Diabetic neuropathy results from two destructive processes caused by high blood sugar: oxidative stress and glycation. Here at Life Extension® we are always looking for innovative ways to help fight against the damaging effects of high blood sugar.

The latest discovery is found in almost every grocery store in the nation … red cabbage. Researchers at the United Arab Emirates University studied red cabbage extract’s protective action against oxidative stress. Their results are quite amazing.¹

Diabetes was induced in male rats using a common laboratory technique (infusion of the chemical streptozotocin). Within 60 days, all of the rats infused with streptozotocin exhibited many symptoms of diabetes including loss of body weight, high blood sugar, kidney problems and nerve cell dysfunction.

Three nutrients are proven safe and effective for lowering blood pressure – in some cases even better than prescription drugs.

Statin drugs have failed to eradicate heart disease. Why? Because lowering cholesterol is only one of several risk factors.

Research shows how a new plant extract called Fucoxanthin safely reduces body fat without stimulating your brain or heart, while lowering disease risk factors.

The Greeks called the walnut “the nut of Jupiter,” fit for the gods. Native to Persia, walnuts now come from California, which has over 122,000 acres of walnut trees. The tree itself is very hardy and is 15 years old before reaching full production. The average tree produces for 45 years.

Walnuts are high in unsaturated, fatty acids, iron, and B vitamins. The oil in walnuts has a tendency to absorb strong odors, so they should be kept in cold storage. Manufacturers of syrup toppings, ice cream, candy, casseroles and baking products all rely on walnuts.

Although many nuts have proven to be really beneficial to your health, studies are showing that walnuts contain almost twice as many antioxidants as other nuts. And that’s not just an interesting statistic — all of those antioxidants really do your body a lot of good. Below, we’ll take a look at two big stand-out benefits of walnuts.

Self-medicate with foods that can cure ailments from sore throat to heartburn.

Find out why sitting in your chair from 9-5 is risky business.

Could azithromycin, a popular antibiotic, be the cause of cardiac death? Learn how to protect yourself.

Knowing your blood pressure is key to preventing potentially life-threatening health issues.

How can you prevent a future stroke? Learn important steps to take to protect yourself and your loved ones.

Learn invaluable information about one of the nation's top killers.

Exercise is Medicine is a sustainable global initiative. Be a part of an active lifestyle and change your life.

What if there was one prescription that could prevent and treat dozens of diseases, such as diabetes, hypertension and obesity?

From a recent behind-the-scenes discussion about red meat on YOU The Owner’s Manual Radio Show:

I said "It’s changing your microbiome." "Your What?" she said. "Your Microbiome, or the bacteria inside you." "Ugh" she said "That’s disgusting." "Maybe" I said, "but there may be something you could take or just avoiding it that could give you more energy for many years, as well as keep you healthy, and that’s invigorating."

You see, on a recent radio show, a guest with great expertise in this area, Adam Bernstein, MD,SciD, reviewed the hazards of eating red meat - and, yes, pork and bacon are red meats - a 20% increase in risk of stroke and type 2 diabetes for every 4 ounce portion you have a week. That is a doubling of risk for 5 servings (or one big portion, if you eat big at a place like Morton’s or The Heart Attack Grill. Yes, there is such a place).  

Yes, you are literally committing suicide by eating red meat.

If you are taking the widely prescribed antibiotic Azithromycin (Zithromax, Zmax), you should be aware of the potential risks for heart problems.

Is cholesterol the real culprit behind America's heart disease epidemic? Dr. Stephen Sinatra says no.

Dr. Stephen Sinatra, MD is a powerhouse nutrition expert to help you laugh, cry and eat your heart disease away!

For a lot of families, Sunday afternoons are a time to be together at the movies or the mall. As enjoyable as those outings may be, start thinking about spending some of that family time doing physical activities.

Did you know that there are cholesterol screening guidelines for children? Learn what you can do to improve your children's lifelong heart health.

If members of your family have had heart disease at an early age, your child may be at risk for early-onset heart disease.

I was sitting around a table with three "lipidologists" (cardiologists who have been declared cholesterol gurus through certification), an invasive cardiologist (stent and cath person), and little old me, the Naturopathic Cardiologist.

There was an intense conversation going on about lipid particles and atherogenicity, specifically about which ones tend to cause heart disease more than others. I chuckled under my breath (to the ire of my colleagues) and said openly that "it is not the particle that's the problem; it's the oxidation of that particle."

In other words, LDL is safe, all of it, unless it becomes oxidized, and when it does, it not only can cause heart disease but probably cancer as well.

Imagine having rancid oil running through your veins all day, that's what causes the problem.

There was a pause, and than one of my lipidologists colleagues said, "That does not fit into this discussion." I answered sternly that you are arguing over which particles do what, but you are not discussing how to stop the disease. He answered, "That is a discussion for a different day." I chimed in, "When are we going to discuss how to stop the disease?"  I received blank looks and the conversation continued.

Here is the problem...

A new study in JAMA suggests that there’s a link between emergency room over-crowding and post-traumatic stress disorder in heart patients.

Lifestyle changes that are necessary for a healthier heart are covered.

What are the symptoms or signs of a heart attack in women? How do they differ from men? Who’s most at risk?

Sex can curb food cravings!

Life. Seriously, what would we do without it?

From the moment it begins to the moment it stops, life itself is supported by one of the most fascinating structures in the human body, the heart.

Based on an average lifespan of 75 years and an average heartbeat of 72 beats per minute, the average heart, that big muscle in the middle of the chest, beats around 2,838,240,000 without ever taking a rest. Tirelessly pumping the energy we need to sustain life.

What an amazing organ!

That is why the fact that heart disease is the number one killer of both men and women in the United States shakes me to the core as a practitioner. Why is this the case?

After all, we are one of the most scientifically advanced, educated and economically savvy countries in the world. We have Rhodes scholars and Noble Prize winning scientists and researchers conducting studies and drafting pieces of literature about health, disease, medicine, you name it.

But we continue to have a staggering number of individuals affected by a diseased heart. According to the CDC (Center for Disease Control & Prevention) in 2008, 631,636 people died of heart disease - that is 26% of all deaths; more than one in every four. Every year about 785,000 Americans have a first heart attack. Another 470,000 who have already had one or more heart attacks, have another.

This isn't just a tragedy of life and loss, this burden we bear as a nation also carries an extremely steep financial price. It is predicted that for 2010, heart disease will have cost the United States $316.4 billion. This total includes the cost of health care services, medications and lost productivity.

Being a Naturopathic Doctor, I am fueled to think about troubling situations like this in a very comprehensive manner.

All women face the threat of heart disease. 1 in 4 women will die from it. Here are the factors you need to know.

Understanding the symptoms and risks factors for a heart attack can save your life.

Is this a shameless gun analogy, or am I trying to make a point?

Actually, it is a little of both.

Mort, Matt, and Seth.

Mort is a 78-year-old male who was brought in by his son Matt who was 58, and Matt's son Seth who was 35 years old.

Two years ago Mort had his fifth stent implanted into his coronary arteries to help repair the two bypass surgeries, which had failed over time to keep blood pumping into the heart muscle. Mort was told by his previous cardiologist that he was lucky to have a technology, which could "buy him a few more years", because he just had bad genetics.

Matt, Mort's son, had already had a heart attack at 45 with a nice little Mort starter kit of three stents. He felt that bypass was inevitable in the next few years. Seth joked with me that he was looking at his future, but uneasily.

Combined, Mort and Matt where on 14 medications. The cardiologist wanted to start Seth on cholesterol lowering medications even though he was without symptoms and still a young man.

How to eat, exercise, sleep, have a healthy sex life and manage stress to lower key risk factors for heart disease.

There is new ground-breaking information about heart disease, and the correct way to prevent and treat it might surprise you.

We trick ourselves into thinking that since we are eating lower calorie foods, they are nutritional, but not all diet foods are created equal.

Why most women should be more concerned about heart disease than cancer.

Women who have 3 servings a week of strawberries and blueberries can reduce the likelihood of heart attack by one-third.

Recent research found that a mug of hot cocoa had nearly twice the antioxidants as a glass of red wine, up to three times the antioxidants as a cup of green tea.

Tips on how you can make comfort foods heart-healthy with 500 calories, or less.

A new blood test can identify if you are at a high risk for a heart attack within five years.

As a cardiologist who specialized in prevention and the natural reversal of heart disease, I used to dread 1/12th of the year, December. Most outsiders to the profession do not know this, but for most cardiologists December is our busiest month.

There are a couple of reasons why, but the first issue is depression.

We know that depression or feeling "holiday blue" increases the risk of ACS (Acute Coronary Syndrome) or heart attack.

The second reason, and the most modifiable, is holiday habits including nutrition. Holiday and nutrition, why do these words have to "cancel each other out"? When we hear the words "holiday and nutrition", we think immediately of sugar, overeating, and gaining weight.

So about ten years ago I put together a "holiday plan" for my non-diabetic, non-acute, (no immediate crisis) patients. Over ten years the patients who followed this did not gain weight, enjoyed food and fun, and had far more enjoyable holiday season then the ones that did not.

Learn how to actively engage your healthcare provider as to the best ways to stave off disease.

Actor Robby Benson helps patients and their loved ones navigate through open-heart surgery and recovery with knowledge and humor.