Hypertriglyceridemia.

Posted on October 13, 2012 by Dr. Gary Pack

Hypertriglyceridemia is a high level of triglycerides in the blood, and 30% of Americans have a triglyceride level over 150 mg/dL. Hypertriglyceridemia is commonly associated with other lipid abnormalities and can be secondary to a high fat diet, excessive alcohol use, some medications and some medical conditions such as obesity, diabetes and hypothyroidism. Primary hypertriglyceridemia […]

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Betaine Supplementation and Liver Damage.

Posted on August 8, 2011 by Dr. Gary Pack

A chemical, betaine (trimethylglycine or TMG), can be consumed in the diet or derived from dietary choline. Betaine levels are high in shellfish, spinach and sugar beets (Beta vulgaris). It functions in the liver and kidneys by maintaining electrolyte balance across membranes and the microscopic structures of those tissues. It prevents accumulation of lipids in […]

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Conditions: Coronary heart disease, Fatty liver (hepatic steatosis), Hepatitis, Hyperlipidemia, Liver disease, Liver toxicity

Supplements: Betaine (trimethylglycine) (TMG), Choline, Cysteine, Glutathione, S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe)

Foods: Beets, Molasses, Shellfish, Spinach, Sugar beets (Beta vulgaris)

Miscellaneous: D-galactosamine, Hepatoprotective, Homocysteine, S-adenosyl homocystine (SAH)

Telomerase Activity, Longevity and Lifestyle Changes.

Posted on April 18, 2011 by Dr. Gary Pack

Telomeres are DNA-protein complexes at the ends of chromosomes which protect the DNA. DNA cannot divide without adequate telomere maintenance. The telomeres shorten during cell division. The enzyme, telomerase, works against telomere shortening. Telomere shortening is an indicator of cell age, coronary heart disease risk, mortality risk, infectious disease, and many different cancers. Telomere shortening […]

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Conditions: Cancer, Cardiovascular disease, Coronary heart disease, Infection, Mortality, Obesity, Prostate cancer, Stress

Supplements: Fish oil, Selenium, Vitamin C (ascorbic acid), Vitamin E

Foods: Fruits, Legumes, Vegetables, Whole grains

Miscellaneous: Aerobic exercise, Breathing, Chromosomes, DNA, Imagery, LDL-cholesterol, Lifestyle, Meditation, Ornish (Dr. Dean), PSA (prostate specific antigen), Telomerase, Telomere, Yoga

Saturated Fatty Acid and Cardiovascular Disease in 2010.

Posted on January 29, 2011 by Dr. Gary Pack

The primary dietary suggestion to reduce cardiovascular disease (CVD) at this time is to reduce saturated fatty acids (SFAs.) SFAs raise both total and LDL cholesterol. This article is about what to use to replace SFAs for energy. Substitution of SFAs with polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) results in a reduction of risk of CVD to […]

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Serum Albumin, Vascular Disease and Smoking.

Posted on August 13, 2010 by Dr. Gary Pack

Albumin is a protein made in the liver. In acute inflammation, such as atherosclerosis, the liver switches from making albumin to making more urgent proteins. The serum albumin levels are reduced as a result. Low albumin blood levels, even low normal, correlate with increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease (CVD,) such as coronary heart […]

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Conditions: Aging, Alcohol abuse, Arteriosclerosis (atherosclerosis), Cardiovascular disease, Coronary heart disease, Hypercholesterolemia, Hypertension, Malnutrition, Smokers, Stroke

Supplements: Chlorella (Chlorella species)

Miscellaneous: Albumin

Dietary Salt Reductions and Cardiovascular Disease.

Posted on April 24, 2010 by Dr. Gary Pack

The Departments of Agriculture and of Health and Human Services recommend intake of 2300 mg of salt for the average person at most. The FDA has considered that salt is generally recommended as safe (GRAS.) This changed on 20 Apr., 2010, and the FDA now supports a reduction in the amount of salt intake. The […]

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Conditions: Cardiovascular disease, Coronary heart disease, Hypertension

Foods: Bread, Cereals, Meat, Milk, Salt

Miscellaneous: Sodium

Prebiotics and Synbiotics in Clinical Medicine.

Posted on August 14, 2009 by Dr. Gary Pack

Pharmaceutical medicine hasn’t solved problems with acute and chronic disease in spite of antibiotics. Little effort has been made to increase patient resistance to disease. Today’s global epidemic of chronic diseases includes arteriosclerosis/coronary heart disease, cancer and diabetes. Yet, there has been a shift away from a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and tubers rich […]

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Conditions: Arteriosclerosis (atherosclerosis), Cancer, Coronary heart disease, Diabetes, Inflammatory disease

Supplements: Antioxidants, Arginine, Butyrate, Dietary fiber, Glutamine, Glutathione, Guar gum, Histidine, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lignins, Omega-3 fatty (linolenic) acid, Probiotics, Synbiotics, Taurine

Foods: Beans, Fermented foods, Fruits, Nuts, Peas, Seeds, Vegetables

Miscellaneous: Digestive system, Nutrients

Dietary Polyphenols and Vascular Endothelial Cells.

Posted on February 5, 2008 by Dr. Gary Pack

The U.S. Department of Health recommends that we consume five servings of fruit and vegetables daily to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) due to the fruit and vegetables content of polyphenol chemicals. The way by which polyphenols work has been unknown and most studies to discover this use concentrations of 1-100 micromols, levels […]

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Conditions: Aging, Arteriosclerosis (atherosclerosis), Cancer, Cardiovascular disease, Cerebrovascular disease, Coronary heart disease, Diabetes, Hypertension, Obesity, Prostatitis, Smokers, Stroke

Supplements: Arginine, Quercetin, Resveratrol

Foods: Apple, Blueberries, Broccoli, Cherries, Citrus fruit, Cranberry (Vaccinium oxycoccus), Fruits, Grapes, Onions, Peanuts, Tea (Camellia sinensis), Vegetables, Wine

Miscellaneous: Gene expression, Nitric oxide (NO), Polyphenols

Mega-dose Folate for Symptomatic Atherosclerosis.

Posted on January 26, 2007 by Dr. Gary Pack

Dr. Kurt Oster of Germany had a theory, thirty years ago, that xanthine oxidase (XO) enzyme was partly the cause of atherogenesis. He believed that folic acid was a XO inhibitor, mistakenly, and used folic acid to treat circulatory problems. (It was later found that a contaminant in the folic acid actually caused the XO […]

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Mediterranean Diet and Longevity in the Elderly.

Posted on October 4, 2006 by Dr. Gary Pack

Longevity is believed to be the result of consuming a Mediterranean diet and this study was an attempt to evaluate that belief. Elderly people were studied in Greece, Spain, Denmark, and Australia, which their diets being followed up to their death or to the end of the study. There are a number of common factors […]

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Conditions: Aging, Cancer, Coronary heart disease, Diabetes, Mortality

Supplements: Bioflavonoids