The Relationship between Heart Disease and Kidney Disease

By: DAVID COWLEY

When you suffer from some type of heart disease, maintaining a healthy lifestyle can be very difficult. We all need to eat healthy, maintain a good regular exercise routine and have regular checkups from our health care provider. When heart disease is not managed well the effects on our kidneys can be catastrophic.

The kidneys job is to filter the blood to remove carcinogens that we take in daily through the ingesting of out highly refined and processed foods. In addition it also removes excess fluid from the blood stream. The kidneys filter the waist products from the blood stream by using the natural pressure of the blood supply. When this excess fluid is not being removed then the heart will have to work harder to pump the blood throughout our bodies by increasing our blood pressure. Higher blood pressure will cause more damage to our kidneys causing less fluid and toxins being removed from the blood stream. As you can see the cycle of the heart damaging the kidneys which in turn cause more damage to the heart is a leading cause of death for patients suffering from heart disease. This viscous cycle must be control as soon as possible before permanent damage is done to the effected organs.

The leading causes of kidney disease are as follows:

Decreased blood flow to the kidney is usually caused by clogged arteries. Arteriosclerosis, congestive heart disease, plaques or fatty deposits containing large quantities of cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood stream can all cause a decreased blood flow to the kidneys.

Acute Tubular Necrosis (ATN) is the death of tissue do to a loss of oxygen to the kidney. Long term decreased of oxygen to the kidney can be caused by congestive heart disease, clogged arteries, anemia, iron deficiency, cycle’s cell anemia and infections such as acute septicemia. Short term loss of oxygen to the kidney can be caused a heart attack or by direct kidney injury.

Damage to the kidneys can be the result of over exposure to metals, solvents, drugs and other pollutants.

Excessive amounts of alcohol will cause death of muscle and organ tissue. When tissue dies myoglobin is released into the blood supply. Myoglobin is very toxic to the renal tubular epithelium and may cause kidney failure. One of the blood test done after a heart attack is the testing for the amount of myoglobin in the blood stream. The larger amount of myoglobin found has a direct correlation to the amount of damage caused to the heart muscle by a heart attack.

High blood pressure will also cause damage to the filtering process of the kidneys. Prevention is always better than a cure and knowing you are at risk for heart or kidney disease should go a long way in your ability to prevent long term damage to these vital organs. Take steps today to maintain a health life style and to improve the quality of life.

Common vitamins and minerals can help with preventing disease such as vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin C, vitamin E, Cranberry Juice, Natural diuretics and Garlic.

Vitamin A is a known antioxidant and can assist the human body in the healing process. Vitamin A is stored in the liver and fat cells of the human body and can reach toxic levels. DO NOT take more than the recommended dosage of Vitamin A.

Vitamin B taken together as a team perform vital biological processes including aiding in the healing process for congestive heart failure and reduces fluid retention. It is required for the development of red blood cells.

Vitamin C has been shown to combat the development of cholesterol deposits in the arteries. Within a few hours after receiving vitamin C patients showed a sharp decline in the cholesterol levels of the blood. Take 1,000 to 5,000 mg daily.

Vitamin E is known to help the red blood cells to live longer and keep them from breaking down too soon.

Cranberry Juice may also help prevent kidney and bladder infections. If you are taking COUMADIN then check with your doctor before using cranberry.
Natural diuretics are contained in cranberries, anything that has caffeine and apple cider vinegar. Fruits and vegetables such as watermelon and cucumbers contain a lot of water and will help increase urination.

Garlic counteracts the usual result of high fats in the diet and to help reduce high blood pressure.

This report is nutritional in nature and not to be construed as medical advice.
Always consult your doctor before using this information.

David Cowley has created numerous articles on heart disease. He has also created a Web Site dedicated to heart disease and how to treat them. Visit Heart Disease

Kidney Disease

Healthy Diet with Spinach

For many years, nutritionists and mothers have known about the awesome power of spinach and its importance to a healthy diet. After all, there is a reason your mother always encouraged you to eat your spinach, and Popeye can certainly attest to the awesome power of this food.

Spinach is packed full of such important nutrients as vitamin C, calcium and beta carotene. In addition, spinach is one of the richest plant sources of iron, and it should be part of a healthy diet for everyone, from the youngest child to the oldest adult.

The benefits of spinach

One of the most significant benefits of spinach in the diet is that it is a very rich source of insoluble fiber. Most Americans eat a diet that is deficient in fiber, and this lack of fiber can lead to a number of serious medical complications, including stomach problems, intestinal issues and even some forms of cancer.

The insoluble fiber contained in spinach has also been associated with protecting the heart and other vital organs from damage. In addition to the value of spinach as a possible heart diseases fighter, recent studies have shown real promise in using spinach as a cancer fighter. The nutrients and fiber in spinach are thought to provide protection against such common cancer killers as breast cancer and lung cancer.

Spinach and cancer protection

One reason for this strong cancer fighting ability is the high level of vitamin E contained in this delicious vegetable. Vitamin E has long been thought to provide protection against cancer, and the high levels of vitamin E in spinach make it one of the best sources of this strong antioxidant vitamin.

Spinach is also a rich source of lutein and zeaxanthin. These substances are important carotenoids, and like the other well known carotenoid, beta carotene, they are excellent antioxidants, which help to protect the body from the effects of free radicals and cell breakdown.

Finding the best spinach

Another great thing about spinach is that it is easy to buy, available virtually everywhere, and quite reasonable in price. Fresh spinach is available in just about every supermarket and grocery store chain, and it is available for a significant portion of the year in most parts of the country.

In addition to its availability, spinach is quite reasonably priced compared to many other common fruits and vegetables. Spinach can even be grown in the home garden quite easily, as it grows quite well in many areas of the country.

Whether you choose store bought spinach or buy your own, however, it is important to select the greenest and healthiest looking spinach for your recipes. It is also important to not cook spinach longer than necessary, as some of the vital nutrients can be lost through overcooking or excessive heat. It is best to quickly steam the spinach to preserve its nutritional value.

With all the benefits spinach has to offer, it is surprising that more people do not enjoy this wonderful food. Spinach is versatile, and it can be used in a wide variety of recipes, from soups to salads, from side dishes to main courses. There is a reason why spinach has such a reputation as a health food; it seems that the reputation is more than deserved.

Tomatoes to a Healthy Diet

The health benefits of tomatoes are well known, and tomatoes are known to contain a great many important compounds that play an important role in the prevention of cancer, heart disease, cataracts and many other common health problems. Tomatoes are rich sources of many important nutrients, and more and more people are coming to realize just how important tomatoes are to a healthy diet.

Tomatoes and vitamin C

For instance, tomatoes contain as much vitamin C as many citrus fruits, with a normal sized tomato providing up to 40 percent of the recommended daily intake of this important nutrient. In addition, tomatoes contain large amounts of vitamin A, potassium and iron. And tomatoes are one of the most delicious, and most versatile of all foods. From fresh tomatoes in your salad to ketchup on your burger, tomatoes are everywhere, and this makes it quite easy to enjoy their many health benefits.

In a way, it is their rich color that makes tomatoes so valuable to a healthy diet. The substance responsible for the red coloration of tomatoes is known scientifically as lycopene. This important compound is thought to be a strong antioxidant, with the ability to neutralize the free radicals that can cause damage to cells. These free radicals are thought to play a role in cancer, and therefore tomatoes are thought to be important in the prevention of many kinds of cancer.

As a matter of fact, lycopene is thought to be twice as effective as many other kinds of antioxidants, and it has been shown to play a role in the prevention of such common cancers as prostate cancer, lung cancer and breast cancer. In addition, lycopene is thought to help to inhibit the aging process, allowing tomato eaters to remain active longer.

How to choose the best tomatoes

To get the greatest amount of benefits from tomatoes it is important to choose them carefully. The ripest and reddest tomatoes not only contain the highest amounts of lycopene, but they also are thought to contain the greatest amount of beta carotene, another vital nutrient.

Tomatoes are healthy when eaten raw, but they are also one of those rare foods whose nutritional value is actually enhanced by the cooking process. The valuable lycopene is contained in the cell wall of the tomato, and therefore cooking it in a bit of healthy oil will help to more fully release this important nutrient. In addition, cooking the tomato in a healthy oil like olive oil will help the body to better absorb the lycopene in the tomato.

While it is important to choose the richest, reddest tomatoes to enjoy their many health benefits, it is not necessary to always buy your tomatoes fresh. While fresh tomatoes are often better tasting, tomatoes are one of those fruits that ship very well, and they do not lose any of their vital nutritional value when they are shipped. Tomatoes also retain their nutritional value through the high heat processing they undergo, meaning that tomato sauce, canned tomatoes and stewed tomatoes are all valuable sources of antioxidants and other valuable nutrients.

Tomatoes to a Healthy Diet