It’s insulin not cholesterol you should watch like a hawk

[deepdiver]

It’s insulin—not cholesterol—you should watch like a hawk

Lots of patients  have low LDL cholesterol readings, but their triglyceride (TG) levels are on the high side and their HDL (“good”) cholesterol is on the low side. Their ratio of TG to HDL is greater than 4-to-1, which suggests insulin resistance. It also promotes the formation of small, dense LDL particles, which can be dangerous even if your LDL levels are low.

Chronically elevated insulin levels are bad news and have a lot more to do with heart disease risk than LDL levels. Aside from promoting unfavorable LDL particle types, elevated insulin promotes high blood pressure and inflammation—all drivers of heart disease risk.

Many people think a diet high in fat is the cause of insulin buildup and resistance, but that’s not true. Fat doesn’t trigger high insulin levels. Cheap, processed carbs do. These carbs can make you fat and destroy your heart, while delivering far fewer calories than you might get from foods rich in fat.

Really, fat doesn’t make you fat unless, as with anything, you eat too much of it. Plus there are healthy fats like the omega 3 fats found in fish. Mono-saturated fats found in olive oil, nuts and avocado are healthy fats, and are a dietary staple in Mediterranean countries that have a far lower rate of heart disease than America. Even moderate amounts of saturated fats from healthy organic or natural sources are OK, although you still should avoid the trans fats so common in processed baked goods, frozen foods and margarines. Trans fats—and high fructose for that matter—have no place in the human body. Period.

The lesson here is that insulin resistance will tell you far more about your heart disease risk than some crude cholesterol test. And if you want to prevent insulin resistance, try a diet that incorporates more healthy fats and fewer cheap, processed carbs.

Your immune system is attacking your heart—here’s how to make it stop

Another huge risk factor for heart disease is inflammation. When your immune system perceives a threat—such as infection or injury—it revs up. This is inflammation. Once the threat is contained, your immune system is designed to dial itself down.

So far, so good. But when your body perceives a constant threat, often because of stress or other lifestyle issues, you end up with chronic inflammation that has been associated with diabetes, arthritis, dementia, cancer and, yes, heart disease.

High levels of inflammation promote unstable plaque. You can measure inflammation with a test called highly sensitive C reactive protein (hsCRP). Levels above 2.0 are a red flag and should be a call to action. The most common cause of elevated hsCRP’s in my practice appears to be obesity. Fat cells pump out a horde of pro-inflammatory chemicals called adipokines. It’s also worth noting that hsCRP may be temporarily high if you have an infection or allergy problem.  Follow-up an elevated hsCRP with another one or two measurements over two or three months to get a better idea, if necessary.

You can bring down inflammation by losing weight and changing to an anti-inflammatory diet that emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, healthy fats and natural-source fish, poultry and other meats. Even incorporate some full-fat organic dairy, if you like. Other inflammation fighters are exercise (especially muscle-building strength training), adequate sleep, identifying and removing heavy metals such as lead, mercury or cadmium, and reducing stress. Also try fish oil (1000-2000 mg total DHA and EPA) and vitamin D3 (1000-2000 IUs daily).

While insulin resistance and inflammation are two overlooked causes of heart disease, there are three other risk factors that require your attention—belly fat, stress and genetics.
DR.I.

[deepdiver]

evidence has pointed to the cardiovascular benefits of fish and fish oil for a very long time [1], gaining momentum in the 1970s with the observation that Greenland Inuits, with a very high omega-3 intake and very high fat diets had a very low risk of cardiovascular disease, but it was not until the large and well-conducted Italian GISSI Prevenzione [2] trial in 1999 which showed that a very modest 1gm supplementation of EPA & DHA significantly reduced mortality in post-heart attack patients that the medical establishment took widespread notice of fish oil.

As far as I know, there is no similar evidence base in favor of flax seed oil. Therefore, I would have a hard time saying that flax seed has nearly as much to offer as fish oil. We can extrapolate and theorize that flax seed oil should confer a similar benefit, based on its (much lower) omega-3 content, enough to recommend it as an alternative to fish oil for strict vegans, but I would call it clearly second best.
I take 2 tablespoons per day of Carlson lemon flavor fish oil.
If you have a Costco by you they have Kirkland brand fish oil tabs that are  rated good by
Consumer labs.

[margypops]

one more question, does flax oil give me the same benefits as fish oil, I believe it is also Omega 3 fatty acids, I picked it up by mistake instead of fish oil.

[margypops]

Hey Thank you there s lot of information there, sugar in the evenings could be one of my bad habits , snacks and a glass of wine that all have sugar in them,I am copying the supplements,I did try Melatonin once and I dreamed too much didnt like it, however the other ideas are great ,Thanks a lot  

[deepdiver]

Here are some other tricks that can help you get
the sleep you require:
• Always try to go to bed at least by midnight.
Staying up late resets the biological clock and can
disrupt sleep patterns.
• Keep the room slightly cool.
Benjamin Franklin suggested a cool pillow to induce
sleep.
• Make sure the room is dark.
Avoid nightlights, brightly lit phone dials and clocks.
• Try playing soothing music on a low volume
at bedtime.
• Avoid reading or watching television at least
one hour before bedtime. Allow yourself time to
wind down.
• Some people will become hypoglycemic
during the night, and this will wake them up.
Avoid sugar and sweet foods in the evening. Try
eating a piece of turkey by itself (no bread) before
bedtime. Turkey is high in L-tryptophan, an amino
acid that the brain uses to generate the sleep
neurotransmitter serotonin.
• Avoid caffeine, smoking and all foods
containing excitotoxins.
• Avoid sleeping late and naps during the day.
• Exercise earlier in the day.
Exercise lowers inflammatory cytokines. Exercising
late in the day revs up the metabolism and this can
keep you awake. Do not exercise after 7PM.
• Before retiring for the night, take the
following:
One gram of buffered vitamin C (magnesium or
calcium ascorbate). This helps induce sleep.
Magnesium citrate (120 mg.) at bedtime. It is a
natural relaxant and calmative.
Melatonin. Start at 1 mg. 30 minutes before
bedtime. Increase as necessary. It will induce
dreaming.
Other natural sleep aids:
• Calmative teas
Chamomile, valerian root, passionflower and catnip
all calm and sooth the nerves. Traditional Medicinals
makes a tea called Nighty Night® containing a
mixture of these herbs. And Celestial Seasonings
makes a tea called Sleepytime®. For those who have
to get up in the night to urinate, I suggest avoiding
the teas.
• Flavonoids
Many of the flavonoids are anxiolytic, meaning they
calm anxiety. The most useful are hesperidin and
quercetin. Take 250 to 500 mg. of hesperidin and 250
mg. of quercetin one hour before bedtime. They also
reduce inflammation.
• Omega-3
Take your fish oils one hour before bedtime. (One
teaspoon to one tablespoon.) The omega-3 fatty
acids suppress the cytokines that disturb sleep.
• Relora
This is a product that contains a blend of Magnolia
officinalis and Phellodendron amurense — has been
shown to reduce stress, promote a positive mood
and induce restful sleep. It also slashes excess
cortisol secretion, which can cause insomniacs to
wake up during the night. You should not mix Relora
with prescription medications or take it if you are
pregnant or breast-feeding. The dose is 250 mg.
three times a day.
• Rhodiola
Also known as Golden root or Artic root, it reduces
stress and suppresses excess catecholamine
excretion from the adrenal glands. Catecholamine is
a hormone that can cause us to feel jittery and
anxious. Take one twice a day.
• Glucosamine
While we usually associate this product with healthy
joints, recent research has shown that it can also
reduce immune damage. Take 250 mg. three times a
day.
• Chinese Skullcap (Scutellaria baicalensis)
This herb contains some powerful anti-inflammatory
flavonoids that have been shown to protect the brain
and calm anxiety. It has a long safety record and is
backed up by extensive research. It comes in liquid
form. The dose is 30 to 40 drops three times a day.

[margypops]

You say adequate sleep. is there a good supplement one could take to get adequate sleep, ?