great resource, September 7, 2008

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Mary Sidell “ms” (bangor,ME) – See all my reviews

  

I work in a busy cardiac rehab and highly recommend this book to anyone struggling with their recovery from a heart event. It offers simple explanations of what is normal and when to seek help. Suitable for both professionals and lay people.

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Great book, June 6, 2010

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Dr. Stephen Romanoff – See all my reviews

  

I found this book very interesting and helpful. I recommend it to anyone who has or lives with someone who has heart disease.

SJR

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Thriving with Heart Disease, April 27, 2009

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S. L. Fiegel (San Antonio) – See all my reviews

  

Awesome buy. Answers any question you might have regarding your heart health. I work in an outpatient cardiac rehab dept and we give these books to our patients.

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A SOLUTION FOR HEART DISEASE, DIABETES AND CANCER SUFFERERS, December 12, 2005

Dr. Louis J. Ignarro, a Nobel Laureate in Medicine, has compiled the history of a discovery that continues to be proven to “Prevent-Even Reverse-Heart Disease and Strokes” and specifically describes “A Proven Program for Boosting Production of the Body’s Own Wonder Drug” in “NO MORE HEART DISEASE”, St. Martin’s Press 2005, 248 pages.

Dr. Ignarro’s preliminary research explained that there was a naturally occurring substance that C-Laureate Dr. Robert Furchgott called “endothelium-derived relaxing factor” (EDRF). Dr “I” identified Nitric Oxide (NO) between 1978 and by 1986 proved that “nitric oxide’s role in the body was definitely a signal molecule, which performed crucial cardiovascular functions.” Arterial plaque he illustrated, “if you think of the living healthy wall cells as being slick like Teflon, while an unhealthy cell is sticky like Velcro, causing plaque to attach” then you’ve got his idea. His program titled, “Say Yes to NO” recognizes that “red meat fish, olive oil, nuts and pomegranate juice enhance the body’s ability to produce NO. Unfortunately he cautions, you would have to eat one hefty steak all three meals a day to maintain a beneficial level of NO. Therefore he recommends a NO boosting blend of amino acid supplements: L-Arginine, L-Citrulline plus Alpha Lipoic Acid, C, E, and Folic Acid and adds, “the acceleration of blood that occurs during exercise can stimulate the production of the enzyme NO synthase, which is important to the body’s production of NO.” That means it works better if you exercise!

Although this 2005 book publicizes NO’s effect it doesn’t include John P. Cooke MD Ph.D, the head of Stanford’s Medical Research team as the first to include L’Arginine in a candy bar to tempt the American public to get NO every day and only mentions co-Laureate Ferid Murad, the Houston pharmacologist who conducted the earliest studies on nitric oxide.

Some will try to get enough L-arginine and L-Citrulline from foods but the short list only includes: almonds, dark chocolate, garbanzo beans, melons, peanuts, red meat, salmon, soy and walnuts. The good news for choco-holics, a prodigious Penn State U study concluded, “that the cocoa/dark chocolate diet interfered with the oxidation of LDL cholesterol.” So, Dr. I suggests consuming in moderation – “divide it in small pieces and eat them throughout the afternoon and evening, one bite at a time.” Therefore, next time you’re asked to go for coffee, choose cocoa (hot chocolate) because the poly phenols Harvard Med School and Brigham Woman’s Hospital showed that the “antioxidants in cocoa support NO synthesis.” Or, drink a glass or two of red wine because it’s rich in polyphenols that “markedly stimulate NO production.” Purple grape or pomegranate juice may even be better than wine, and don’t forget to eat some blueberries because they contain pectin, which is best known for its cholesterol lowering fiber.

To get all the best results, when should you boost your body’s production of NO?

“Once a day before bedtime or twice a day – in the morning and before bedtime,” and when combined with a minimum dose of 200 mg L-Citrulline, “a synergistic effect occurs,” Dr. I prescribes. For those who may be concerned, he assures “no side effects have been reported in the medical literature.”

The most important news Dr. I has for a diabetic is that NO can, “halt the development and progression of diabetic complications . . . reduce the risk of diabetic retinopathy. NO can make a difference in your quality of life.” The same is true for Cancer – NO can inhibit the growth of cancer cells.”

Sensible people with any of these maladies would be well advised to go online to discover that Argenix in an easy to take liquid with both arginine and citrulline. Or wait until a white coat Doctor does a double blind study.

© 2006 Dan Kassell

All Rights Reserved

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Response to Be Careful’s review and concerns, June 15, 2007

This statement is about Be Careful’s review and not the book as a whole. There is no question that increasing Nitric Oxide is beneficial to the body. Besides the heart, it can have a dramatic effect on brain related issues such as headaches and migranes because of what it does to blood vessels. Be Careful’s review focuses on taking the supplement L’arginine to promote the production of Nitric Oxide. In fact, directly taking this amino acid may not be the best way to do this and there is a potential of other effects especially with the dosage level the author recommends. My wife takes a product called Oxegen AKG which eliminates the problems of directly taking L’arginine and is proven to increase Nitric Oxide levels in the body. This product has made a huge difference for my wife who does suffer from headaches and a “foggy brain” feeling that occurs from constricted blood flow. She has been taking the product for several years without any side effects and can feel the difference when she doesn’t take it. On the website for the maker of Oxegen AKG, they explain the problems of taking L’Arginine directly. Hope this helps.

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Not well balanced, November 4, 2007

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Thomas M. Kara “dilettante extraordinaire” (Douglas County, Missouri) – See all my reviews

  

I rated this book 2 stars because, while Dr. Ignarro’s theories are very interesting, he fails to mention in making his “prescription” that there are really no long term studies in humans which definitively show benenfit without risks. Therefore, if you decide to use the supplements he recommends, you should understand that it isn’t entirely clear whether you’re putting yourself at risk. Dr. Ignarro (he’s not a medical doctor) certainly gives a lot of good advice on nutrition, exercise, and lifestyle changes that are not very controversial, and which most people have already heard about. His main “contribution” is his suggestion to take supplemental arginine and citrulline plus a few other common anti-oxidants (vitamin C etc). I found it interesting that Michael Roizen MD endorses this book, but in “YOU: The Owner’s Manual” Dr. Roizen himself is much more cautious about taking arginine and citrulline, suggesting there are “rumors” it may be useful, but the evidence is far from solid. Other than the formula for supplementation, the rest of the book consists of some biographical information about his research leading to the Nobel prize, and recommendations for better cardiovascular health which are already commonly known. As someone who has had a heart attack, I hope Dr. Ignarro is correct, and I may even try his formula, but too much of his book is based on his convictions rather than solid scientific evidence and I think he should have been more forthright about that.

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Excellent for patients & families, February 28, 2009

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V. Crawford “VickyC-RN” (Pittsburgh PA) – See all my reviews

  

This book explains very complicated medical conditions/treatment to patients and their loved ones in a very simple, understandable way. As a nurse, I would recommend this book to anyone wishing to learn about their heart disease and how to manage it. It helps you to be an advocate for your own healthcare. Very well written.

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A Bypass Survivor, February 21, 2009

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Robert D. Randolph – See all my reviews

  

In 1993, I had a triple bypass after suffering acute pulmonary edema. I found Dr. Granato’s book immensly helpful in understanding my circulatory problems and evaluating the various lifestyle options to continue enjoying the benefits of my surgery.

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Must-read for anyone with CHD. Excellent book!, August 16, 2009

After some unstable angina, I received a stent in my coronary artery at a fairly young age. Since then I was always plagued with questions about my medications, my prognosis, dangers, and what actually happened. Doctors and cardiologists will always tend to give you the Cliff Notes version. Websites and books will always repeat the usual ad nauseum prevention advice– eat right, get exercise, keep your cholesterol low.

Living with CHD is a great book that answered my questions, and clarified everything my doctors ever told me. This book goes beyond the usual lay terms and topline information. It explains the biological and chemical processes of CHD, studies, and outlooks. And it does so with easy-to-swallow analogies and explanations. If you’re tired of the usual information on heart health, this book will satisfy your appetite to know more.

It does get academic at points and sometimes can feel like a science lesson, but if you have CHD and want to know what’s going on with your condition and care, this book is a well-written, absolute must-read. I finally know, in more medical terms, what’s wrong with me and what all my meds really do. Kudos to the author and also Johns Hopkins Press.

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