Newsletter >June 2010 Vol. 2 Issue 1

Greetings!

We are always encouraging our readers to get exercise and be active, and will continue to do so. However, the summer, while providing probably the best time of year for a full range of activities, also comes with some potential health risks, especially related to heat.

Most people know that extreme heat can make us sick. But we may think of heat-related illness as something that only affects people who are overdoing it on a hot and muggy day. But certain people can develop heat stroke while sitting perfectly still on the couch during high temperatures.

The body reacts to heat in many ways. For instance, hot temperatures make your heart beat faster. That's not only if you're exercising. Even if you're sitting perfectly still, your heart will be beating harder when you're hot. That's because the heart is working harder to push blood to the skin and muscles. Getting blood closer to the surface of the body gets it to cool down and helps with sweating.

In order to work well, the body has to stay at a normal temperature. If it heats up even by a few degrees, your body starts to cool itself. The most obvious and familiar reaction is that you start to sweat. As the hot perspiration evaporates off your skin, you're cooled down. During heat illness, the body's cooling system shuts down. Body temperature goes up, which inhibits the ability to sweat. Mild symptoms of heat exhaustion include thirst, fatigue, and cramps in the legs or abdomen. Left untreated, heat exhaustion can progress to heat stroke. When the body can't get rid of excess heat fast enough and the cooling system breaks down, the organs begin to overheat. If they get hot enough, they'll stop working. That's heat stroke and it's a medical emergency (911). Serious heat-related symptoms include dizziness, headaches, nausea, rapid heartbeat, vomiting, decreased alertness, a temperature as high as 105 F or more, confusion, seizures, permanent disability, and even death.

While heat-related illness can be a problem for anybody, the risks aren't equal. People who have certain medical conditions or who take some medications to treat those conditions are at a greater risk of having problems in hot weather. The risk of heat illness goes up during exertion and physical activity and with certain health conditions such as diabetes, obesity, and heart disease. So people with those types of chronic conditions must be even more careful when exerting themselves or participating in physical activity, as they already have a predisposed risk factor. Alcohol use also increases the risk. So do medications that slow sweat production such as antihistamines, tricyclic antidepressants, and diuretics used to treat water retention, high blood pressure, and some liver and kidney conditions. Cardio Renew is not known to have this kind of adverse side effect or contributing risk factor, though taking all precautions during heat exposure is still strongly advised.

Air conditioning is the No. 1 protective factor against heat illness. If you don't have air conditioning, spend time in public facilities, such as libraries and malls that have air conditioning. Reduce strenuous activities or do them during early mornings and evenings when it's cooler. If you're outside for long stretches of time, carry a water bottle, drink fluids regularly, and don't push your limits. People who play sports should wear light, loose-fitting clothes and drink water or sports drinks (unless restricted by your doctor) before, during, and after activity. So for example, one of activities that we have recommended, as a good source of physical exercise, is mowing the lawn (with a push mower of course!), but make sure to consider the time of day that you choose to do so. We would recommend early evening, as the sun begins to lose its daytime force(and so as not to encourage you early birds to disturb your neighbors during too early an hour).

If you see someone experiencing heat illness, have the person lie down in a cool place and elevate the legs. Use water, wet towels, and fanning to help cool the person down until emergency help comes.

We hope that Cardio Renew has you in a condition that allows you to prudently "beat the heat". So please, enjoy and take advantage of the full range of activities that summer allows, but do so with proper precaution--and don't forget the sunblock!

Wishing You Good Health and Vitality,

P.S. As always, we value your feedback, so please feel free to send any questions or comments to: newsletter@cardiorenew.com

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Some Perspective On Dietary Supplements

Recently, dietary supplements have been a hot topic in the media, and not necessarily in a manner that has shined a positive light. Most reports have been in response to a recent U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) investigation which found that sellers of certain retail dietary supplement products relied on deceptive and unfounded disease-related claims to market their products. The GAO investigation also found that most of the herbal supplement products tested were contaminated with heavy metals such as lead, arsenic, mercury, cadmium or pesticide residues. Some of the products tested contained residues of pesticides that are banned in the United States. The GOA investigation primarily targeted herbal products that are most commonly consumed by the elderly: chamomile, Echinacea, garlic, ginkgo biloba, ginseng, peppermint, saw palmetto, and St. John's wort. The chemical contaminants found in the herbal dietary supplement products that were tested, revealed that none of the contaminants were present in amounts that were sufficient to present a risk of acute toxicity to consumers.

While there may be rogue elements in the ranks of dietary supplement manufacturers and retailers, the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) of 1994 established right of access to nutritional supplements for health conscious citizens, as well as guidelines for the FDA to regulate dietary supplements. Furthermore, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published comprehensive regulations for Current Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) in 2007 to ensure the identity, purity, and quality of dietary supplements. Both DSHEA and GMP are enforceable by law. Cardio Renew has been subjected to and adheres to the highest of these industry standards. EDTA chelation therapy has even been approved by the FDA for treating toxic heavy metal poisoning, and has proven to be effective in removing the very same heavy metals that were discovered in some of the herbal supplements that were studied! Cardio Renew's EDTA and vitamin supplements are not in the same category as the herbal supplements that were included in the GOA investigation/study.

A critical source of scientific information is the peer-reviewed journal. Information contained within peer-reviewed journals is widely perceived to be free from undue commercial bias. However, the influence of pharmaceutical advertising upon objectivity in peer-reviewed journals related to dietary supplement studies is rather alarming. A study conducted in 2008 showed that the percentage of major articles concluding that dietary supplements were unsafe was 4% in journals with the fewest, and 67% among those with the most pharmaceutical advertisements, and the percentage of articles concluding that dietary supplements were ineffective was 50% higher among journals with more, than among those with fewer, pharmaceutical advertisements.

Dietary supplement safety is an important topic. In what may be a revelation to a variety of misinformed, though vocal, media pundits and Internet personalities, the FDA's post-marketing responsibilities include monitoring safety (adverse event reporting, product labeling, claims, package inserts, and accompanying literature), and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulates dietary supplement advertising.

The pharmaceutical industry supplies approximately 50% of the annual operating budget of the FDA, which obviously creates a synergistic relationship. The pharmaceutical lobby needs legislators to continue to provide tax relief and enact government regulation to protect drug revenue aggressively at a time when patented drugs are rapidly expiring. The FDA sees an opportunity to expand and acquire a greater slice of the budget pie as well as divert attention away from a long list of regulatory failures.

The FDA has a worrisome, consistent record of approval of dangerous drugs, subsequently withdrawn from the marketplace due to safety concerns. Some examples of drugs the FDA approved and then were subsequently withdrawn from the marketplace include:

Baycol® (a cholesterol-lowering statin drug linked to 31 cases of deaths associated with rhabdomyolysis prior to market withdrawal in 2001);
Rezulin® (an anti-diabetes drug pulled from the market in 2000 after multiple cases of severe liver damage and liver failure were reported);
Permax® (a dopaminergic drug used to treat Parkinson's symptoms, removed in 2007 due to cardiac fibrosis in heart valves).
Cylert® (a drug used to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder linked to 13 cases of liver failure prior to withdrawal);
Seldane® (an antihistamine drug used to treat allergy symptoms removed from the market in 1998 due to reports of dangerous cardiac arrhythmias);
Vioxx® (an anti-inflammatory pain relieving drug removed in 2004 after data analysis revealed strikingly higher heart attack and stroke risk in prescribed patients);
Palladone® (a narcotic pain reliever removed in 2005 after reports of severe side effects including depression and coma).

In the United States, there are more than 106,000 deaths every year attributed to prescribed pharmaceutical drugs. Consider the 2008 Annual Report of the American Association of Poison Control Centers' National Poison Data System (NPDS). Of interest, the drug acetaminophen, the ubiquitous over-the-counter pain reliever and fever-reducer, was reported in more poisoning deaths than all complementary and alternative strategies combined. Forty-three acetaminophen-related deaths were reported, none for alternative medicine.

There is currently a legislative bill being considered that would expand bureaucratic authority on the part of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to regulate health claims on dietary supplements in such a way as to greatly increase cost. By mandating the conduct of trials similar to the type of registrational studies used by pharmaceutical companies to obtain FDA drug approval, the language of the bill, which was rather surreptitiously added to the Wall Street Reform Bill, will demand that dietary supplements adhere to pharmaceutical standards of scale for cost.

Since the estimated cost of approval for a new pharmaceutical drug is about $1 billion dollars (US), the new language effectively seeks to ban dietary supplements from the marketplace. Dietary supplement companies do not have the resources to spend this amount of money on natural ingredients that are not patentable, and the dietary supplement industry will not be able to fulfill the proposed FTC requirements in the bill.

Without engaged and informed citizens, we run the risk of legislation that will serve to limit or restrict access to dietary supplements for health conscious citizens.

Cardio Renew Inc. is a family owned and operated company located in Minnesota. Cardio Renew was developed to offer you safe, effective and economical oral liquid EDTA chelation programs. Our #1 goal is to provide you quality products at an affordable price, while supplying the great customer service that you need and deserve.Here are a few items that we feel are important to the success of your oral chelation program:

Quality Product-We purchase our products in liquid form and have our formulas blended, bottled, labeled and tamper-evident sealed at a professional manufacturing facility. This ensures you receive consistent, high quality products that provide safe and effective chelation therapies.
Customer Service-Our goal is to answer e-mails, return phone calls and ship orders within 1 business day. Most times within a few hours or less.
Best Value-Because Cardio Renew is a family based business, we keep our overhead and operating costs at a minimum. We do not promote sales, discounts or specials. We offer the best price to everyone, all year.
No Multi-Level Marketing- We know that this not only raises the cost of products, but also takes away from the quality of customer service that you receive. We believe in helping our customers, not just making a sale.
Honesty-We will always be truthful with our customers. We don't believe in scare tactics or deceptive marketing practices. We are an honest company, that takes pride in selling quality products, at an affordable price.

We believe in our products and programs and sincerely care about our customers. We truly feel that Cardio Renew can improve your health and therefore the quality of your life.

Clearing Up Some Common Misconceptions About Vegetables

Is it healthier to eat raw veggies or to cook them? Is fresh broccoli more nutritious than frozen? Is eating iceberg lettuce a waste of time?

You may be surprised by the answers to these seemingly simple questions. In fact, there are several misconceptions when it comes to vegetables. The one universal truth is that most of us could be eating more of them.

As summer approaches, we have more vegetable choices than at any other time of year. Here's a guide to what's fact and what's fiction when it comes to eating your veggies.

Misconception: Fresh vegetables are more nutritious than frozen

Fact: Studies show that sometimes you can get more nutrients from frozen veggies, depending on variety and how old the vegetables at your supermarket are. That's because produce starts losing nutrient quality as soon as it's picked.

Frozen vegetables are flash-frozen right after harvest so they are preserved at their peak of freshness when they are most nutritious. Your best bet in terms of taste, nutrition, and the environment is still local in-season produce. When that's not an option frozen can be a better choice (from a nutrient standpoint) than spinach that takes two weeks to reach your table. Much of this is also true for fruits.

Misconception: Cooked veggies are less nutritious than raw

Fact: It depends on the vegetable. Cooking destroys some nutrients, but it releases others. It destroys vitamin C and folic acid, which is why it's not a great idea to cook oranges.

On the other hand, cooking releases vitamin A and the nutrients in fiber and makes them easier to digest. It's also easier for your body to absorb more lycopene, a cancer-fighting antioxidant, in cooked tomato sauce than from raw tomatoes.

Steam or roast veggies instead of boiling, which leaches out water-soluble vitamins into the cooking water.

Misconception: Iceberg lettuce doesn't have any nutrients

Fact: Iceberg lettuce is mostly water so it's hardly loaded with vitamins, but a large head does contain small amounts of protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

You'll get more nutrients from other greens that have less water such as romaine or butterhead lettuce, and cruciferous greens like kale, collard greens, mustard, and bok c. However, contrary to popular belief, iceberg lettuce does have some nutritional value.

Misconception: Local vegetables are always cheaper

Fact: It's certainly true that local produce can be good for your budget. This is especially true during the peak of harvest when farmers need to get rid of an abundant crop and there is a lot of competition.

However, there are no guarantees. Local food is not in any way subsidized, so you are paying the real cost of producing the food, though you may be spared transportation, refrigeration and middleman costs.

Some tips for finding the best deals at your local farmers' market: Shop at the end of the day when farmers are likely to mark down their prices in order to get rid of their inventory. (Go early in the day if selection is more important than price.) Ask your farmer for a volume discount if he or she doesn't already offer one. Prices vary from farmer to farmer so shop around before buying.

Misconception: Potatoes make you fat

Fact: Potatoes are virtually fat-free and low in calories. These delicious and inexpensive root vegetables contain a healthy dose of fiber, which can actually make you feel satisfied for longer and help you lose weight.

It's not the potatoes themselves that make you fat. It's how you cook them and what you slather on your spuds, like butter, sour cream, bacon bits, cheese, etc. that can cause you to pack on the pounds. Consider dressing a baked potato with just a tablespoon of a plant sterol rich butter substitute and some pepper.

Misconception: Bagged salads can be trusted to be properly cleaned

Fact: They're not nearly as clean as you may think. Consumer Reports tests found bacteria that are "common indicators of poor sanitation and fecal contamination" in 39 percent of the 208 packages of salad greens it tested. It didn't find E. coli 0157:H7, listeria, or other disease-causing bacteria in its samples. But it's still a good idea to give greens a good rinse to remove residual soil before eating even if the bag says they're "pre-washed" or "triple-washed."

But it's still a good idea to give greens a good rinse to remove residual soil before eating even if the bag says they're "pre-washed" or "triple-washed."

Misconception: Farmer's markets only sell organic vegetables

Fact: Just because a vegetable (or anything for that matter) is sold at a farmers' market does not mean that it's organic. It still must be certified organic by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for a guarantee that it was grown without synthetic fertilizers and pesticides.

Some farmers will say they are in the process of getting certified, and that they grow crops without synthetic chemicals, but are unable to afford the certification process, or that they only use chemicals when they have no choice and don't use them when it's close to harvest time. It's up to you to decide whether you trust that farmer.