Modifying traditional heart disease risk factors is not enough to protect your heart. Many Americans continue to suffer from heart attacks and stroke despite receiving a clean bill of health from their doctors. So what are we missing?

Traditional medicine modifies just 6 risk factors — obesity, smoking, high LDL-cholesterol, low HDL-cholesterol, high triglycerides, and high blood sugar.  However, integrative and alternative doctors have come to recognize 11 additional risk factors.

Here are two additional risk factors to consider if you want to keep your heart healthy …

In diseased arteries, bone-making cells can be found in the lining of arterial walls. And, as you can probably imagine, this is not a healthy process.

Find out how some of the most recognizable celebrities stay so fit and are ALWAYS red carpet ready.

Finally, a solution for you to lose weight and maintain a svelte, sexy body!

Learn about an online community of women who are empowering change for the planet.

Each year more than 200,000 Americans get an abdominal aortic aneurysm, which can cause massive internal bleeding and death.

It may be time to start giving some serious thought to your feminine hygiene products, considering they may contain dangerous chemicals.

These exercises are the best of the best! They will leave you feeling strong, fit, glowing and healthy!

Don't let a slow metabolism slow you down. Boost your fat-burning capabilities with our Conditioning 101.

Many women suffer with incontinence in silence because they are too humiliated to mention their problem.

Not all hot flashes and night sweats are due to menopause... so how can you stop them?

Can this holistic therapy replace other cosmetic procedures?

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.

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

Treating high cholesterol and lowering your risk of heart disease is very possible with diet, exercise and supplements.

Almost everything that people think they know about statins is wrong. Join us as we bust the myths.

Is the chance of cancer worth losing both of your breasts?

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.

There are so many experts telling you which foods are healthy and which ones you shouldn't be eating. But are they right?

Have you tried everything to lose weight? Every diet, pill and fad? We have the definitive way to finally lose that weight and keep it off for good!

Are you losing interest in life? Do you have a longer-than-normal case of the blahs? Beware the danger of apathy.

Angelina Jolie revealed she had her breasts removed to reduce her risk of breast and ovarian cancers. But was that the right choice?

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

In the hands of a qualified professional, you can see remarkable results. But which laser is best for you?

Rejuvenate your skin and reduce the signs of aging, sun damage and broken capillaries.

Chemical peels are one of the oldest cosmetic procedures to help improve skin that can have immediate results.

When considering size for your breast implants, bigger isn't always better.

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.

Can you actually speed up your metabolism with food? Yes! Achieve ultimate weight loss by choosing foods that burn more fat.

What is clean eating? Is it a passing fad or truly the best way to eat? Try these tips to eliminate stubborn belly fat.

I think I was born to be a Naturopathic Doctor. 

Even at a young age, I was putting on my thinking cap and truly trying to “think things through”. You see, for a period of my childhood I was totally “into” having a parakeet as a pet. I would name them all names starting with “B” like, Bert the bird or Ben the Bird.  

The reason I had more than one (bird’s tend to live a long time) is because they kept dying. Every few months, I was dealing with a dead bird. I was devastated when I would come home from school and my bird was lying lifeless at the bottom of its cage. 

The devastation inspired my curiosity as to what the heck was happening. I started thinking about where the birds lived, what was the environment like? The bird cage (I would never cage an animal again, by the way) hung near the kitchen so I started to wonder what they might have been breathing that contributed to their demise. My inquisitive mind popped out the answer one day when my Mom was making dinner and smoke was filling the kitchen.  I asked her what kind of pans she was using to cook in. She stated proudly, “Non-stick Teflon. Easy clean up, they are the best!”

Well, they weren’t the best for my birds and they are NOT the best for us either. STOP USING THEM!! (Please.)

Does the way your trainer looks affect your impression of them? Or vice versa? Find out the best criteria for YOU.

Many women have trouble climaxing.  The things you need to do to help take control of your orgasm.

 
When I think of the time we  spend worrying about money, illness, children, and so many other things. I wonder how much more productive I could be if I didn’t worry so much.

Do you know what to look for in a good class and a good instructor?

Exercise can have an effect on how your body reacts to this inevitable time of life. You can retain and even improve your fitness level even at this time!

Can menopause be the best phase of your life?

Many people do not meet the criteria for bulimia or anorexia, but still have very troubled relationships with distorted body images and food.

If there were more realistic images of women in the media and fashion industries, we could drop our obsession with thin bodies.

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?

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.

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.

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

Tracy Vega, co-founder of Simple Self Defense for Women, explains how to escape an attack instead of fighting back.

Nearly 40,000 women will die from breast cancer this year. This natural approach shows how you can protect yourself against breast cancer.