For some background info on this issue review “Agent Orange and Heart Disease”.
New Coverage for Vets
On March 25, 2010, the Department of Veterans Affairs published a proposed regulation to establish ischemic heart disease as linked to Agent Orange exposure.
This meant until regulation becomes final, eligible Vietnam Veterans may receive disability compensation for these disease.
Controversy
A study conducted in the Netherlands found some obese individuals to not be at increased risk for heart disease due to their weight. I’m going to share what they learned because I don’t want you to start seeing headlines saying you can be fat and still be fit and start thinking it’s okay to remain a couch potato.
The Study
Dutch researchers identified a subset of 1,325 obese individuals, between the ages of 28 to 75 years-old, from the 8,356 participants in the Dutch Prevention of Renal and Vascular Endstage Disease study. Out of the 1,325 obese individuals only 90 were determined to be “metabolically healthy”.
Metabolically healthy means the participants did not have risk factors for diabetes and heart disease, such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, dyslipidemia, or the use of cholesterol lowering medication. The Dutch study found only 6.8 percent of obese individuals in a larger population are metabolically healthy.
The Results
What is Agent Orange?
Agent Orange was used in Vietnam between 1961 and 1971. It is a specific blend of herbicides used to remove leaves from trees in the thick jungle canopy which may hide enemy forces.. Many Vietnam veterans were exposed to the Agent Orange herbicides.
How is Agent Orange Linked to Heart Disease
The Agent Orange Act of 1991 was passed by Congress due to uncertainty surrounding the health effects of Agent Orange exposure on Vietnam veterans. This act led the Institute of Medicine to review scientific and medical information connecting Agent Orange exposure to health effects.
Dr. Ryan Bentley, president of The Wellness Prescription, is one of the featured experts for the teleseries intensive Conversations with the Masters of Healing starting next week!
Dr. Ryan Bentley will be sharing:
Register for this call with Dr. Bentley HERE
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Here’s a guest post from Eva Alexander providing answers to some frequently asked questions about the Mediterranean diet.
Most people say the Mediterranean diet is high in fat. Can people still lose or maintain weight on a Mediterranean diet?
The Mediterranean diet is high in fats. But these consist of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. These are healthy fats needed by your body. In contrast, the typical American diet is rich in saturated fats. It should be noted also that fat content in your diet does not determine weight loss. It is your calorie consumption that will generally influence weight loss and optimum weight management. Mediterranean diet provides lots of healthy benefits but it is still essential to lower your calorie consumption to achieve better results.
What’s the major difference of American and Mediterranean diets?
Did you know heart disease kills a woman nearly every minute in the U.S.?
If heart disease is responsible for so many female deaths why is it still being overlooked not only by women themselves, but by their physicians as well? Heart disease is not only the number one killer of men, but it’s also the number one killer of women.
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