What it looks like 25 years later

It started with a problem. 

25 years ago, my doctors told me that I was “going to be sick - definitely for weeks, most likely for months and there’s nothing that can be done”. But that’s not how my story went. 

   

The punch line changed because Sandy, my friend, courageously persisted telling me, a stubborn chemist, that Shaklee vitamins were different. She didn’t know how, but they worked. Oooo, they did “work” for me. And, 25 years later? I am very happy with my health. I wish this knowledge for everyone I know - 25 years later, we can still be healthy and strong. 

How can we possibly know what what health will look like 20+ years in the future? 

 

We can't. No one can promise or guarantee our future health. What we can do is do what’s in our power to reduce the risk of disease, like giving our cells all they need, when they need it. Multiple, published, peer-reviewed research studies were clear; those who took Shaklee for 20+ years were statistically and significantly healthier than:

• those who didn’t take anything, 
• those who just took a multivitamin, 
• and even those who took a few supplements.

The ultimate package for risk reduction is when we 

• eat a mostly plant-based, colorful diet. 
• exercise regularly.
• see our doctor regularly.
• insure our cells have a banquet of nutrition at all times.
• protect sleep.
• get lots of mental stimulation. 
• stay social.
• calm it down.
• and create a healthy physical environment.

Each piece reduces our risk of disease. Together, they are a powerhouse of disease risk reduction!

If you are experiencing a downward trend in health or would like me to take a good look at what you are doing, learn about a consultation or you can book a consultation here. Clients often say they have never felt "so heard". 

But is a consultation right for you? I don't know either! That's why I offer free 10-minute chats to explore if there’s a next step that's right for you. All Sandy and I want for you is to be really happy 20 years from now. 

 

Thanks for reading!

P.S. Here's my nutritional support program, I have a really icky family health history and was a very sick kid and young adult. I am SO happy I didn't leave any cards on the table, so to speak!

• Vitalizer + a morning protein shake
• Advanced Joint Health Complex
• OmegaGuard (fish oil for anti-inflammation support)
• MindWorks -  brain health support
• Nutriferon (immunity support)
• Vivix - for cellular and DNA repair support plus astounding antioxidant protection

A pattern of eating makes the difference in brain and body health

Ready to dive into the nitty gritty for any hope of reducing the risk or, in some studies, even reversing cognitive decline? Perhaps review my previous blog for the 8 areas of lifestyle, when taken in total, is critical for cognitive health.

Naturally, all starts with food. If you’d like to see a couple of my favorite science-based diets, look at the Mediterranean Diet, the Dash Diet, or the Mind Diet. This blog sheds light on how even healthy foods can get in our way and create a brain - killing problem. To avoid it, a specific way of eating helps maintain a healthy brain. 

What’s the brain killing problem? High blood sugar – especially fasting blood sugar levels even at pre-diabetic levels. Left alone, high blood sugar in the brain promotes cascades of cellular dysfunction, plaque formation, inadequate plaque removal, inflammation, and oxidative stress. All that damage is consistent with the strong correlation of Alzheimer's and Type II diabetes.

The fuel source of a cell is the simple sugar glucose. Brains, being extremely active, are fuel hogs and require a generous, consistent supply of glucose. (Click here for my Food for Thought blog!) Nature intends us to use carbohydrates as our primary food source. Carbs are efficiently digested into the glucose we need to feed the brain. Our attention should be on the type of carbs we eat, how we eat them, and when we eat them to avoid high blood sugar. 

Simple carbohydrates like table sugar, are digested and absorbed quickly, causing a spike in blood sugar levels. See the graph above? The red dotted line is a blood sugar spike of digested table sugar followed by a chaser of insulin (blue dotted lines). Insulin’s job is to get the glucose out of our bloodstream and into our cells. Hard candy will spike blood sugar in just 5-15 minutes.

Starchy foods, basically chain-linked strings of dehydrated sugars, include potatoes, corn, bagels, peas, many breakfast cereals, white rice, and pasta. They are a bit slower to digest, but still raise blood sugar high and fast -see the solid red line with the solid blue insulin rise. Add water and those sugars fall apart as enzymes swoop right in, separate the sugar components, and off into the blood stream they go. I suggest eating only moderate servings of starchy vegetables in a well-balanced meal. 

Carbs high in dietary fiber change the equation. These carbs are generally mixtures of starches and indigestible plant material. When water is added to these complex carbs, the indigestible parts absorb water and form these cool, satisfying gels that slow down the digestion process, produces sustained glucose levels and help us to feel full and satisfied. These beautiful complex carbs are found in whole grains, nuts, beans and lentils, psyllium fiber mixes, and non-starchy vegetables. 

The key to balancing meals: We must marry high-quality protein, portion controlled carbs high dietary fiber, and a little healthy fat at each meal to balance blood sugar and produce a constant supply of brain fuel at a healthy rate. 

Why is this so? Take a look at the diagram. Our goal is to start the day with a meal that balances blood sugar. In waking hours, before it drops too deeply we time the next meal to catch the drop in blood sugar and gently raise it again. We can have snacks, but again, think protein, complex fiber, with a bit of fat like hummus and veggies or a portion of nuts.

My clients most struggle mrs with putting the three together at breakfast. I love making it easy with a morning Life Shake in soy or non-soy plant versions, and 180 whey versions. With 16-20 g of protein, 5-6 g of dietary fiber, healthy plant fats, and all the nutrition needed in a meal, my brain is well fed and I remain satisfied for a long time. Ask me for lots of delicious recipes to start your day right!

Re-routing the Downward Spiral of Alzheimer’s and Dementia

Want to know the truth?

Do you really think you’re going to escape memory loss or neurological disease? Not likely. Especially if you live a long time.

 

• 1/3 of people over 85 “live” with Alzheimer’s Disease with 2/3 of those are biologically female. By 2050, cases will double. 
• 90,000 Americans are diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease each year. By 2030, cases will more than double to 12.2 million a year. That’s only two types of dementia. 

What gives? Why is brain disease accelerating so much? 

 

How we handle disease prevention sucks.

 

Alzheimer’s is not one disease, it’s a conglomerate of problems that end up as AD (same for heart disease, cancer, and more). We must address multiple areas of health and lifestyle – not just the amyloid plaques and tau proteins that build up in the brain that prove someone has Alzheimer's. 

 

Science confirms brain disease starts decades before symptoms start. Brain shrinkage begins in our 30’s! Are you 45 or older? Double down now! Especially if there’s a family history of dementia, cardiovascular disease, or diabetes or if you lead a stressful life. Most humans love to ignore the future and loathe having to change. Me too. It's human. You’ll see below we all have more action we can take to reduce our risk of brain and body diseases. 

 

But here’s the punch line of Alzheimer’s and many neurological disease: It is up to us to prevent or reduce the risk of occurrence, even if we have genetic markers for dementia. 

 

There’s only one protocol I know of that reversed memory loss in AD patients. If you do it with a certified functional physician, it will cost you tens of thousands of dollars. As most of us don’t have that, I guide clients to work with their physician and get as much of the protocol engaged as possible. I’ll list the lifestyle areas in this blog and break each component down in future blogs.

 

The bottom line now is, do this stuff now to preserve all you can, for as long as you can. Action is the truth. Hoping on a pill, brain game apps, and magic supplements are not enough.

 

If you or a loved one is concerned about or experiencing even mild memory loss and the doctor isn’t too concerned yet, please don’t hesitate to book a consultation or at least, a free 10-minute chat. Click to my website to hear a remarkable recovery story. She’s now 96-year-old and still recognizes her family. 

 

The 8 + 1 Areas of the Healthy-Brain Lifestyle, in Brief

Embrace these for your best chance of a healthy body and brain. 

 

Someone with memory loss cannot pick and choose. It’s all in, all the time.  I’ll be indelicate: Deal. With. It. For any hope of memory to return – just do all of it and don’t stop. Patients who stop or pause this lifestyle regress quickly - another difficult truth.

• Eat a low inflammation, low blood sugar diet (Magic pill #1). 
• Exercise at least 150 + minutes a week (Magic pill #2).
• Get good sleep (Magic pill #3) and rest.
• See your doctor regularly. Ask good questions, have the right labs done, and get the right treatments.
• Use a range of strategic supplementation to support brain and metabolic health. 
• Socialize regularly – mix it up to connect with different people.
• Manage stress.
• Do mental gymnastics, meaning, engage in multiple forms of brain stimulation and mix the types up to keep the neural connections nimble.
• Address and eliminate environmental toxins. 

I’ll also add, do purposeful work, whether it be job or ministry, that uses your unique self to bring love and healing to a weary world. 

Thanks for reading!

Susan

Curious about detoxing or cleansing?

What does “detoxing” or ”cleansing” even mean? The definition seems to be in the eye of the beholder.  

Scientists really don’t know much. Most studies have only a few people or are poorly designed. This is what is evident:

• Detox / cleansing is not useful for long-term weight loss. 
• Diabetics need to be very careful. 
• Long-term cleanses are nutritionally deficient.
• Excessive laxative or laxative-like supplement use backfires.
• Colonics can have dangerous health risks. 
• If we’re loaded with true toxins such as heavy metals or mycotoxins, go to a doctor!
• A cleanse is a good way to start a weight management lifestyle. 

Another fact: our livers, digestive systems and kidneys do a pretty darn good job pushing out toxins and are our natural “detoxers”. Is there even a place for detoxing or cleansing? 

 

Yes! Cleansing gives the digestive system a break and can support our liver and kidneys with their housecleaning. It becomes easier to say no to “white foods” ** as many find their sweet tooth calm down. When I eat more meat, bakery, and alcohol (hello holidays!!!), I simply want more! When I cleanse, I end up feeling so good in 3-5 days, I’m easily back on track! My clients also report more energy and fewer cravings in just 4-5 days. Many love that they lose weight – but again, that’s partially due to a cleaned out digestive system!

 

What does it take to cleanse? 

 

The cleanse I do and recommend involves eating fresh, plant-based foods along with a simple combination  of probiotics, enzymes, and gentle herbs. Anyone who cleanses using my products and guidance gets lots of delicious recipes, support, education – well, as much support as they want! Learn more about the details of the Healthy 7-day Cleanse by emailing joy@bostonnaturalproducts.com or click this link see the official Shaklee information.

 

What’s the greatest hurdle to cleansing? 

 

The worst part of cleansing is what’s in our heads! We make all sorts of stories about deprivation and how hard it is! What is really going on is we’re fighting evolution! The slightest thought of “shaking up the program” becomes a big deal! Knowing that, we can change the focus. I focus on the benefits! I know that in 4 days, I will feel the difference and I’ll like it! I’ll have fewer cravings, energy without caffeine, and less inflammation! It works every time. I'm confident you'll like it too!

 

 

Notes:

** “white foods” are foods with simple sugars or refined grains and are typically white or beige- think table sugar, white pasta, white rice, low fiber breads, bakery, alcoholic drinks, sodas, etc. All of these are considered high glycemic foods that contribute to a fast rise in blood sugar Spikes in sugar taxes the pancreas, causes a lot of inflammation, and nutritionally leaves us craving for more. 

Skin, Self-Image, and Mental Health

If you do not have skin challenges, I hope you will read this blog and understand the discriminatory impact and mental health pressures for a person with “bad” skin. When we know, we can catch ourselves when beauty "standards" feed our bias.

 

If you have skin challenges. Scroll down a bit.

The blog.

We are absolutely judged by our skin. The emotional pain can be immense.

To my readers without serious skin challenges: Please read and consider:

“Bad” skin can be perceived as old, unhealthy, and dirty. Our perceptions promote social stigma, leads to a lower quality of life, restricts people of opportunities, discriminates against job opportunities, subjected to inaccurate personality judgement and more. Crushed self-esteem, anxiety, depression, even suicidal thoughts can be triggered. 

 

As Tim Grossbart, PhD, points out in his article, The Emotional Impact of Skin Problems, “Skin disorder rarely kill people, but they have a menacing ability to chew them up and spit them out." 

 

The Dove Self-Esteem project found that “Americans spend more on their appearance than on social welfare, health, and education combined.” Body dissatisfaction has a $300 billion price tag. Body appearance discrimination was estimated at $500 billion. 

 

Dove created the Real Beauty campaign to break stereotypes of appearance.Their goal is to rewrite the script on our judgements. Note, however, 

I was not lost on the fact that EVERY person on their site, 

hypocritically, has “good” skin.

WTF? 

Sorry, if I offend, but it's true! 

 

We all LOSE when we judge. 

While researching this blog, I saw a gal on TV speaking about the travesty in Florida after Hurricane Ida. She had serious freckles on her face and I caught myself repelling from what I saw. DANG! I thought! This is JUST what I'm writing about and all she has is unusual pigmentation! I missed some of her words as I slammed against my culture-based bias!

American culture is seriously biased against people who don’t have even, “pure” and yes, white skin. Let's start by being aware and catch ourselves judging in our mind! Pause to understand our reaction and it's root. Stop and examine thoughts because someone's future depends on a new dialogue!

 

For those who are looking for skin relief: As a chemist, I deeply look at what's in, on, and around us - a holistic approach. The appearance of our largest organ depends on so many factors! Internal health, emotional health, the environment, genetics, allergies, diet, food availability, stress - and where should one start? Your doctor, who can diagnose and treat any underlying ailment. 

If you work with me, I spend an hour and a half intake with new clients to deeply hear their story. My clients have told me that they have never felt so deep heard. 

 

Because of my holistic approach, clients have experienced remarkable turnarounds rather quickly. The coolest part is many, with time and consistency, many also experience side benefits. And, oh, how they LOVE those lovely surprises! 

 

Set up a friendly, free 10 minute chat to learn more about what's possible and get to meet me. 

 

Thanks for reading!

 

Susan

65 begins at 25.

Naturally, 25–30 years-old don't think much about 30 years into the future. A happy, prosperous retirement, though, needs planning. We plan our 401K's life insurance, and long-care disability. Health planning Is crucial too. Is there such a thing?

Like death and taxes, Aging is unavoidable. It will affect the quality of our "golden years". An active, freedom-filled retirement needs planning or we'll end up with the typical version- landing in lots of doctor’s offices.

Let's start some facts:

• 97% of Americans do not eat right, exercise enough, keep body fat under control, and avoid smoking. All four are indicators of future health.
• 94% of Americans under-consume one or more nutrients. 
• only 12% of 51+ years olds eat the recommended fruits and veggies. It's less for younger adults.
• Genes impact only 25%, at most, of our health. The rest is lifestyle.

Reality check!

• We aren't as healthy as we think we are. 
• We certainly aren't getting all our nutrients, even with a good diet. 
• Nutrient intervention through supplements is a good option. 

If we don’t intake all our essential nutrients, our bodies cannot function to their ideal capacity and efficiency. Keeping reading for what's "enough." Here, though,is one example of how aging accelerates with just one nutritional deficiency. 

Our faulty "early detection system."

Early micro-deficiencies or deficiencies go unnoticed. Young bodies “fudge” a lot without feeling the lack of fundamental nutrition. Hitting the bars? Living on ramen noodles or take-out? Vegetarian and vegan diets? Working their butts off? Smoking and vaping? Too hearty workouts or sports injuries? Binging on social media or binging TV when they finally get downtime? Young bodies get away with a lot before the toll adds up. The complaints starts around age 35.

Can vitamins be a "life hack" to increase our "good" retirement chances? 

I never recommend "living on" supplements! When combined with healthy lifestyle habits, the right supplement support at the right science-based levels appear to be beneficial.

How the right supplement helped reduce future risks.

Multiple studies of people who took a full range of supplements from my go-to brand**, consistently over time, has been shown in multiple published, peer-reviewed papers, to have 

• Longer telomeres: In all age groups, the multiple supplement groups had significantly longer telomere lengths in as little as 5 years of multi-supplement use. Longer telomeres mean healthier chromosomes. Participants in their upper 70's had telomere lengths of 40 year olds.
• Less illness for multiple supplement users verses no supplement users: 66% less diabetes and 43% few incidents of heart attack 
• Healthier blood markers. In 7 markers studied,such as their cholesterol and c-reactive protein (a measure of inflammation), multiple supplement uses had significantly better markers. 
• The cardiovascular benefits were retained a decade later.
• 84% percent rated their health as great. (vs 17.7% of the "normal" population). 

**One reason I trust this brand is that they are the only supplement company in the world who has done these studies.

These folks made a good investment for their long-term health and their investment paid off wonderfully. Can you see any reason not to explore the benefits an ample supply of nutrition so your body never fudges? 

I’m right here for your long-term benefit too. Why not set up a 10-minute chat and see if what I have will serve your health goals? 

Thanks for reading!

Food for thought: Brains are picky FUEL HOGS.

Brains, compared to the rest of the adult body, are small- about 3 pounds. Oh that little organ is a downright fuel hog! Oh Audrey, move over!

Audrey from Little Shop of Horrors

Brains suck up around 20% of the food we digest and the oxygen we breath. What else can we expect from our control center organ that runs the whole show of body and brain mechanics?

I invite you to take a moment and get a grasp of what’s going on and the boat load of chemical reactions necessary to even convert food to body energy. Ukrainian Scientist known on Wikipedia as Zlir’a, illustrated a very cool image representing the core series of chemical reactions required. And, see that little circle in the lower center? That little part alone is this. Just WOW! Our bodies are truly fearfully (as in deserving of awe and respect) and wonderfully made! 

What does this ever-hungry organ really need to remain fully functional for a lifetime? 

I appreciate Dr. Eva Selhub’s Harvard Health blog analogy of food fuel types. A high-performance car can't be fueled with low premium gas then expected to supply top notch performance and longevity, right?. Same for a brain! Here's a refresher on the brain fuel we should be eating. 

What is less known is the impact of low quality fuel on brains. 

Dr. Selhub writes: 

“Diets high in refined sugars**, for example, are harmful to the brain.” All that refined sugar requires more Insulin into the brain to digest those sugars. The chronic presence of too much sugar leads to Insulin resistance that “may damage the cognitive system and lead to dementia states.”­

 

**refined sugars include all “white foods” - breads, bakery, pastas, rice, potatoes, etc. Dementia, in some circles is called Diabetes Type III.

If we want to have brains that function well all our lives, it's not about our genes, it's about our lifestyle. We need to take responsibility and feed the brain premium fuel. Yes, that means squelching impulses and excuses with self-control and reality. At the most basic level, brains want:

1. Loads of nutrients - beaucoup vegetables, high quality proteins and fiber rich meals.  
2. Exercise 
3. Stimulation
4. And a modest, yet full range of supplements that reduce the risk of disease, especially diabetes and heart disease.

I welcome you to schedule a 10 minute chat to explore targeted brain support programs and what that may look like for you.

 

Are Your Cleaning Products Affecting Your Mood?

You're not going to see the same old info about cleaning products in this blog. 

There's already a lot written on the health impacts of household chemicals, cancer, asthma, and more. But how do they relate to our moods and mental health?

In this blog, you'll find"

• Household chemical use and some concerns with mood and mental health
• Some challenges in looking at household chemicals
• Already using "green"? You may be "green washed"! It's worth a deeper look.

Household chemicals and mood

A single blog can not embrace all the ways chemicals may or may not affect body and brain health. That's why taking a look at what's under my client's kitchen sink is part of my consultation process. (Click here to learn about consultations). Today, I'll consider three categories of household products that related to mood and mental health. 

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC’s).  If the product smells, it has VOC’s, meaning it releases smelly molecules into the air that we can breath in. Examples of VOC containing products are air fresheners, dryer sheets, laundry products, scented candles, "fresh lemon scent", bleach, ammonia, vinegar, etc. Not all are harmful obviously but some are a big problem.

Researchers found air fresheners were associated with postpartum depression and the infants suffered significantly more diarrhea and earaches. If sprays were used, the babies vomited more often. HOW AWFUL!  I won't even get started on dryer sheets but to say, except for a very few brands, get them OUT of your house! 

Another VOC, bleach, is a chemical that I would not open anywhere near a child with ADD/ADHD or skin issues.

Flame retardants used in foam furniture, foamy baby and pet toys, baby clothes, electronics, TV’s, and more, were linked by scientists to anxiety and antisocial behavior in animals. That research is fairly new (2019) and human studies are rare. We do know human skin cells accumulate and breakdown these chemicals and can theorize more anxiety and antisocial behavior may occur in humans too.

Chemicals with lots of carbons and fluorine:– PFAS, PFOS, PFHxS, PFNA, PTFE, PFTO, PFBS. These chemicals are everywhere and have been readily found in humans. Yes, you too. The chemicals are used to resist greasy absorption in microwave popcorn bags, food wrappers, stain resistant coatings on furniture and carpeting, cleaning products, cosmetics and skin care, paints varnishes, and more. Prenatal exposure to these chemicals have been linked to hyperactivity and focus and obesity. 

What to do? 

Take a look under your kitchen sink and start reading labels! 

• If any ingredients start with polyfluro (or PF..) – STOP! This site has a list of polyfluoro compounds.
• Use fragrance free products.
• Rid the house of most air commerical fresheners, candles, and dryer sheets.
• Eat less processed food so you are exposed to less food packaging.
• Let professionals handle pesticides, fungicides, and herbicides. Look for pest control operators who are using the most non-toxic pest control.

What about switching to "green" cleaners?
The label on your household products may say or look “green.” Are they truly better for you and for the environment? A deeper look entails these questions:

• How can you tell? I'll explain the four standards I use in just a bit.
• Why do many brands price their products high and embrace an elitist tilt?
• Why do green brands ship water all over the country and waste all those plastic bottles just to make us re-purchase them often? 
• Why do brands offer so many products? Do we really need a special cleaning for every task?

Here is what I found - my favorite green cleaners. 

I started using Get Clean when my baby started crawling on the floor. I knew she would be exposed cleaning product residues and had to do something! I love that these cleaners fit my four true green qualifications, meaning they are  non-toxic AND biodegradable AND multi-tasking, AND safely concentrated. They are also made Shaklee, totally carbon neutral since Y2K.

I hit all the questions above in one swoop - most of my cleaning is done with one product, Basic H2. I add the water at my own sink for three different dilutions. I have reused the same three spray bottles for years and I save a boat load of money. Paying 30 cents a gallon for countertop cleaner vs. $4 a 32 oz bottle for the fancy green brands is a game-changer! And the Fresh Laundry? It says 32 loads, but I get more like 45 and don't need an extra rinse.

I hope you'll enjoy saving that much too!

Thanks for reading!

Brain to Heart: It's not Heads or Tails

A healthy brain has a healthy heart to thank. Anything that diminishes the heart also diminishes the brain, with less oxygen and fewer vital nutrients getting to that great, grey-mattered energy hog.

 

Americans truly play heads or tails with heart health. Nearly half of Americans will have some sort of cardiovascular disease. HALF is a lot of Americans “losing”. 

 

In this blog, you'll see some examples of common laboratory tests your doctor likely uses to assess your heart health and help you win your health health bet.

 

Knowing your numbers and 

what they mean 

gives you great advantage 

for better heart health. 

 

This blog will help you understand 

your numbers.

 

In my next blog, I’ll share some natural solutions for better heart health numbers. Subscribe to my newsletter at the bottom of my website or follow me on LinkedIn, FaceBook, or Instagram to know when I've posted.

What are some lab clues doctors use to assess heart health? 

• C-reactive Protein 
• HDL / LDL Ratio 
• Homocysteine
  
• Fibrinogen
• Sometimes electrolytes
  

C-reactive Protein is a measure of inflammation. 

When “bad” cholesterol (LDL or Low Density Lipids) stick on an artery wall, the artery becomes irritated. The immune system wakes up to battle the irritants. The "battle" process causes inflammation. Several chemical and biological reactions later, special garbage collecting cells (macrophages) are sent to encase, devour, and remove the "neutralized" LDL. But LDL is sticky! Instead of removing the waste, everything stays stuck. A plaque starts building on the artery walls causing them to "harden" (arteriosclerosis). As long as more sticky LDL particles keep coming, there's more inflammation, more macrophages, more plaque and higher C-reactive protein.

LDL / HDL ratio.  

HDL cholesterol or high density lipids are a denser, smaller type of cholesterol. HDL is “good” because it scrubs off that fatty, sticky, LDL cholesterol from arterial walls, carrying them away to the liver for removal or recycling. A lot of HDL is good! If you want to know your ratio, divide the LDL number in your lab results by the HDL number. Your lab results may already include the ratio. Look for rations under 3.6 for men and 3.1 for women.

 

Homocysteine:  

We mostly get homocysteine from the animal proteins we eat. We need this chemical to make other chemicals that help, for instance, the immune system and liver. Too much is a problem. Low B vitamins levels and excess alcohol also interfere with the breakdown of homocysteine. 

 

High levels of homocysteine (>10 mcmol/liter) indicate that we not breaking homocysteine down into the other chemicals. High levels are associated with arteriosclerosis, reduced blood flow, blood clots, stroke, dementia... not good. High levels occur most in people who eat a lot of animal meat, few fruits and vegetables, and have low nutrient levels. Homocysteine levels may not be very useful for people who already have arteriosclerosis.

Fibrinogen: Fibrinogen is produced to stop a bleeding wound. It makes the blood thicker and stickier. Click here for a Reader’s Digest article that nicely explains fibrinogen. Fibrinogen assays indicate inflammation and how likely clots might form in arteries. Levels greater then 3.43 g/L (343 mg/dl) indicate a significantly higher risk of heart disease.  

 

Electrolytes: A careful balance of ion-forming metal salts of sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium are key nutrients for creating a regular heart beat. Many people have very high sodium levels. Potassium though, is a common deficiency. Balance is key. Aim for the middle of the ranges. Click here to get the full story.

 

Keep your own eye on your numbers.

When your doctor orders blood tests, compare your past blood tests with your newest numbers. Look for changes. You could have “normal” numbers now, but which way are they going?

 

Ask your doctor if they have any concerns about your heart health both for now and in the future based on the trends?

When the numbers are going in a downhill trend, gear up for a call to action! My next blog will help you raise your odds for natural support for better heart health.