients experiencing early heart failure. These patients were given between 850 and 882mg of fish oil everyday for one year.

The patients were monitored through monthly checkups. It was found that patients who took fish oil showed improvements in left ventricular ejection fraction, exercise capacity and hospitalization for heart failure.

“Whether this intervention will have similar effects for patients with other etiologies, more advanced stages of heart failure, or for patients who are not on evidenced-based therapy remains unknown,” Gheorghiade explained in his presentation.

“I am hoping that further studies will be conducted to assess the effects of this potentially important therapy on left ventricular function and clinical outcomes in other patients.”

Source(s):

1. Heart Failure Society of America
2. Nodari S, et al “Effects of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) on left ventricular function and functional capacity inpatients with dilated cardiomyopathy” HFSA 2010; Late-breaking abstract.

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New Research to appear in Journal of Nutrition (September 2010) finds that fish oils and diets rich in omega-3 compounds can help improve the health of people with risk factors such as high blood pressure, insulin resistance, high cholesterol levels, and abdominal fat commonly known as metabolic syndrome which increases the risk of heart attack and diabetes.

The study examined the effects of placing 117 people with metabolic syndrome on four different diets (a diet high in saturated fat, a diet high in monounsaturated fat, a diet low in fat and high in complex carbs such as whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, and a low-fat diet high in complex carbs that was supplemented with omega-3 fatty acids).

The researchers found that participants on those diets rich in monounsaturated fat or low-fat, high complex carbs and omega-3 fatty acids had lower triglycerides than those in the other two groups.

“It would be interesting to extend out studies beyond 12 weeks to confirm the longer-term effects of dietary fat interventions on cardiovascular risk factors in metabolic syndrome,” according to the researchers.

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Enzymatic Therapy’s Cholesterol Shield provides healthy dose of Plant sterols

Concentrated EPA DHA Omega-3 with Red Yeast Rice and CoQ10,

Here are some tips to complement your omega-3 intake for healthy heart with additional key nutrients.

Phytosterols or Plant Sterols

Simply stated, phytosterols are the “fat” of plants. The major phytosterols found in nature are beta-sitosterol, campesterol, and stigmasterol. The typical daily diet contains 100-300 mg of phytosterols.

At usual levels of consumption, phytosterols have little effect on blood cholesterol concentration. However, because phytosterols share structural similarities with cholesterol, they bind to sites in the intestines that would be used for cholesterol binding were they not blocked. Dietary consumption of phytosterols in the 1200 mg per dose range has been shown to reduce intestinal and biliary cholesterol absorption and helps to retain healthy cholesterol levels that are already within normal limits.

Red yeast rice and CoQ10

Combine the proven cardiovascular benefits of Omega-3 (at least 1 gm of DHA and EPA) with the lipid-metabolizing red yeast rice and the antioxidant power of CoQ10 to support healthy blood lipid levels, including cholesterol and triglyceride levels, in healthy individuals.

Heart Disease Awareness

We are proud to be joining the AHA and concerned companies and organizations across America in the fight against the #1 killer of women – as well as of men. Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women age 20 and over, but only 1 in 5 women believes that heart disease is her greatest health threat.  Cardiovascular disease kills approximately 460,000 women each year, which is about one every minute.  Heart disease is not just a man’s disease, which is why Go Red For Women is dedicated to building awareness of heart disease among women.  Choosing to take care of our hearts can help us beat the No. 1 killer of women.

Learn more about the national cause to increase awareness and help women reduce their risk of heart disease at www.GoRedForWomen.org.

For more Information about Go Red for Women, visit: http://www.goredforwomen.org/

For information on a Wide Range of Cardiovascular Conditions, visit: http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3004349

Ready to donate now?

Use your cell phone and text RED to 90999 to donate $5 to help Go Red For Women in the fight against women and heart disease.

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Nordic Naturals Omega Longevity – EPA/ DHA Omega-3 with Resveratrol and Green Tea Extract – 60 softgels/ $50.96 (15% Off).

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Nordic Naturals EPA Lemon – Available 60/ 120 ct

Atherosclerosis and Heart Disease

New Study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association

The news about omega-3 benefits keeps coming! The evidence continues to grow stronger. Patients with coronary heart disease showed relatively longer “telomeres” when taking omega-3. As we age, our cells continue to divide and the “telomeres” shrink in size and thus is a marker of biological age. Shorter telomeres have been correlated with death and heart failure in several studies.

In a study published in this week’s JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association), researchers measured telomere length in over 600 patients over 5 years. The study found that people with high levels of omega-3 fatty acids in their system had significantly less shrinkage in telomeres over five years, as compared with patients with lower omega-3 levels.

“What we’re demonstrating is a potentially new link between omega-3 fatty acids and the aging process,” said Ramin Farzaneh-Far, a clinical cardiologist and assistant medical professor at UCSF and San Francisco General Hospital who is the lead author of the research.

This comes just after other recent studies showing the benefits of omega-3 to heart patients. Just in August of 2009 a study was published in the August 11, 2009, issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, which reviewed data on four trials involving almost 40,000 participants and overwhelmingly confirmed the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids in the prevention of cardiovascular disease, in treatment after heart attack and, most recently, in heart failure patients.

The researchers conclude that the current recommendations on omega-3 fatty acids don’t change and the following guide from American Heart Association (AHA) on appropriate dosage levels is very much valid:

The AHA notes that patients taking more than 3 grams of omega-3 fatty acids from capsules should only do so under a physician’s care.  High intakes could cause excessive bleeding in some people.

Sources: Journal of American Medical Association. American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology, and The Wall Street Journal

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Salmon

A new study, published in the August 11, 2009, issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, reviewed data on four trials involving almost 40,000 participants and overwhelmingly confirmed the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids in the prevention of cardiovascular disease, in treatment after heart attack and, most recently, in heart failure patients.  

“This isn’t just hype; we now have tremendous and compelling evidence from very large studies, some dating back 20 and 30 years, that demonstrate the protective benefits of omega-3 fish oil in multiple aspects of preventive cardiology,” said Carl Lavie, M.D., F.A.C.C., medical director of Cardiac Rehabilitation and Prevention, Ochsner Medical Center, New Orleans, LA, and lead author of the article. “The strongest evidence of a cardioprotective effect of omega-3s appears in patients with established cardiovascular disease and following a heart attack with up to a 30 percent reduction in CV-related death.”

DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), the long-chain fatty acids in the omega-3 family found abundant in fish have the most compelling evidence. According to Dr. Lavie, EPA and DHA work by getting into the membranes of cells and, in doing so, may help to improve the heart’s electrical activity, vascular tone, plaque stabilization and blood pressure.

Based on these findings, and because the body does not produce its own essential fatty acids, the authors recommend that healthy individuals consume 500 mg daily of omega-3 fish oil containing EPA and DHA, and people with known heart disease or heart failure aim for at least 800 to 1,000 mg daily.

“There are clear health and heart benefits associated with increasing one’s intake of foods that are rich in Omega-3s, including oily fish like salmon, sardines, trout, herring, and oysters” said Dr. Lavie.

Authors say further studies are needed to investigate and determine optimal dosages, as well as the ratio of DHA to EPA for maximal heart protection in patients.

Source: American College of Cardiology

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Joint Inflammation

Most scientists now agree that fish oil benefits various inflammatory conditions like arthritis, heart disease etc. However, the mechanism of how fish oil benefits these conditions has been a mystery. Now, in a joint study between British and American scientists that recently was published in the journal Nature, there are clues to how fish oil helps arthritis patients in particular.

The answer seems to lie in that the body converts DHA, a key omega-3 fatty acid found in fish oils into Resolvin D2, a chemical which has been show to have anti-inflammatory properties.

Professor Mauro Perretti, from Queen Mary, University of London, who led the UK team, said: “We have known for some time that fish oils can help with conditions like arthritis which are linked to inflammation. What we’ve shown here is how the body processes a particular ingredient of fish oils into resolvin D2.”

“We’ve also looked in detail at this chemical, determining at least some of the ways it relieves inflammation. It seems to be a very powerful chemical and a small amount can have a large effect.”

Quoting the authors, “This research is important because it explains at least one way in which fish oils can help in different types of arthritis. We can also work on this chemical and see if it can be used not only to treat or even prevent arthritis, but also as a possible treatment for a variety of other diseases associated with inflammation.”

Source: Nature 461, 1287-1291 (29 October 2009) | doi:10.1038/nature08541; Received 18 August 2009; Accepted 21 September 2009