Erectile Dysfunction Medications May Have Significant Cardiovascular Benefits

 

You heard that right – recent research showed that two popular erectile dysfunction (E.D.) drugs confer cardiovascular benefits to men with concurrent heart disease and E.D.  The two drugs – sildenafil and tadalafil (Viagra and Cialis respectively) are both PDE5 inhibitors which widen blood vessels. 

In men with heart disease - both Viagra and Cialis significantly reduced the likelihood of progression to heart failure, myocardial infarction (MI), and death after 5 years as compared with men taking neither drug. Cialis had a more pronounced effect on all three clinical events than did Viagra.

Lead researcher Albert Ha, MD, of the Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York City pointed out that -  "Contrary to what most people believe, PDE5 inhibitors also have been shown to alter endothelial function and improve myocardial perfusion," he said. "We know there is data out there suggesting that PDE5 inhibitors lead to cardiac benefits, including improved cardiac function and possibly microvascular improvement."

E.D. is very common among men with cardiovascular disease because both conditions share issues with endothelial function – meaning the arterial surfaces are compromised and not functioning properly.   In fact, ED is often one of the first signs of cardiovascular disease.

PDE5 Side Effects

Like all drugs these drugs can have side effects and require a prescription.   These side effects can include adverse effects on the eyes in rare cases.     However, a review of a large insurance database showed no consistent association between PDE5 inhibitor use and ocular events, reported Federico Belladelli, MD, of Universitá Vita-Salute San Raffaele in Milan.

Another side effect can be blood pressure that is lowered too much which can occur if men are also taking other blood pressure lowering drugs such as nitroglycerin. 

The Many Benefits of Berberine!

 

Berberine is all the rage right now and being compared to Ozempic - find out the facts about berberine!

Berberine is a powerful plant chemical with proven antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, anti-cancer, and immune enhancing properties.    Herbs containing berberine have a long history of effective use and there is considerable science backing these uses.

It is also extremely helpful for treatment of seasonal allergies, traveler’s diarrhea, food poisoning, and as an oral hypoglycemic for Type 2 diabetes.

As Per Dr. Michael Murray Berberine has been show to:

• Produce results in clinical trials in improving Type 2 diabetes on par or better than conventional drugs including metformin.
• Assist with weight loss by activating the AMPK Enzyme.
• Improve blood lipid levels better than statins.
• Lower blood pressure in many subjects as well as any class of anti-hypertensive medication.
• Improve liver function and promote anti-obesity effects.
• Exert significant beneficial effects on digestive health and the microbiome.
• Produce very encouraging experimental data in a wide range of modern health issues including cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and others.
• Reduce Prostate Inflammation and potentially prevent/slow prostate cancer

How does Berberine work?

Berberine activates adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK).  AMPK is sometimes referred to as a "metabolic master switch" because it plays an important role in regulating metabolism.

AMPK causes a cascade of effects within cells involved with maintaining energy homeostasis.  AMPK helps shift energy towards cellular repair and maintenance.   It has many of the same effects as increasing exercise while at the same time restricting caloric intake.   It is often referred to as an exercise and fasting mimic in that through activation of AMPK berberine causes similar effects and benefits to exercise!    When combined with exercise and intermittent fasting these effects are magnified!

Other benefits of berberine include:

• Promoting insulin, leptin, and adiponectin function for a healthy metabolism*
• Supporting healthy blood sugar levels already in the normal range*
• Promoting healthy insulin sensitivity*
• Promoting healthy gut microflora*
• Supporting healthy lipid metabolism*
• Stimulating the release of nitric oxide for healthy blood flow*

Berberine Helps Ease Anxiety and Depression

Another benefit of AMPK is that it protects neurons and increases key neurotransmitters which improves brain function and psychological well-being.  So, it should not be surprising that several studies have shown that berberine is very useful for anxiety and depression.

Berberine and Cancer Prevention

Berberine slows cancer growth and causes cancer cell death through a variety of mechanisms: tumor cell apoptosis and cell cycle arrest, inhibits blood vessel growth to tumors, inhibition of tumor cellular invasion and metastases (spread), etc.

One of the main anti-cancer targets that is inhibited by berberine is NF-kappa B. NF-kappa B is one of the most important proteins in our cells, acting as a key switch in the development and progression of inflammation and cancer.

·       Cancer (and precancerous cells) often have a permanently activated NF-kappa B, which keeps the cells proliferating and prevents them from dying (apoptosis.)

·       Chronic inflammation can also be a result of activated NF-kappa B, and we know that chronic inflammation can lead to cancer growth

·       Additionally, berberine sensitizes cancer cells to the effects of radiation but NOT of normal cells. So berberine may make radiation therapy more effective. 

Berberine also inhibits the tendency of cancer cells to become drug resistant over time by inhibiting the cellular membrane proteins that pump drugs out of the cell. When berberine is taken with numerous chemotherapy drugs, studies have shown that they work synergistically to fight cancer.

Contraindications for Berberine

May cause a prolonged QT (a variable in cardiac electrical conduction) in patients with underlying heart disease

Drug Interactions

While berberine is quite safe and well-tolerated, it may be contraindicated if you’re taking medications.  For example, berberine may hinder absorption of tetracycline and other similar antibiotics, rendering them ineffective. Also, because berberine significantly inhibits CYP3A enzymes — enzymes needed to metabolize most drugs — it can lower the clearance of medications, which in turn can augment their effect. This can lead to overdose, the risks of which will vary depending on the drug in question.

Berberine increases the effects of drugs that lower blood sugar so it is critical that you not mix berberine with these drugs unless under the supervision of a physician.  It is important to note that berberine produces all the benefits of metformin with much lower risks!

Sources of Berberine

Berberine is available as an isolated supplement OR through certain herbs such as goldenseal or Phellodendron.    Nexrutine is a patented Phellodendron Extract with high levels of berberine that is particularly effective at reducing joint pain, improving mood, and reducing prostate inflammation and likely prostate cancer risk.   Phellodendron has a long history of being used to reduce prostate inflammation.

The Benefits of A2 Milk

 

Milk can be a highly nutritional beverage packed with protein, calcium, and B Vitamins.    That being said many people experience digestive discomfort from drinking milk. Food sensitivities and misleading information have led many people today – including children – to shy away from dairy products.

You probably know someone does not drink cow’s milk due to protein sensitivity or concern. While sensitivities to milk protein exist and should be respected, it’s important to be aware of the facts about milk as you could needlessly be missing out on the milk’s many benefits.

A recent meta-analysis of observational studies and controlled trials dispelled the common myth that protein found in milk is bad for humans. Researchers concluded that milk and dairy products are good sources of high-quality protein and that dairy protein is a source of essential amino acids.

Another commonly cited problem with milk is lactose.

Lactose is a sugar in milk that requires the lactase enzyme to break it down. People with lactose intolerance cannot digest lactose properly. The condition is usually harmless, but its symptoms can be uncomfortable.

However, in many cases, the digestive distress some people experience after drinking milk has nothing to do with Lactose.  Instead, there is a protein found in milk that is often the cause for these uncomfortable and often embarrassing symptoms.

The Two Forms of Beta-Casein Protein

The protein in cow’s milk is made up of whey (1 to 2%) and casein (6 to 8%), with the primary protein known as beta-casein.

Beta-casein protein comes in two forms, A1 and A2, that affect your body differently. Most modern-day cow’s milk is a combination of A1 and A2.

Unfortunately, the A1 protein may cause stomach discomfort.

When A1 protein is digested it produces a peptide called beta-casomorphin-7 (BCM-7). BCM-7 has been linked to stomach discomfort with similar symptoms to lactose intolerance.

A2 protein is more comparable to human breast milk, as well as milk from goats, sheep and buffalo. More natural to the human body, A2 is easily absorbed.

Historically, cows milk only contained the A2 form of beta-casein. However, over time, a genetic mutation occurred in cows and resulted in cows with two types of proteins – A1/A2.

Due to the genetic mutation that evolved in the cows, A1/A2 milk is here to stay – with many people unable to enjoy milk’s nutritional properties without frustrating discomfort.

Fortunately, A2 milk is available.  Through selective breeding a New Zealand company farmers learned to breed cows that only produce the A2 form of Beta Casein.   

A2 Milk has the4 same nutrition, and creamy, great taste as regular milk and is available in many stores including Kroger, Walmart, Publix, Safeway, Whole Foods, Sprouts, Ahold, ShopRite, Wegmans, and Target.

There are even 100% grass-fed and organic forms of A2 Milk available – just google them!

Since grass – not grain – is the evolutionary form of food for cows it should be no surprise that grass fed milk has higher levels of key nutrients.   This includes increased levels of Omega 3 Fatty Acids along with conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) which actually helps reduce bodyfat!.

The Benefits of Grounding - AKA - walking barefoot!

 

With summer arriving many of us will have the opportunity of walking on a beach in bare feet.     It’s not just the sea air, water, and sunshine that makes this so fun.   There is a powerful connection formed with the earth when your feet are in direct contact with the ground.

Anyone with small children knows they want to try to ditch their shoes every chance they get – but if you think about this a little you will probably realize that you feel better when you can walk around barefoot.   This is particularly true when you can walk directly on the ground safely such as walking on the beach.  Researchers have begun to unravel why being barefoot directly on the ground can in fact be very good for your health!

Your immune system functions well when your body has an adequate supply of electrons, which are easily and naturally obtained by barefoot contact with the Earth.

Research has shown that electrons from the ground have measurable antioxidant effects that can protect your body from inflammation.  For most of our time on this planet we have been in direct contact with the ground without anything that would block the flow of electrons into our body – natural animal hides do NOT interrupt the flow of electrons!

However in modern time’s pavement, wood, rubber, plastics and many other forms of non-conductive material are between our feet and ground blocking the natural flow of electrons.

The surface of our planet has a negative electrical potential. So when we are in direct contact with it electrons flow to your body through a process called “grounding”.   Grounding cause positive physiological effects that promote optimum health.

Specific researched benefits include improvements in blood viscosity, heart rate variability, inflammation, cortisol dynamics, sleep, autonomic nervous system (ANS) balance, and reduced effects of stress.

When you connect directly to the ground without any non-conducting material between you and the electron field of the planet there is an improvement in the balance of two sides of your autonomic nervous system:  the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems.

How Shoes May be Impacting Your Health

Materials like metals are excellent conductors of electricity (aka electrons!). The human body is also conductive because it contains a large number of charged ions (called electrolytes) dissolved in water.

Other non-conductive materials, such as plastic and rubber, have very few free or mobile electrons. Traditionally shoes were made of leather, which is a good electrical conductor. However almost all modern shoes contain rubber and plastic which block the flow of electrons from the earth to your body.

The Health Benefits of Grounding

Your immune system body has evolved a method of destroying bacteria and viruses by generating reactive oxygen species (ROS) that are delivered by immune cells. These ROS do exactly what they are designed to do, but they can also cause extensive damage to healthy tissues. ROS are usually positively charged molecules that need to be neutralized immediately to prevent damage to the body after destroying bacteria or viruses.   This is one of the key functions of anti-oxidants which are most important in immune cells to protect them from the ROS they generate!

Anti-oxidants essentially provide a supply of negative charges. Food based antioxidants (such as Vitamins C and E) and anti-oxidants your body produces are critical but a regular supply of electrons grounding can supply them as well.

Evolution facilitated the process of grounding by providing conductive systems within your body that deliver electrons from your feet to all parts of your body. This system has been integral to human physiology for thousands of years. Negative electrons are always available, thanks to the Earth, to prevent the inflammatory process from damaging healthy tissues.

All of this was interrupted when we started to wear shoes with rubber and plastic soles, and no longer slept in direct contact with the ground. Several experiments have proven that a person who is grounded is less stressed and more relaxed.

So have some fun, kick your shoes off and get back to nature!

How to get the benefits of Grounding

Grounding is simple in warmer climates – simply spend time barefoot in direct contact with the earth.   Even better do this on a beach walking along the edge of the water because the flow of negatively charged electrons will be highest here because sea water is an ideal conductor of electrons!    Any amount of time will help but the more you can do it the better!  Even better spend some time laying on the beach or ground with your body in direct contact with the ground without any artificial fabrics, rubber or plastic between your skin and the ground.

For those of us who do not live in warm climates staying grounded during colder months is a bit more challenging but doable! There are actually shoes that are specifically designed to facilitate electron flow from the ground into your body like these: https://tinyurl.com/bdhcj53z