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Debunking 5 myths of modern health

<p><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.drrosswalker.com/" target="_blank">Dr Ross Walker</a></span> is a leading integrative cardiologist, endocrinologist and author, specialising in the field of preventative cardiology.</em></strong></p> <p>There are many “myths” of modern health that gained so much traction at a time, they became fact. However, many of these are a result of misinformation, or even imaginative wife’s tales.</p> <p>Dr Ross Walker takes five myths of modern health and debunks these misunderstandings.</p> <p><strong>1. You should drink eight glasses of water per day</strong></p> <p>Although it is important to stay hydrated, there is no evidence that consuming eight glasses of water per day has any major health benefits. Most people I know who do this spend half the day in the bathroom. There is an important physiologic mechanism called thirst and when you are thirsty you should drink fluid.</p> <p>Although there is certainly nothing wrong with consuming water, there are other types of fluid that are quite good for your health. We have known for ages that consuming tea in all its forms has significant health benefits and evidence over the past decade has also shown two to three cups of good quality coffee per day has significant benefits as well. Low-dose alcohol, one to two standard glasses per day in combination with the Mediterranean diet has been shown to have significant health benefits. There are now many studies showing significant benefits of consuming A2 milk.</p> <p>Although consuming water should be an important part of our daily fluid intake, excessive consumption may lead to a drop in the blood sodium levels which may have disastrous health consequences.</p> <p><strong>2.  Everyone should take supplements</strong></p> <p>The common view from many conservative researchers in the scientific world is that supplements purely give you expensive urine. In this situation I take the opposite view in that I believe they also give you expensive blood which is exactly what you want.</p> <p>When you objectively examine the evidence on supplementation, those studies that were performed over a long period of time have shown significant benefits. To give one example, Harvard University have been conducting the nurse’s health study and the male physician’s trial for the past 30 years.</p> <p>The 15-year data from the nurse’s health study and the 20-year data the male physician’s trial have shown an overwhelming benefit from taking a daily multivitamin for a prolonged period. There is also increasing evidence that the regular consumption of fish oil, ubiquinol and a new supplement called Bergamet Pro plus all have significant benefits when added to healthy lifestyle principles.</p> <p><strong>3. You need to wait an hour after eating to swim</strong></p> <p>Although there are no major health consequences in swimming soon after eating, when a large meal is consumed, there is significant blood flow directed to the gastrointestinal tract. If you perform any form of exercise on a full stomach, there is only so much blood to go around and some will be directed away from your muscles where you clearly need a good blood supply for exercise. So, it is probably better to wait at least half an hour after you have eaten before you swim or perform any other significant exercise.</p> <p><strong>4.  Do not swallow gum because it will stay in your system for seven years</strong></p> <p>There is certainly no good evidence for this one. The stomach acid breaks down many foodstuffs and if most undigested food makes it to the colon, the gut bacteria then have a feast. What is left over is passed out in the faeces as undigested matter.</p> <p><strong>5. Cholesterol causes heart disease</strong></p> <p>Many experts in the field, including myself have disputed the importance of cholesterol and heart disease for a number of years. A recent study in the British Medical Journal looked at 68,000 people over the age of 60 and showed there was no link between the so-called bad cholesterol, LDL and cardiovascular disease. Surprisingly, the same study showed that the higher your LDL, the longer you lived. This does not mean that if you have had a prior heart attack, bypass operation or coronary stent that you should stop your cholesterol-lowering pills but purely suggests that those people who have high cholesterol over the age of 60 without proven heart disease should not be treated with medications.</p> <p>Can you think of any other modern healthy myths you would like to know the truth about? Let us know in the comments below.</p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="/health/body/2015/09/myths-about-allergies/"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">4 myths about allergies that will shock you</span></em></strong></a></p> <p><a href="/health/body/2016/06/4-ways-to-reduce-stress-on-your-heart/"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">4 ways to reduce stress on your heart</span></em></strong></a></p> <p><a href="/health/body/2016/01/cardiologist-tips-for-better-heart-health/"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">5 tips from a cardiologist for better heart health</span></em></strong></a></p>

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5 tips from a cardiologist for better heart health

<p>Heart health is a serious topic and it’s important to remember that the more information we have at our disposal, the better equipped we are to ensure we’re looking after our hearts in the best way possible. Leading Australian cardiologist Dr Ross Walker believes that maintaining optimum heart health comes down to more than just prescription medication- a holistic approach is best. Read on for his top five heart health boxes you should be checking, to keep your ticker in top shape.</p> <p><strong>1. Be aware</strong></p> <p>This isn’t the same as ‘beware’- you need to be aware of your heart and your predisposition to heart disease. Are you a smoker? Do you have a family history of cardiovascular disease? Are you overweight? When was the last time you visited a doctor for a heart check-up? These are all questions you need to be asking yourself, so that you can not only be aware of your heart health, but also determine the areas you can work on to prevent disease later down the track. If you’re unsure of how your heart is faring, visit your doctor- you should be booking in for yearly heart check-ups regardless, as they say: an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.</p> <p><strong>2. Consider Ubiquinol</strong></p> <p>If you have a predisposition to heart disease, or you are taking statin medication for high LDL cholesterol levels, then you’ve probably heard about Coenzyme Q10 (or CoQ10), a naturally occurring anti-oxidant in your body, from your doctor. But you may not have heard of Ubiquinol, the bioavailable (more easily absorbed) form of CoQ10, responsible for providing your cells with energy. Ubiquinol was been shown in a study published in the American Journal of Cardiology to reduce symptoms of chronic heart failure by 43 per cent, and has also been shown to assist in maintaining healthy levels of LDL cholesterol. As we age, our natural Ubiquinol levels deplete. If you’re feeling low in energy or want to give your heart some extra support, the benefits of Ubiquinol are plentiful. Always ensure that you seek out Ubiquinol as opposed to Ubiquinone- Ubiquinol is absorbed 5-8 times more readily by the body, as opposed to Ubiquinone, which the body first needs to be converted into Ubiquinol in order to reap the benefits.</p> <p><strong>3. Achieve and maintain a healthy weight</strong></p> <p>The harsh reality is that being overweight can dramatically increase your chances of developing heart disease. However, it’s never too late to improve diet and exercise routine. Don’t focus on the number on the scales – what can be a healthy weight for one person can be unhealthy for another. Instead, visit your doctor for some basic measurements, including a waist circumference measurement and a BMI test. This can give you a better idea of where you sit in terms of your weight and overall health. Forget fad diets and cutting out food groups- consult a nutritionist and learn about making simple swaps to health, unprocessed foods. Taking control of your weight will do wonders for not only your heart but your overall health.</p> <p><strong>4. Get physical</strong></p> <p>You’re probably starting to get the idea that good heart health actually comes down, in many cases, to your lifestyle choices – setting yourself up for a healthy future can prevent serious health issues as the years go by. Exercise has incredible benefits not only for your weight and mental health, but specifically for your heart – it can actually lower blood pressure and strengthen your heart, as you slowly increase your cardiovascular endurance. You don’t need to be running a marathon every day. Find something you enjoy, whether it be power-walking, swimming or even dancing, and just aim to move for 30 minutes a day.</p> <p><strong>5. Look after emotional health</strong></p> <p>Many people write off the effects that stress and anxiety can have on our health, but your emotional health should, in fact, be taken seriously. It’s not necessarily an issue of how stressed you are, but how you’re dealing with it. If you’re not expressing your feelings and coming to terms with your stress, the emotional toll can wreak havoc on your body and leave you feeling worse for wear. Stress can actually trigger the release of particular hormones like adrenaline and cortisol, which can impact your blood pressure and heart rate. Health is both a mental and physical journey, and the two need to coexist if you want to take care of your body.</p> <p>If you’re unsure about whether your heart is in good nick, how you can improve your heart health or simply where to start on a journey to overall health and wellbeing, the best place to start is by visiting a health professional like your GP, who can point you in the right direction and assess where you’re at, health wise.</p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/health/caring/2015/12/fast-moves-to-slow-down-ageing/">Fast moves to slow down ageing</a></strong></span></em></p> <p><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/health/mind/2015/11/one-thing-holding-you-back-in-meditation/">This one thing could be holding you back in your meditation</a></strong></span></em></p> <p><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/health/mind/2015/11/how-to-improve-your-memory-as-you-age/">How to improve your memory as you age</a></strong></span></em></p>

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