Pure Radiance

Probiotic Skin Protection for Adult Acne

If you’re like a lot of women, you probably thought that once you made it through puberty, you’d be blessed with smooth, clear skin.

Unfortunately, acne is not just a teenage problem anymore…

Over the past 30 years, the number of older patients I’ve seen who are looking for a solution to their adult acne has grown from a trickle to a flood.

And it’s not just my patients. Overall, the number of people suffering from these embarrassing breakouts has increased 214% in women 35 and older.1

Dermatologists offer two treatment options — topical products that kill both good and bad bacteria on the skin or oral medications that carry serious side effects.

The problem is — even if these therapies eliminate your current acne breakout, they don’t get to the real root of the problem. And they won’t stop your next outbreak from happening.

The goal with my patients is to heal the underlying cause of adult acne so you’ll never have another breakout. And that solution starts in the gut.

Feed Your Skin’s Microbiome
I tell my patients that what they put in their mouths is just as important as the products they put on their skin.

Our modern food supply is made up of inflammation-causing foods like refined sugars, cheap vegetable oils and processed carbohydrates — what I call carbage. This toxic concoction can cause your gut microbiome to become way out of balance. This affects all of your organs — including the biggest organ of all, your skin.

Let me explain…

Inside your gut is an extensive intestinal lining that covers more than 4,000 square feet. When it’s working properly, it forms a tight barrier.

But our unnatural Western diet can destroy this tightly sealed gut lining.

An unhealthy gut lining creates large gaps between cells, allowing partially digested food, toxins and bad bacteria to invade your bloodstream. This produces inflammation and changes in the gut flora that can lead to the development of several skin disorders, including eczema, rosacea, psoriasis, atopic dermatitis and cystic acne.2

One way to protect your skin is by getting your gut back on track with probiotics that provide a protective shield across your gut — essentially “plugging up any holes”3 and preventing acne-causing inflammation.

The research backs it up.

In one study, researchers followed 300 acne patients who were given the probiotics L. acidophilus and L. bulgaricus. After one month of treatment, 80% of patients showed improvement, primarily in painful inflammatory lesions that cause swelling, redness and cysts below the surface of your skin.4

In a second study, researchers compared patients taking a probiotic supplement to those taking a prescription acne medication for 12 weeks. Both groups dramatically reduced acne outbreaks by 67%.5

However, the group taking the probiotics had no side effects. Meanwhile the prescription drug causes hair loss, nausea and diarrhea, dizziness, headaches and difficulty swallowing.

I recommend getting your gut back on track with the right probiotics that help recolonize your gut with healthy bacteria and crowd out the bad bacteria. You get a good supply from fermented foods like fresh sauerkraut, kefir, kvass and kimchi and cultured dairy.

Protect Your Microbiome From the Outside
Your skin has its own microbiome… a balanced ecosystem that has been shown to protect against harmful bacteria, pollution and free radicals, all of which can accelerate aging.6

But every time you wash your face with today’s harsh cleansers and soaps, you remove both good and bad bacteria. And a disruption to the balance of bacteria leaves your skin vulnerable to problems like dryness and inflammation.

In addition to a high-quality probiotic supplement, I suggest cleansing and toning with topical probiotic products.

Stay tuned… I’ll tell you more about this in your next letter.

In the meantime, I recommend balancing your skin’s microbiome with a live-culture yogurt mask. This is a face mask recipe many of my patients like:

Start with 1 Tbsp. of organic, live-culture yogurt.
Add 1/2 tsp. of anti-inflammatory turmeric powder.
Leave on your face for 10-30 minutes, then wash off with warm water and pat your face dry.

To Your Good Health,

Al Sears, MD, CNS

1King C, et al. “Spots break out of the teen stereotype: Enquiries into acne treatment triples and 35% of sufferers are over 35.” WhatClinic.com. 2015.
2Bowe W. et al. “Acne vulgaris, probiotics and the gut-brain-skin axis: From anecdote to translational medicine.” Benef Microbes. 2014;5(2):185-199.
3Servin AL and Coconnier MH. “Adhesion of probiotic strains to the intestinal mucosa and interaction with pathogens.” Best Pract Res Clin Gastroenterol. 2003;17:741–754.
4Siver RH. “Lactobacillus for the control of acne.” J Med Soc N J. 1961;59:52–53.
5Jung GW, et al. “Prospective, randomized, open-label trial comparing the safety, efficacy, and tolerability of an acne treatment regimen with and without a probiotic supplement and minocycline in subjects with mild to moderate acne.” J Cutan Med Surg. 2013;17(2):114-122.
6Gueniche A, et al. “Lactobacillus paracasei CNCM I-2116 (ST11) inhibits substance P-induced skin inflammation and accelerates skin barrier function recovery in vitro.” Eur J Dermatol. 2010;20(6):731-737.

Just 12 minutes a day to tone and firm right in the comfort of your own home!

Sweet Local Favorite For Your Skin!

Bali holds a special place in my heart.

When I was a young boy my father told me tales of this island paradise from his World War II days.

He painted an amazing picture of endless beaches, impenetrable jungles and the warm, generous people who lived there.
https://mypureradiance.com/sweet-local-favorite-for-your-skin/

The papaya trees in Bali are bigger and taller than any I’ve ever seen anywhere else.

When I finally arrived in Bali many years later it took my breath away.

Everything was lush and brighter… and bigger than I imagined.

Like the papaya trees on the island. Now, living in South Florida, papaya trees are common. But the papaya tree in my friend Lelir’s garden was bigger and wider than any papaya tree I’d ever seen.

Lelir called it by the Balinese name Gedang.

This tree was so big I couldn’t get it into one photo. I had to take out my video camera and climb to the top of a hill to record it because I knew no one would believe me.

Here in the States, most people only know the delicious fruit of these trees. But in Bali the traditional healers called “Balians” use all parts of the papaya tree – including the sap – as powerful medicine.

Lelir told me how once she broke open some leaves and applied the sap to her son’s arm to heal a scorpion bite.

Balinese also use papaya to aid digestion… relieve constipation… treat diarrhea… and prevent malaria.1 Exciting new research even proves that the leaves of the papaya tree contain an anti-cancer extract. Studies prove that papaya leaf extract and the seeds suppress tumor cell growth… and stimulate your body’s natural anti-tumor defenses.2

But Lelir also uses papaya as a beauty treatment.

Modern science backs up Lelir on the anti-aging benefits of papaya. For one thing, papaya is loaded with vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant.

The vitamin C in papaya guards your telomeres, the protective caps on the ends of your DNA. The shorter your telomeres, the older your cells act. Those older cells lead to wrinkles, dull skin and all the other annoying signs of aging.

A Japanese study tested vitamin C on telomeres. Raising the level of vitamin C in cells slowed down the shortening of telomeres by up to 62%.3

Another study found that skin cells treated with vitamin C kept their young, firm shape. It slowed the shortening of the cell’s telomeres. The telomeres also suffered less damage in the presence of vitamin C.4

Vitamin C also repairs and rebuilds your skin’s collagen. It promotes skin elasticity and firmness. And it can smooth fine lines and wrinkles, even out skin tone and fade age spots.

Papaya offers much more than vitamin C. It contains “papain.” This enzyme cools inflammation, reduces pain from sunburn and helps heal acne, rosacea and eczema. And it can help lighten skin and reduce the visibility of blemishes, age spots and acne scars.

Papaya also has alpha-hydroxy acids. These gentle acids exfoliate skin and help dissolve dead skin cells. They leave your skin soft, smooth and supple. These are just some of the reasons that papaya is one of the best fruits for an anti-aging facial mask. It cleanses and exfoliates your skin and leaves it firm and glowing.

You can also make your own papaya facial mask at home. Here’s my favorite recipe. I recommend you use it once or twice a week.

Papaya Anti-Aging Face Mask
Ingredients:

1 organic payaya
1 egg white
1 tsp. lemon juice
Directions:

Peel a ripe, firm papaya and remove the seeds. Puree in a blender until smooth.
Whisk the egg white until frothy.
Add the egg white to the papaya and mix well.
Apply the mixture to your face and neck. Massage gently into skin. Let dry for 15 minutes.
Rinse off with warm water. Gently pat dry with a soft towel.

To Your Good Health,

Al Sears, MD, CNS

1 Bhat, G.P. and Surolia, N. “In vitro antimalarial activity of extracts of three plants used in the traditional medicine of India.” Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2001; 65(4): 304-308.
2 Otsuki N, Dang NH, Kumagai E, Kondo A, Iwata S, Morimoto C. “Aqueous extract of Carica papaya leaves exhibits anti-tumor activity and immunomodulatory effects.” J Ethnopharma. 2010;127(3):760-7.
3 Furumoto K. et al. “Age-dependent telomere shortening is slowed down by enrichment of intracellular vitamin C via suppression of oxidative stress.” Life Science 1998; vol. 63, no. 11 pp. 935-48.
4 Yokoo S, et al. “Slow-down of age-dependent telomere shortening is executed in human skin keratinocytes by hormesis-like-effects of trace hydrogen peroxide or by anti-oxidative effects of pro-vitamin C in common concurrently with reduction of intracellular oxidative stress.” J Cell Biochem. 2004;93(3):588-97.

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Sweet Local Favorite For Your Skin! - mypureradiance.com Bali holds a special place in my heart. When I was a young boy my father told me tales of this island paradise from his World War II days. He painted an amazing picture of endless beaches, impenetrable jungles and the warm, generous people who lived there. The papaya trees in Bali are bigger and [.....

How to reduce thinning hair

My patients tell me that they feel like they’re bothering me when they ask about hair loss. After all, losing your hair isn’t life-threatening. But that doesn’t mean it’s not important.

Thinning hair can be a major blow to your self-confidence.

But it’s also a symptom of an unhealthy microbiome.

I tell my patients that one way to regain fuller, thicker hair is by improving gut health.

You see, your gut is connected to almost every function of your body, including immunity, mental health, obesity, diabetes, certain cancers, autoimmune diseases, skin – and even your hair.

https://mypureradiance.com/how-to-reduce-thinning-hair/

If your microbiome is bogged down with “bad” bacteria and lacking “good” bacteria, you see an increase in inflammation throughout your whole body – including the scalp.

And scalp inflammation destroys your hair follicles.1 Let me explain…

Your body tries to extinguish inflammation by sending dihydrotestosterone (DHT) to the scalp to fight it.

DHT, a male s*x hormone that’s also present in women, does a good job of reducing this inflammation. But in the process, it binds to receptors in the hair follicles and causes them to shrink.1,2

As your follicles get smaller, they start to produce thinner hair that can easily fall out.

Before long you see hair loss and bald spots on the top of your head.

At the Sears Institute, I help my patients repair and protect their microbiome with probiotics. They help recolonize your gut with healthy bacteria and crowd out the bad bacteria. You get a good supply from fermented foods like fresh sauerkraut, kefir, kvass and kimchi, and cultured dairy.

But I find most of my patients benefit from also taking a supplement. Look for one that contains 10-20 billion CFUs (colony forming units) of Lactobacillus Plantarum, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bacillus subtilis, and Bifidobacterium lactis.

These probiotics will bring your gut back into balance. But the best bacterial strain to promote hair growth is a probiotic called Lactobacillus reuteri.

Studies show that these bacteria can help prevent hair thinning, promote faster hair growth, encourage hair follicle development, and even increase the number of hairs in the anagen (growth) stage of the hair cycle.

Researchers gave a group of rats L. reuteri in their drinking water for 20 weeks in one study. Compared to the placebo group, the probiotic-fed rats had:4

1,200% increase in hair follicle expression
106% increase in hair follicle count
74% of the follicles were in the growth phase (64% of placebo-fed rats had follicles in a resting stage)
Faster, more robust hair growth
Shinier, more lustrous hair
I recommend taking 100 million units of L. reuteri a day.

The rats in the study saw these incredible results after 20 to 24 weeks. But you can restore hair loss and regrow thicker, fuller hair right now. Here are two topical treatments you can use today:

First, feed your follicles with vitamin B3. In your body, vitamin B3 (niacin) breaks down into a molecule called nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+). NAD+ is found in every cell in the body. It converts nutrients from food into energy that fuels your body — including hair follicles.
But levels decline with age. So your body sends NAD where it’s needed most, like your heart and lungs. As a result, your hair follicles don’t get what they need. Fortunately, you can make NAD from a B vitamin called niacinamide.

In one study, women with hair loss rubbed this vitamin into their scalps daily. While the placebo group saw no results, those who used niacinamide grew saw new hair growth in less than 30 days.5

Look for serums that contain niacinamide to apply directly to your scalp. Make sure any product you buy has at least 5% niacinamide. You should see results in as little as four weeks.

Stimulate new hair growth with rosemary oil. Rosemary oil is packed with antioxidants that help combat thinning hair. In a recent study that looked at 100 men with androgenetic alopecia, rosemary oil applied to the scalp showed to be equally as effective as Rogaine® at increasing hair growth. That’s impressive and a lot safer than drugs.
Rosemary oil can irritate the skin, so I recommend using it with a carrier oil. My favorite is coconut oil. Just mix 3-4 drops of rosemary oil with 1 teaspoon of coconut oil and massage it into your scalp each night before bed. Wash as usual in the morning.

To Your Good Health,

Al Sears, MD, CNS

References:

1. Luissint A, et al. “Inflammation and the intestinal barrier: leukocyte-epithelial cell interactions, cell junction remodeling, and mucosal repair.” Gastroenterology. 2016;151(4):616-632.

2. Sadick N, et al. “New insight into the pathophysiology of hair loss trigger a paradigm shift in the treatment approach.” J Drugs Dermatol. 2017;16(11):s135-s140.

3. Farris P, et al. “A novel multi-targeting approach to treating hair loss, using standardized nutraceuticals.” J Drugs Dermatol. 2017;16(11):s141-s148.

4. Kobinger G. “Probiotic bacteria induce a ‘glow of health.'” PLoS One. 2013; 8(1): e53867.

5. Draelos Z D, et al. “A pilot study evaluating the efficacy of topically applied niacin derivatives for treatment of female pattern alopecia.” J Cosmet Dermatol. 2005;4(4):258-261.

Stop “heavy metal hair” loss

When traditional doctors can’t explain why something is happening in your body, they blame it on your genes… Even the “male” pattern balding they see in their female patients.

But don’t be so quick to blame your mom and dad. Genes can play a tiny part in hair loss. But genetics don’t explain the dramatic 70% increase we’ve seen in both male and female alopecia over the last 40 years.

And it’s not an age-related problem… Almost a quarter of people in their 20s and 30s say they are starting to deal with thinning and bald spots – that’s two decades earlier than previous generations.1

Unfortunately, the growing number of people suffering from hair loss is a direct result of our toxic environment.

Our modern environment is flooded with man-made chemicals – more than 80,000 and growing. The hormonal xenoestrogens I call “alien estrogens” remain a huge hair loss problem.

But an increasing number of alopecia cases are a direct result of exposure to heavy metal toxins in the environment, including mercury, thallium, arsenic, aluminum, and lead.2 These poisons are used in the manufacturing processes of things like pesticides, glass, paint, batteries, and ink. Not to mention hair coloring and cosmetics.

Almost every patient I see at the Sears Institute for Anti-Aging has some degree of heavy metal contamination. So one of the first things I do is help them detox. At my clinic I use chelation to remove these toxins. But I also recommend they eliminate pollutants with activated charcoal.

Drinking a solution of 20 grams of this fine, black powder mixed with water over a period of one to two weeks can wipe out decades of toxic heavy metals from inside your body.

But I also recommend using activated charcoal on your scalp. Let me explain…

All those heavy metals you are exposed to don’t just end up in just your bloodstream and organs. Your hair is also sensitive to these toxins. Your hair follicles come under attack – and as a result, they become inactive. Eventually, your hair follicles die.

Your hair grows in three phases. The anagen, or growing phase, is the first. Next is the catagen phase, when hair gets ready to shed. And finally, you have the telogen phase, where your hair is pushed from the follicle and falls out.

But when your follicles have toxins trapped inside, you get stuck in the telogen phase.

Your strands shrink and your hair starts to fall out. You lose the ability to grow thick and healthy hair. And that’s when your confidence and self-esteem take a hit.

You’re familiar with activated charcoal face masks. But your scalp is skin too. And using a charcoal mask on your scalp helps draw out impurities from your follicles. Because it’s so highly absorbent, it helps “unplug” the gunk that causes heavy metal hair loss.

And detoxing your follicles helps clean and renourish your hair to regrow.

Detox your follicles to decrease hair loss

It’s easy to make your own charcoal hair mask. I recommend using it a couple times a week.

Ingredients

1 tbsp activated charcoal powder
2 tsp baking soda
2 tbsp aloe vera gel or coconut oil
Directions

Thoroughly combine the ingredients in a small bowl and apply to wet hair. I recommend doing this in the shower since it can be messy.
Massage into your scalp well. Leave on for 20 to 30 minutes, massaging every 5 to 10 minutes.
Rinse well with warm water and shampoo as usual.


1 Chen S. “Chinese people losing their hair earlier than ever before, research shows.” https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/2127289/

2 Yu V, et al. “Alopecia and associated toxic agents: a systematic review.” Skin Appendage Disord. 018;4:245–260

https://mypureradiance.com/stop-heavy-metal-hair-loss/

Hollywood anti-aging secret: glutathione glow

Have you ever wondered how certain Hollywood celebrities look even better today than they did a decade ago?
Sure, some spend thousands of dollars on plastic surgery while others have themselves injected with facial fillers on a regular basis…

But some have discovered a skincare secret that actually helps them age in reverse… an all-natural miracle molecule that I call the mother of all antioxidants – glutathione.

https://mypureradiance.com/hollywood-anti-aging-secret-glutathione-glow/

Anti-Aging
Glutathione is one of Cindy Crawford’s anti-aging secrets.
If you’re a regular reader, you’ve heard me talk about this master antioxidant before. I use it every day at the Sears Institute for Anti-Aging to increase a patient’s immune system and help prevent the most common chronic diseases we face today – like arthritis, Alzheimer’s, high blood pressure, heart and lung disease, cancer and diabetes.

In fact, glutathione is so powerful, it has been proven in animal studies to increase lifespan by up to 30%.[1] Another study found that those with the highest levels commonly live well past the age of 100.[2]

Today we know glutathione is the antiaging secret of celebrities like Cindy Crawford, Kim Kardashian, Jane Fonda and Brad Pitt.

And the research backs up what they claim. Peer-reviewed studies have found that glutathione can:

Prevent DNA damage from UV ray overexposure[3]
Smooth away wrinkles[4]
Brighten skin[5]
Eliminate age spots and lighten skin[6]
But perhaps the biggest skin care benefit is that this super-antioxidant boosts collagen production and increases skin elasticity.[7],[8]

Collagen is the most abundant form of protein in your body. When you’re young, your body makes a lot of it. But as you age, you produce less and less. And this lack of collagen results in the visible signs of aging – including sagging skin that’s lost elasticity, shows wrinkles, and has a rough, dull appearance.

Increasing collagen production encourages cell turnover and minimizes facial muscle contractions, which contributes to the development of wrinkles.

The result is firmer, plumper, more youthful-looking skin.

In one study, women who naturally increased their levels of collagen had improved skin elasticity after only eight weeks. They also had better skin moisture and less roughness. And they had fewer signs of accelerated aging.[9]

A second study published in the journal Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology found that volunteers who supplemented with glutathione increased skin elasticity and significantly reduced wrinkles in only 12 weeks compared to the control group.[10]

Glutathione levels decrease naturally as you age – at the rate of about 1% a year. By the age of 60, you only have about half of what you should. Today’s toxic environment and our exposure to chemicals, pollution, alcohol and even Big Pharma medications depletes levels even further. [11]

There are a few ways you can increase this master antioxidant. Here are a few I suggest…

Supplement with N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC). This amino acid is a precursor to glutathione. In one study, patients were given 600 mg of NAC a day for three months. At the end of the three months, their blood plasma levels of glutathione had increased by 38%.[12]
Get glutathione through your diet. Choose foods high in glycine and cysteine, two more amino acids that increase glutathione production. The best sources are grass-fed meat and organ meat, pastured eggs and wild-caught fish. These amino acids are also found in yogurt, sunflower seeds, horseradish, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, red peppers and Brussels sprouts.
Take turmeric. This powerful spice enhances the synthesis of glutathione. You can find turmeric’s active ingredient, curcumin, as a supplement. Take 500 mg twice a day.
Most effective way to increase glutathione and reverse aging

But the best way to increase glutathione is through IV therapy.

It’s the fastest and easiest way to raise levels fast. Getting glutathione through an intravenous drip allows the antioxidant to bypass the digestive process and go directly into your cells. That means the bioavailability from IV is 100%.

If you are interested in the age-reversing effects of glutathione through IV therapy, please call my staff at 561-784-7852.

[1] Oh, S, et al. “Lifespan extension and increased resistance to environmental stressors by N-acetyl-L-cysteine in Caenorhabditis elegans.” Clinics (Sao Paulo). 2015 May;70(5):380-6.

[2] Andersen H. “Lower activity of superoxide dismutase and high activity of glutathione reductase in erythrocytes from centenarians.” Age Aging. 1998;27:643-648.

[3] Kwon D, et al. “Protective effect of glutathione against oxidative stress-induced cytotoxicity in raw 264.7 macrophages through activating the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor-2/heme oxygenase-1 pathway.” Antioxidants (Basel). 2019 Apr 1;8(4):82. doi: 10.3390/antiox8040082.

[4] Watanabe F, et al. ““Skin-whitening and skin-condition-improving effects of topical oxidized glutathione: a double-blind and placebo-controlled clinical trial in healthy women.” Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2014; 7: 267–274.

[5] Arjinpathana N, Asawanonda P. “Glutathione as an oral whitening agent: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.” J Dermatolog Treat. 2012;23:97–102.

[6] Arjinpathana N, Asawanonda P. Glutathione as an oral whitening agent: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.” J Dermatolog Treat. 2012;23:97–102.

[7] Weschawalit S, et al. “Glutathione and its antiaging and antimelanogenic effects.” Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2017 Apr 27;10:147-153.

[8] Lue R, et al. “Glutathione regulates transforming growth factor-beta-stimulated collagen production in fibroblasts.” Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol. 2004 Jan;286(1):L121-8.

[9] Proksch E, et al. “Oral supplementation of specific collagen peptides has beneficial effects on human skin physiology: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study.” Skin Pharmacol Physiol 2014;27:47-55.

[10] Weschawalit S, et al. “Glutathione and its antiaging and antimelanogenic effects.” Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2017 Apr 27;10:147-153.

[11] Pizzorna J. “Glutathione.” Integr Med (Encinitas). 2014 Feb; 13(1): 8–12.

[12] Bongers V, et al. “Antioxidant-related parameters in patients treated for cancer chemoprevention with N-acetylcysteine.” Eur J Cancer. 1995

How to rebuild your ageless heart

Heart disease is the greatest threat to a woman’s health. And while heart disease levels have begun to steadily decline in men, they continue to rise in women.

Heart disease is also deadlier in women. A new analysis found women were 60% more likely to die within a year of their first heart attack than men.1

https://mypureradiance.com/how-to-rebuild-your-ageless-heart/

This under-recognition of heart disease as a woman’s threat puts you in even greater danger because it takes a doctor longer to diagnose a heart attack in a woman – thus, delaying treatment.

One of the biggest issues is a widespread misunderstanding that a heart attack looks the same in everyone. This just isn’t the case. Women often experience completely different symptoms from a heart attack than those normally seen in a man.

Heart attack signs are different in women

The signs considered typical of a heart attack — sharp chest pain, discomfort or pain in the left arm, and shortness of breath — are true in men. These are the “common” symptoms we hear about and recognize as a heart attack. But they’re not common in women. A woman having a heart attack is more likely to experience:

Pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the shoulders, upper back, neck, jaw, or stomach
Abdominal discomfort that mimics indigestion
Unusual fatigue
Dizziness or lightheadedness
Pain, pressure, squeezing, fullness, or discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or goes away and comes back
Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing (with or without chest discomfort)
Breaking out in a cold sweat, dizziness, or lightheadedness
Nausea or vomiting
A general feeling that something’s wrong
Sadly, doctors miss heart attack symptoms in women all the time.

A new study in the journal Circulation shows that more than half of doctors don’t realize a woman’s symptoms are heart-related.2

The study looked at 2,009 women and 976 men who had an acute heart attack. About 22.1% of the men and 29.5% of the women said they visited a doctor for their symptoms before their attack. Only 37% of those men said that their doctors did not think their symptoms were heart related. But, 53% of the women were told it wasn’t their heart.

Emergency response to heart attacks in women is changing because it’s a slow process.

You have a better chance of surviving if you know the signs yourself, so you can alert emergency personnel.

Build Your Own Ageless Heart

While knowing the symptoms of heart disease is important, it’s even more important that you protect yourself before a heart attack strikes…

Here’s how you can save yourself from a broken heart…and build a heart that’s truly ageless.

Supplement with vitamin K2. K2 activates a protein called MGP, which helps prevent hardening of the arteries. Without K2, plaque levels in your body worsen, increasing the risk of atherosclerosis and heart failure.
One study showed that high levels of vitamin K2 lowered the risk of coronary artery disease by 57%. It also lowered calcium buildup in arteries by 52%. And it slashed the risk of death from any cause by 26%.3

The same study also found that populations that get more vitamin K2 in their diets reduce their risk of dying from cardiovascular disease by 50%. It showed that for every daily increase of 10 mcg of K2, the risk of coronary heart disease decreases by 9%.

Unfortunately, most people today are deficient in K2. Some estimates put the number as high as 98%! I suggest supplementing with between 45-90 mcg daily.

Boost nitric oxide. Nitric oxide (NO) is a colorless gas made by cells in your body that widens blood vessels. Benefits include lower blood pressure, less arterial plaque, and a reduced risk of blood clots.
You can’t supplement with NO. But there are nutrients that will convert into NO in your body. One of the best is L-arginine. This amino acid causes a biochemical reaction that creates nitric oxide and dilates blood vessels.

But after you’ve been using L-arginine for a while, an enzyme starts blocking its conversion into NO. That’s why I suggest adding L-citrulline. It blocks the enzyme so L-arginine continues to make NO.

Take L-arginine and L-citrulline in a 6-to-1 ratio. I recommend daily doses of 6,000 mg of L-arginine and 1,000 mg of L-citrulline. But make sure you buy either arginine or L-arginine. You can find it in capsules or powders. Avoid synthetic L-arginine.

To Your Good Health,

Al Sears, MD

Al Sears, MD, CNS

References:

1. Ubrich R, et al. “Sex differences in long-term mortality among acute myocardial infarction patients: Results from the ISAR-RISK and ART studies.” Plos One. 2017 Oct 20;12(10):e0186783.
2. Lichtman J., et al. “Sex Differences in the Presentation and Perception of Symptoms Among Young Patients With Myocardial Infarction: Evidence from the VIRGO Study (Variation in Recovery: Role of Gender on Outcomes of Young AMI Patients).” Circulation. 2018 Feb
3. Johanna M, et al. “Dietary Intake of Menaquinone Is Associated with a Reduced Risk of Coronary Heart Dusease: The Rotterdam Study.” J Nutr. 2004. 134(11); 3100-3105.

How to rebuild your ageless heart - mypureradiance.com Heart disease is the greatest threat to a woman’s health. And while heart disease levels have begun to steadily decline in men, they continue to rise in women. Heart disease is also deadlier in women. A new analysis found women were 60% more likely to die within a year of their first heart attack ...