Monthly Archives: September 2009

Nutrtional ignorance is not unique to the U.S.

Posted on September 28, 2009 by Dr. Davis

Heart Scan Blog reader from Australia, Michaela, also a mother of a son with a complex congenital heart defect, wrote this series of e-mails to me. (Published with Michaela’s permission.) I’ve been reading the article, Valve disease and Vitamin D … Continue reading →

Posted in vitamin D | 20 Comments

Eat cranberries

Posted on September 24, 2009 by Dr. Davis

Most people already know that cranberries are useful for preventing urinary tract infections. Cranberries can also be useful for preventing other sorts of infections, such as dental cavities and stomach ulcers because of cranberry’s ability to block bacterial adhesion. Cranberries … Continue reading →

Posted in Cranberries, flavonoids | 17 Comments

Procedures ‘R Us

Posted on September 23, 2009 by Dr. Davis

Kay came to the office for an opinion. Over the past 8 months, she’d received a stent to the left anterior descending coronary artery and, during a separate procedure, a stent to the left subclavian artery. “My cardiologist was very … Continue reading →

Posted in Heart catheterization, Heart disease prevention | 20 Comments

Unexpected effects of a wheat-free diet

Posted on September 17, 2009 by Dr. Davis

Wheat elimination continues to yield explosive and unexpected health benefits. I initially asked patients in the office to eliminate wheat because I wanted to help them reduce blood sugar and pre-diabetic tendencies. A patient would come to the office, for … Continue reading →

Posted in Wheat | 59 Comments

Is Lp(a) part of your legacy to your children?

Posted on September 15, 2009 by Dr. Davis

If you have lipoprotein(a), Lp(a)–the most aggressive known cause of heart disease that no one has heard of–then you need to tell your children. Lp(a) is a “cleanly” inherited genetic pattern: If either parent has it, there’s a 50% chance … Continue reading →

Posted in Lipoprotein(a) | 21 Comments

Do “Heart Healthy” sterols cause heart disease?

Posted on September 9, 2009 by Dr. Davis

The sterol question continues to pop up. Sterols are an ingredient widely added by food manufacturers that allows a “heart healthy” claim, since sterols have been shown to reduce LDL cholesterol (at least transiently). HOWEVER, sterols have also been implicated … Continue reading →

Posted in Sterols | 19 Comments

Why obese people can’t fast

Posted on September 9, 2009 by Dr. Davis

Why do obese people claim it is impossible to fast? Most overweight people are terrified at the prospect of facing any period of time without ready access to food. Persuading them to begin a program of intermittent fasting is a … Continue reading →

Posted in Fasting, Intermittent fasting | 21 Comments

Test your own thyroid

Posted on September 7, 2009 by Dr. Davis

134 people responded to the latest Heart Scan Blog poll: When I ask my doctor to test my thyroid, he/she: Accommodates me without question 45 (33%) Questions why, but orders the tests 49 (36%) Refuses because you seem “healthy” 20 … Continue reading →

Posted in Self-directed health, Thyroid health | 15 Comments

Trains, planes, and heart scans

Posted on September 4, 2009 by Dr. Davis

A Heart Scan Blog reader posted the following question: It is not clear to me why getting a cardiac scan is the necessary first step, if in fact the next step would be to bring down small LDL particles which … Continue reading →

Posted in Heart scans | 10 Comments

D2 and D3 are two different things

Posted on September 3, 2009 by Dr. Davis

Helena posted this instructive comment in response to the Heart Scan Blog post, Weight loss and vitamin D. It illustrates the confusion common among physicians and pharmacists on the differences between D2 and D3. (Edited slightly for clarity.) Not many … Continue reading →

Posted in vitamin D | 15 Comments