Dr Pete's Health Secrets

                 Most  of us live in dread of a heart attack, and the scary part is some victims of heart attack are symptomless until the day they have their first heart attack. In this article, I will examine what goes on in a heart attack and easy tips to reduce the chances of one occuring by 90%. The medical term of a heart atteck is myocardial infarction - MI and happens when a small portion of the heart is deprived of blood supply and therefore oxygen. Although a heart attack can occur at any adult age it is more common in men aged above 45yrs and women over 55yrs. In those aged below 40 the incidence is 18%. This increases with age and starts falling above 80yrs.  In women of African descent it can occur earlier than their caucasian counterparts. A common misconception is that eve ry person having a heart attack requires CPR and an automated external defibrillator (AED).  However, CPR and AED should only be used on cardi...

          Let's start with the recommended weekly healthy safe limits of alcohol intake,  14 units for women 21 units for men A unit is equivalent to a standard glass of wine, i recommend dry red. We all have been warned about how alcohol negatively affects our minds and bodies.  It can lead to early deaths due to liver, pancreas and heart disease and even accidents. Early onset dimentia is another side effect of alcohol consumption.  A study says that alcoholic drinkers live longer than those who don’t, so abstaining from the beverage can actually cut your life short. How is this so? According to the study led by Charles Holahan, a psychologist from the University of Texas in Austin, whose research was published in the Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research journal, 69% of abstainers died after 20 years,  despite their lifestyle. The study, which lasted for 20 years, surveyed almost 2000 people who were 55 to 65 y...

      Many of us eat bread or other baked goods everyday. Many food producers use Margarine as the source of fat in their baking recipe because it is cheap and has a long shelf life. In this article I shall examine the effects of eating margarine based bread regularly and the effect on heart health.  I shall also highlight healthy alternatives. Margarine was developed in the United States during World War II when there was a shortage of butter.  Food processors discovered that they could heat an oil such as vegetable oil, which was readily available and inexpensive, and pump liquid hydrogen through it to form a “ hydrogenated ” oil that was solid at room temperature.   Hydrogenation changes a fatty acid's molecular structure and turns a portion of it into the trans form. Biochemists call these Trans-fats .  The Daily Mail of England on 7/2/13, described margarine as "chemical gunk". Heart and Coronary disease Research shows the ...

         The famous biblical miracle that feed thousands, was five loaves and two fishes not two goats or lambs. Its not because of an abscence of goats or sheep, afterall Jesus Christ was born in a manger surrounded by sheep. Let's take a clue from the Holy Bible. Over the past decade several scientific studies have been carried out on the possible adverse health effects of eating red meat. There is conclusive evidence that red meat is really bad for you. Red meat causes cancer In October , the research division of the World Health Organization caused a stir when it announced that bacon, sausage and other processed meats such as "corned beef" cause cancer and that red meat is "probably carcinogenic". How Healthy are Processed Meats This includes all meat and meat products that have been salted, cured or processed in anyway to preserve it or make it more palatable. Our dear old breakfast bacon and sausage, hot dog with mustard sauce, Scotish...

      Lets examine what role cholesterol plays in your blood circulation. From our teens plaque gradually gets deposited in the walls of our arteries. Plaque that accumulates on the inner walls and clogs your arteries is made from various substances that circulate in your blood. The major component of plaque is Cholesterol. Others include calcium, fat, cellular waste, and fibrin. Clogged arteries greatly increase the likelihood of a heart attack, stroke and even death. There are different kinds of cholesterol. Low density lipoprotein (LDL) or 'Bad cholesterol'. LDL harms your health and their levels should always be maintained low. Bad cholesterol can bring adverse effects to the body. High density lipoprotein (HDL) or 'Good cholesterol ' is beneficial to our body and their levels should always be high.  HDL is believed to remove some of the bad cholesterol from plaque in clogged arteries and transport it back to the liver, ...

      If you are overweight or just have a pot belly you are not alone. Many middle aged men and women from all races struggle to get rid of fat around the middle and have a healthy waistline, or abdominal girth.  In this article we shall discuss simple methods of getting rid of that stubborn fat around the belly. Abdominal girth measurement is more important than BMI in determining heart disease, CVD and diabetes mellitus, DM risk. Abdominal girth measurement, has the added advantage of being a user friendly DIY. All you need is a simple tailors tape measure calibrated in inches. Max healthy values are; 35 inches ladies 40 inches gents . Abdominal circumference measurements are taken while standing, at the level of the umbilicus and at the end of normal exhalation. A diet high in protein, the right fats, vegetables, fruits, nuts and minerals but low in carbohydrates is recommended. It is important to strike the right balance between calor...

         The US government has finally accepted that Cholesterol is not a nutrient of concern thereby doing a U-turn on their warnings to us since the 70s to stay away from high-cholesterol foods, to avoid heart disease and clogged arteries. In this aricle I will examine why Cholesterol is finally officially removed from the bad food list. What this means is that eggs, butter, full-fat dairy products, nuts, coconut oil and meat have now been classified as safe and have been officially removed from the nutrients of concern list. However, these fat rich foods must be taken in moderation because of their high calorie content. The US Department of Agriculture, which is responsible for updating the guidelines every five years, stated in its findings for 2015. "Previously, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommended that cholesterol intake be limited to no more than 300 mg/day. "The 2015 DGAC will not bring forward this recommendation because ...

                 The Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni plant was discovered more than 1,500 years ago by the native Guarani people, growing in clumps of two or three along the edges of the rainforests of Paraguay .  In the beginning, the natives used the leaves for their medicinal benefit, to freshen their breath, and to sweeten and mellow the strong taste of herbal tea. Research conducted at the University of Southern California has demonstrated the connection between tobacco smoking and blood sugar levels.  The main trigger of the high that smokers experience is sugar and its ability to allow nicotine molecules to transmit that “high” to neurons. Smoking we all know is bad for you. It has been demonstrated to gave a casual effect on lung, prostate and breast cancer, heart disease and many chronic health conditions. These findings strengthen the connection between nicotine cravings in smokers attempting to stop and blood sug...