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Dr. Stephen Sinatra’s
A Cardiologist’s Guide to Total Wellness
Dear Reader,
February is American Heart Month and,
therefore, an appropriate time to express my
dismay over a disturbing recommendation made
by an expert panel appointed by the National
Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. They’re calling
for kids as young as nine to be screened for high
cholesterol. This recommendation is ultimately a
Stephen Sinatra, MD
rubber-stamp follow-up to a 2008 recommendation from the American Academy of Pediatrics to screen youngsters
and even start treating them with cholesterol-lowering drugs. At the
time, I described that recommendation as “doctors gone mad,” and I
feel the same way about the new recommendation.
The stated intention of this new recommendation is to get an early
handle on cardiovascular diseases that might be fueled by the current
epidemic of childhood obesity and diabetes. Although the panel’s
doctors conceded that there is little proof that testing cholesterol levels
at such a young age will prevent cardiovascular disease later in life,
they were concerned that waiting to test until, say, the age of 20, might
be too late for children who have hidden risks.
All the doctors on the panel likely subscribe to the cholesterol theory
of heart disease—the theory that pinpoints high cholesterol as the main
cause of heart attacks and strokes. While I don’t buy into that theory, I’m
even more concerned about the health consequences of decades-long use
of statin drugs to lower cholesterol levels in juveniles. Who knows what
kind of diseases we will be treating them for after 20 years on statin
drugs? For instance, since sex hormones are made from cholesterol, how
will lowering so-called high cholesterol in kids affect their sex hormones
as they get older? Doctors don’t even have safety data for 20 years of
statin use, yet some now are willing to use kids as an ongoing experiment based solely on the number on a cholesterol test.
Here’s my bottom line: If kids belong to a family with a history of
early heart attacks, it may be a good idea to test their cholesterol. If
their total cholesterol number is “high,” then follow up with a VAP test
(thevaptest.com) or an LPP profile (spectracell.com) to determine what
kind of cholesterol is involved: inflammatory or just good old plain
cholesterol. If it’s mostly inflammatory cholesterol particles, then you
need to look for and treat other important risk factors, such as elevated
Lp(a), fibrinogen, and homocysteine, which are all carried genetically.
But most important of all is addressing lifestyle basics. We need to get
kids to lose weight, eat right, and exercise. These are the core issues.
You simply can’t change unhealthy behavior with a pill. ■
February 2012
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Stephen Sinatra, MD, FACC, FACN,
CNS is a board-certified cardiologist
and certified bioenergetic analyst with
more than 30 years of experience in
helping patients prevent and reverse
heart disease. Dr. Sinatra integrates the
best conventional medical treatments
with complementary nutritional and
psychological therapies.
Dr. Sinatra is an Assistant Clinical Professor
at the University of Connecticut School of
Medicine and is author of numerous books
including Lower Your Blood Pressure in
Eight Weeks, Heart Sense for Women,
Reverse Heart Disease Now, and Earthing.
He is a Fellow of the American College of
Cardiology; Fellow of the American College
of Nutrition; board certified in internal
medicine and cardiology; and certified in
anti-aging medicine, clinical nutrition, and
bioenergetic analysis.
Offbeat Heartbeat—Dealing With PVCs
D
uring my many years in cardiology practice, I
conferred with hundreds of patients scared out
of their wits by a common, benign, yet frightening
phenomenon called premature ventricular contractions, or PVCs for short. PVCs are skipped or extra
heart beats, or a combination of the two.
PVCs may occur when you settle down in bed for
the evening. They may wake you up in the middle
of the night or grab your attention when you are
walking the dog or working on the computer. They
may happen randomly. They may be accompanied
by lightheadedness and a strange feeling within the
chest. And, if they happen frequently enough, they
may send you running to your doctor or even the
emergency room.
PVCs Defined
I remember a middle-aged doctor who came to see
me because he was over-the-top anxious about the
PVCs he was experiencing. I monitored his heart
and had him perform a stress test. All of the test
results were negative, to his great relief. He was
a classic example of a healthy person who becomes
aware of skipped heart beats, which then triggers
worry or panic along with a crescendo of stress
hormones. And the more you worry and fret, the
more you fuel the PVCs.
PVCs occur when there is a misfiring of the bundle
of cells that regulate the electrical conduction to the
ventricles, which are the two lower chambers of the
heart. PVCs are commonly caused by stress, too much
caffeine and alcohol, and deficiencies of magnesium
and potassium. Aging is also associated with PVCs.
The older you are, the more prone you are. But PVCs
can also be caused by, or accompany, a number of
different medical circumstances, including:
■ coronary artery disease, heart failure, and
heart attacks
■ lack of oxygen to the heart
■ mitral valve prolapse
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Author: Stephen Sinatra, MD, FACC, FACN, CNS •
Managing Editor: Jane Hahn • Research Editors: Martin
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2
hypertension
■ diabetes
■ medications such as diuretics, calcium channel
blockers, antidepressants, and anti-arrhythmic
drugs
■
Cardiologists don’t usually get very concerned when
PVCs occur in healthy folks. We’ll commonly suggest
solutions related to lifestyle. But when PVCs accompany a cardiovascular condition, the solution tends to
require treatment for the underlying problem in order
to prevent the PVCs from evolving into more complex
ventricular arrhythmias, which could be deadly.
Diagnosing PVCs
So, what should you do if you start experiencing an
irregular heartbeat more than just once in a while?
Here are my suggestions:
Get checked out by your internist or cardiologist. Your physician may order an echocardiogram, which is a test that employs sound waves to
analyze the beating action of the heart as well as
the function of the heart valves. When PVCs are
documented, a doctor may seek further confirmation
with a Holter monitor, a portable device that records
heart rhythm and evaluates the type and frequency
of PVCs. Most PVCs turn out to be benign and can
be treated with lifestyle adjustments. Doctors only
need to resort to drugs or surgery if the PVCs are
pronounced and they have to address causal structural problems involving valves, arteries, or heart
muscle function.
Minimize caffeine, sugar, alcohol, chocolate,
and food additives (especially MSG) and colorings. All of these items have the potential to stoke
PVCs. I was out recently for dinner with one of my
doctor friends and suggested a fraternal glass of
wine. He surprised me and said, “No thanks, I get
PVCs from wine.” I admitted that I get them, too. So
we settled on some mineral water. Alcohol is a major
trigger, and so, too, is caffeine. Even decaf coffee and
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PA 17604-9915, or send e-mail to feedback@drsinatra.
com. He maintains a website with additional
information and services at
www.drsinatra.com.
Heart, Health & Nutrition is dedicated to the
prevention and treatment of disease. Heart, Health
& Nutrition cannot offer medical services; Dr.
Sinatra encourages his readers to seek advice
from competent medical professionals for their
personal health needs. Dr. Sinatra will respond in
the newsletter to questions of general interest, and
urges you to write him at P.O. Box 3264, Lancaster,
Dr. Sinatra is compensated on the sales of the
supplements he formulates for Healthy Directions.
He is not compensated for other companies’ products
that he recommends in this newsletter.
H e a rt, H e a lt h & N u t r i t i o n • F e b r u a ry 2 0 1 2
tea can be a problem for people who are exceptionally
sensitive to caffeine. Green tea, for instance, has a bit
of caffeine in it. If you experience PVCs, don’t drink it.
Avoid bread, bagels, crackers, pasta, and other
grain-based food items if you are sensitive to
gluten. Gluten can cause PVCs in some individuals. So you need to read labels carefully and avoid
processed foods that list gluten as an ingredient.
Reduce the stress in your life. I’ve talked about
prayer, meditation, yoga, and tai chi many times as
ways to lower your stress level. Breathing exercises
are also a good idea. In fact, any relaxation therapy
is helpful in calming the heart and lessening PVCs.
You can find many relaxation exercises in my
book, Heartbreak and Heart Disease (Keats, 1996).
Try targeted supplementation. The best onetwo combination to suppress skipped heart beats is
magnesium (400 mg daily) and CoQ10 (100 mg daily).
The combo works like magic! Jim Roberts, M.D.,
an integrative cardiologist who coauthored my book
Reverse Heart Disease Now (John Wiley & Sons Inc.,
2007), has consistently found a magnesium deficiency
among patients with chronic cardiovascular conditions
who experience PVCs. He gives all of them a magnesium supplement and their PVCs are substantially
reduced or eliminated. I also suggest omega-3 fatty
acids, such as fish or squid oil (1 to 3 grams daily),
L-carnitine (500 to 1,000 mg daily), and D-ribose (5
to 10 grams daily). I recommend the higher amounts
in patients who also have high blood pressure or more
frequent and bothersome skipped beats.
Minimize electropollution in your immediate
environment. Remove all unnecessary electrical
devices—lamps, radios, computers, cordless phones,
and TVs—from your bedroom or move the appliances as far as possible from your bed. The greater
PVC Facts
PVCs are recognized as the most common type
of arrhythmia in the general population. They
occur in most people at some point.
■ Studies suggest that about a third of men and
women without coronary artery disease (CAD)
may have one or more PVCs per hour. Among
patients with CAD, the rate jumps up to 58
and 49 percent, respectively.
■ Men have an increased prevalence for
PVCs compared to women. The difference is
especially higher in men with CAD.
■ PVCs are uncommon in children. Prevalence
increases with age.
■ Frequent PVCs along with underlying heart
disease should always be evaluated by a
cardiologist because of the possibility of
triggering life-threatening arrhythmias.
■
the distance between you and these items, the less
chance that their electrical fields can disturb the
“electrical circuits” in your body. Electropollution has
the potential to reduce heart rate variability (HRV),
the minutely flexible variations between heart beats.
A disturbed or less flexible HRV indicates excess
stress, dysfunction, and imbalance in your autonomic nervous system. This situation may increase
the incidence of PVCs.
Use air filters to reduce air pollution in your
home. Air pollution can also impair normal HRV
and, according to new research, increase PVCs in
healthy individuals. ■
References
Dave J, et al. Ventricular premature complexes. http://emedicine.medscape.com/
article/158939-overview#a0101. Accessed Jan 10, 2012.
He F, et al. Acute effects of fine particulate air pollution on cardiac arrhythmia: the APACR
Study. Environ Health Perspect. 2011;119(7):927–932.
Nutrient Science—Resveratrol
W
ithin the last decade, a commonplace compound found in red wine called resveratrol
has attained rock star status in the world of nutritional supplements. It is a flavonoid antioxidant
that is present in grape skins and red grape juice.
In plants, resveratrol is naturally synthesized as
a defense mechanism to protect against invading
fungi. In many laboratory studies, involving cell
cultures and animals ranging from fruit flies to
mammals, resveratrol supplementation has been
found to promote longevity. In fact, there have been
more than 4,400 studies on resveratrol to date, and
they suggest a neat package of benefits, including
the following:
■ Supports cardiovascular and blood vessel
health, and good blood flow, by protecting
against the oxidative free-radical damage of
vascular endothelium, the delicate inner layer
of arteries. Resveratrol helps protect the production of nitric oxide, the critical chemical
produced by the endothelium that keeps blood
vessels optimally dilated.
H e a rt, H e a lt h & N u t r i t i o n • F e b r u a ry 2 0 1 2
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Protects against oxidative stress and premature
aging of cells.
■ Inhibits production of the powerful inflammatory agent, Nf-kappaB.
■ Improves mental function as well as oral and
dental health.
■ Prevents cancer cell replication and enhances
cancer cell death in a variety of laboratory cell
culture studies.
■ Reduces muscle wasting associated with diabetes and cancer.
■
A recent study that caught my eye involved monitoring the effect of resveratrol on flow-mediated
dilation of the brachial artery, which is the major
artery of the upper arm. Impaired blood flow
in this vessel is linked to risk factors such as
obesity and hypertension. The study, conducted
in Australia on overweight hypertensive men
and post-menopausal women, demonstrated a
significant and rapid increase in blood flow after
consumption of resveratrol.
From the research I have seen, I regard resveratrol
as a valuable nutritional team player, and so I
recently added a 30 milligram dose of a special
bioactive form of resveratrol—the same dose and
form used in the Australian study—to my Omega Q
Plus formula. I am confident it will add firepower to
the formula that presently includes CoQ10, vitamin
E, folic acid, B6, B12, squid oil, and L-carnitine.
If you want to take resveratrol alone, I highly
recommend using it with curcumin, the pigment
extracted from turmeric. Both substances work
dynamically to protect the body against inflammatory substances in the body. I do not, however,
recommend dosages of resveratrol higher than 250
milligrams per day. ■
References
Wong R, et al. Acute resveratrol supplementation improves flow-mediated dilation
in overweight/obese individuals with mildly elevated blood pressure. Nutr Metab
Cardiovasc Dis. 2011;21(11):851–856.
Delmas D, et al. Resveratrol, a phytochemical inducer of multiple cell death
pathways; apoptosis, autophagy and mitotic catastrophe. Curr Med Chem.
2011;18(8):1100–1121.
Frombaum M, et al. Antioxidant effects of resveratrol and other stilbene derivatives
on oxidative stress and NO bioavailability: potential benefits to cardiovascular
diseases. Biochemie. 2011 Nov 22. [Epub ahead of print]
The Cooking Cardiologist
Fighting Heart Disease From the Kitchen—One Recipe at a Time
T
his is a recipe you might want to make a few times before your next blood pressure check.
That’s because this soup is chockfull of blood pressure–lowering ingredients. Start with the
beans, which are high in calcium and potassium. Both minerals have been shown to promote
healthy blood pressure. Then there is the onion that contains the powerful antioxidant quercetin,
which has also been shown to significantly reduce high blood pressure in hypertensive patients.
And don’t forget the garlic and the olive oil, each of which has a proven track record for helping to
normalize blood pressure. Your doctor is sure to like the potential blood-pressure benefits you can
reap from this delicious meal.
Antiguan Black Bean Soup
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1/2 clove garlic, minced
1/2 pound dried black beans
cooked according to package
directions, or two 16-ounce
cans drained black beans
Freshly ground pepper
1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 bay leaf
2 quarts water/broth
1 cup short-grain brown rice,
cooked
Fresh parsley, chopped
In a large saucepan, combine olive oil, green pepper, onion (reserve some raw onion as a topping),
and garlic. Sauté until tender. Add precooked or canned black beans, pepper, vinegar, bay leaf, and
water or broth. Simmer for 30 to 40 minutes. Top with raw onion, brown rice, and parsley. Makes
6 servings.
Nutrition Facts (per serving):
Calories 299, Total Fat 5 g, Sodium 13 mg, Carbs 52 g, Fiber 7 g, Protein 11 g
For more heart-healthy recipes go to drsinatra.com
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H e a rt, H e a lt h & N u t r i t i o n • F e b r u a ry 2 0 1 2
Sinatra’s Super Foods: Coconuts
S
tandard medical advice has long proclaimed that the consumption of saturated fats can increase the risk of heart
disease. So then why are coconuts, which are
loaded with saturated fat, one of my Super
Foods? Because convincing research has shown that
the saturated fats in tropical oils such as coconut do
not contribute to heart disease and, in fact, provide
multiple heart-health benefits.
In a population study of the Polynesian islands of
Tokelau and Pukapuka, investigators tracked folks
who consumed a high-fat diet derived primarily from coconuts. The researchers reported that
their overall health was much more favorable than
that of Westerners and that despite a diet high
in saturated fat, the participants did not seem to
have high cholesterol. In addition, coronary heart
disease occurred only rarely.
The truth is, even though coconut oil is a highly
saturated fat, it’s the oil least vulnerable to oxidative stress and free-radical formation. And because
coconut oil contains medium-chain fatty acids—not
the long-chain fatty acids in most fats/oils—it
doesn’t have a negative impact on cholesterol
levels. In fact, coconut oil actually reduces LDL
cholesterol levels, raises beneficial HDL levels, and
makes blood platelets less sticky.
Heat It Up, Eat It Up, or Drink It Down
I recommend incorporating coconuts into your daily
diet. One good way to do this is to cook with coconut
oil, as its fatty content is very heat stable. You can
also consume coconut oil straight—a tablespoon
three times a day—or added to steamed vegetables,
stirred into hot cereals, or mixed with olive oil for
salad dressings. Look for unrefined and organic
coconut oil in your local health food store.
There are also lots of tasty ways to enjoy coconut and coconut products, such as coconut milk.
Shredded coconut is a great topper for cereals,
salads, and yogurt. Coconut milk can be used to
make shakes and smoothies. And I love using coconut water, which is loaded with blood pressure–
lowering potassium, in the following drink recipe:
The Sinatra Sizzle
Throw at least eight of the following fruits and vegetables (make sure to use organic whenever possible)
into a blender—adjusting the proportions to your taste:
Apple
Swiss chard
Brussels sprouts
Ginger
Beet
Parsley
Cauliflower
Raspberries
Kale
Broccoli
Blackberries
Blueberries
Along with your selected produce, add in coconut water. I prefer Taste Nirvana Real Coconut Water with
Pulp, 9.5 oz., which is available at health food stores. Then simply blend all together. I drink 6 to 8 ounces
once or twice a day, and make enough at a time to last a week.
For more Sinatra’s Super Foods go to drsinatra.com
Heart Beat: What’s Good, What’s Not,
New Strategies Needed After
Heart Attack
I recently struggled through a complex review
by German cardiovascular researchers about the
biochemical nitty-gritty that unfolds in damaged
cardiac tissue after a heart attack. The researchers explained that understanding the basic
mechanisms after a heart attack is crucial for the
development of needed “new strategies” to reduce
injury and promote repair.
in
Cardiology
I’ve heard the call for new strategies many times
before and here, as in most other cases, the envisioned strategies focus almost exclusively on
pharmaceutical interventions. Sadly, nothing ever
really changes because cardiology, like so many
other medical fields, is thoroughly subverted by Big
Pharma and consequently dismisses the low-tech
and alternative measures such as nutraceuticals
and mind-body medicine that have so much to offer
when it comes to maintaining heart health.
H e a rt, H e a lt h & N u t r i t i o n • F e b r u a ry 2 0 1 2
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I have practiced metabolic cardiology for decades and
witnessed the great added benefits it brings patients.
The approach is both simple and powerful: the addition of CoQ10, magnesium, L-carnitine, and D-ribose
(the “awesome foursome”) to any conventional therapeutic plan. These key supplements help repair and
rejuvenate ailing hearts, and restore lagging energy
production in energy-starved heart cells. Drugs can’t
do what these supplements do. They provide the raw
materials for healing and cellular energy, and in the
process also buy time to allow the heart’s own regenerative potential to kick in.
in their homes, since they can make a big difference.
And so, too, can fish oil and olive oil, according to this
new study. We know that one potential negative effect
of pollution is disturbed heart rate variability (HRV),
a measurement of the cardiac beat-to-beat flexibility.
A disturbed (that is, more rigid) HRV means the heart
has difficulty returning to a normal beat rhythm
after exertion, a result of stress and flawed autonomic
nervous system regulation of heart function. This new
study confirms what was previously known about fish
oil’s ability to protect healthy HRV.
You may remember an article I wrote in the July 2010
issue about exciting new research from Sweden indicating that heart muscle cells, called cardiomyocytes,
are slowly regenerated throughout adulthood. The
evidence contradicts current thinking that cardiomyocytes renew only during childhood. The German
authors of the review paper called such research “speculative.” However, based on my clinical experience
and seeing so many patients actually thrive long-term
after serious heart attacks, I strongly believe that
such regeneration occurs and that nutritional medicine can help facilitate the process.
Tong H, et al. Fish oil and olive oil supplements attenuate the adverse cardiovascular effects of concentrated ambient air pollution particles in healthy middle-aged
adult human volunteers. Unpublished abstract presented at November 2011 scientific sessions of the American Heart Association.
Reference
Caution on Vitamin Use for
A-Fib Patients
Twice last year (March and September) I reported on
studies showing how air pollution can harm cardiovascular function by impairing your lungs and stressing the heart. Now, a new study reported at a recent
scientific meeting of the American Heart Association
reveals that fish oil and olive oil can help protect you
from the negative effects of air pollution.
Researchers in Utah have done a favor for atrial
fibrillation (A-Fib) patients by conducting an important survey about risks related to vitamin use and
medication compliance. Their survey, involving 100
patients prescribed Coumadin for A-Fib, showed that
vitamin users are less compliant about taking medication and, as a result, have higher rates of bleeding
and clots. The results of the survey, presented at a
recent meeting of the American Heart Association,
were as follows:
■ Patients who took vitamins frequently skipped
doses of Coumadin (24 percent of patients) and
were less aware of potential vitamin-Coumadin
interactions (37 vs. 30 percent).
■ More strokes occurred among vitamin takers (13
vs. 5 percent), and they experienced higher rates
of unexplained bleeding/hematuria/blood in stool
(23 vs. 19 percent) and nonoperative need for blood
transfusions (13 vs. 8 percent).
In the study, the researchers monitored the effect
of fish oil or olive oil supplementation on healthy
middle-aged adults exposed to short-term concentrated air pollution. The 29 participants in the
study were randomized to take 3 grams daily of
either fish oil or olive oil for a month, after which
they were exposed to two hours of polluted air for
two consecutive days. The results indicated that
fish oil protected against disturbance of the autonomic nervous system and blood fats, while olive
oil blunted adverse effects to the highly sensitive
endothelial lining of blood vessels.
As I have said many times, if you have been diagnosed with moderate-to-severe A-Fib, there is no way
around Coumadin. You need it to prevent blood clots
that could cause stroke. For mild A-Fib (lone A-Fib),
however, I would typically forgo Coumadin and recommend natural blood thinners like vitamin E, garlic,
omega-3 fatty acids, or nattokinase. The danger, as
this survey reveals, is that supplement use may make
many people more cavalier about medication compliance and less aware of the risks, such as the intensified blood thinning effect that can result from taking
Coumadin along with certain supplements.
For years I have told patients to protect their cardiovascular systems from pollution by using air filters
The take-away here is obvious: There needs
to be an open line of communication between
Reference
Liehn EA, et al. Repair after myocardial infarction, between fantasy and reality:
the role of chemokines. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2011;58(23):2357–2362.
Protect Against Air Pollution
With Fish Oil and Olive Oil
6
H e a rt, H e a lt h & N u t r i t i o n • F e b r u a ry 2 0 1 2
doctors and patients when it
comes to vitamins and medications. Doctors need to ask and
patients need to tell. If you take
Coumadin, avoid additional blood
thinners, and be sure to follow
your doctor’s instructions for
monitoring your blood.
Reference
Smith MB, et al. Poor understanding and compliance
among AF patients on warfarin who use vitamin
supplements. Unpublished abstract presented at
November 2011 scientific sessions of the American
Heart Association.
Weight Loss Lowers
Inflammation
A team of researchers, including
the doctor who first linked heart
disease to inflammation, has
shown that weight loss in overweight or obese individuals reduces
inflammation. Specifically, the
group found that caloric-reduction
diets generated a drop in C-reactive
protein (CRP) similar to statins.
CRP is a nonspecific marker of
inflammation and has been implicated in many chronic diseases.
CRP has a strong correlation with
fat tissue, particularly belly fat.
Statin drugs, which, of course,
are used for lowering cholesterol,
also have a significant antiinflammatory effect and have
been documented to lower CRP
by 20 to 40 percent. In a yet-tobe published study, reported at a
recent meeting of the American
Heart Association, weight loss
diets were said to reduce CRP
about 25 percent.
So I ask, why would anyone use a
statin if you can reduce CRP with
weight loss? Fat cells are a major
source for inflammation. If you
eliminate their “home,” and lower
CRP, you simultaneously lessen
your risk of cardiovascular disease.
Reference
Nicklas JM, et al. Weight loss decreases high sensitivity
C-Reactive Protein irrespective of dietary composition.
Unpublished abstract presented at November
2011 scientific sessions of the American Heart
Association.
Dr. Sinatra’s
Healthy Heart Blog
T
here are
now several studies
confirming what I’ve observed
for decades—that too much
sugar will put you at a greater
risk for developing heart disease than too much cholesterol.
Yet, as a nation, we eat tons
of sugar and it’s having a devastating effect on our heart
health, as I blogged about:
We do love our sugar.
Industry estimates tell us that
the average American eats
20 teaspoons of added sugar
a day!
Thanks to manufacturers
pouring sugar and other
sweeteners into countless
foods, and Americans dumping spoonfuls into cereal,
coffee, and tea, these typical
consumption levels are killing
all of us without discrimination: young, old, rich, poor,
white, black, Latino, Asian,
and on and on.
Sugar generates an insulin spike, and when insulin
spikes continuously, it starts
to ravage the fragile, but
ultra-important endothelial
lining of blood vessels. If
this razor-thin layer becomes
damaged, all the well-known
precursors of cardiovascular
problems swarm to the scene
and create the inflammatory
mayhem that eventually leads
to heart attack and stroke.
Additional Thoughts
So how can you cut your sugar
intake to protect your heart?
Try these four simple steps:
Beware of high fructose
corn syrup. Most of the sugar
you eat is “hidden,” usually
under the guise of high fructose
corn syrup. This corn-based
sweetener is used in thousands
of foods, from ketchup and
tomato sauce to soft drinks and
crackers. Do everything you
can to avoid foods containing
this sweetener.
Use natural sweeteners. If
you must sweeten foods, add
a little fruit juice or try some
shredded raw or dried apples,
coconut, raisins, or dates.
Use spices such as cinnamon,
cloves, or nutmeg. Or experiment with stevia, an herbal
supplement that is now available as a sweetener.
Eat several small meals. By
eating little portions spread
throughout the day, you’ll
feel more satiated and be less
inclined to overload on sweets.
Limit alcohol intake. This
includes wine, beer, and liquor.
Many people don’t realize that
alcohol contains a large store of
hidden sugar.
Join the Conversation…
You and your fellow readers are a never-ending source of inspiration
to me and to each other. I encourage you to read more of my blogs,
ask me a question, or post your thoughts at blog.drsinatra.com.
H e a rt, H e a lt h & N u t r i t i o n • F e b r u a ry 2 0 1 2
7
Dr. Stephen Sinatra’s
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Here’s your February issue!
Volume 18, Number 2
Inside this issue:
■ Dear Reader: Statins for
Children. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
■ Offbeat Heartbeat—Dealing
With PVCs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
■ Nutrient Science—
Resveratrol. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
■ The Cooking Cardiologist:
Antiguan Black Bean
Soup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
■ Sinatra’s Super Foods:
Coconuts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
■ Heart Beat: New Strategies
Needed; Protection Against
Air Pollution; Vitamin
Use Cautions; Weight Loss
Lowers Inflammation. . . . 5
■ Dr. Sinatra’s Healthy Heart
Blog: Sugar Worse Than
Cholesterol. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
M
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8
Q & A Session
Keep those questions coming! Send an email to [email protected],
or write to me at Dr. Sinatra Feedback, P.O. Box 3264, Lancaster, PA
17604-9915.
Dealing With Beta Blocker Side Effects
With the help of my naturopath, I have been able to substitute supplements for almost all of the pharmaceutical drugs originally prescribed
after my heart attack. But I am currently taking Coreg, a beta blocker,
and have experienced some side effects. Are there any natural equivalents I might investigate and discuss with my doctors?
Dr. Sinatra replies: Great to hear that your naturopath has weaned you
off some of your conventional medications. In the medical community,
it’s a lot easier to put patients on medication than take them off! There
are many natural medicine substitutes for pharmaceuticals, but, unfortunately, beta blockers like Coreg are challenging to get off once you’ve
started taking them. They work by decreasing heart rate and mildly
decreasing blood pressure.
I suggest you talk to your doctor about switching to another form of
beta blocker, or reducing your dose of Coreg in order to minimize the
side effects. Among my patients, I frequently was able to wean them
off Coreg with a metabolic cardiology routine featuring the “awesome
foursome” (CoQ10, magnesium, L-carnitine, and D-ribose) after several
weeks. But this is something you need to do under the supervision of
your cardiologist.
edicines are not
meat to live by.”
—German Proverb
H e a rt, H e a lt h & N u t r i t i o n • F e b r u a ry 2 0 1 2
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at drsinatra.com in
the Ask Dr. Sinatra box.