Dear Health Conscious Reader,

The first time I met Ed he told me his story…It could be very important for you…

He was a roofer. He was leaving a job site, climbed into his truck and turned the ignition. But as he was pulling out of the parking lot, his vision suddenly went blurry. “It’s like I just forgot how to drive. Then it got to where I couldn’t feel the right side of my body.” He clenched the steering wheel, but couldn’t move.

His crew panicked as they saw his truck roll off the road and into a ditch. The next thing Ed remembered he was waking up in the hospital and seeing his wife’s grief-stricken face. He wanted to talk to her…“I could think of what I wanted to say but I just couldn’t get the words to come out.”

After his stroke, Ed told me he saw every specialist but no one could explain why it had happened. He didn’t drink or smoke and had none of the traditional risk factors. He was strong and muscular from a lifetime of working as a roofer, and was only 48 years old. His doctors insisted on the cholesterol lowering drug, Lipitor even though Ed’s cholesterol was only 150.

And this is the point of Ed’s story that I wanted you to know. Prescription drugs won’t save you from a stroke. But you can slash your risk to almost zero with just a few inexpensive supplements available at your grocery store. Ed didn’t come to see me until another stroke hit. The second one left him bedridden and out of a job.

His doctors put him through a battery of tests at some of the best hospitals in the country. But after 6 months, Ed had no answers. The specialists at John’s Hopkins concluded he would never work again. They told him he could never climb a ladder. Worse still, they told him that he had an 80% chance of having a third stroke, which they said would likely kill him.

Feeling desperate from the weight of his death sentence and the loss of his livelihood, Ed went outside his HMO and came to me.

I measured his risk of stroke with a simple blood test. When his lab results came back, the answer was immediately obvious: He had high levels of an acid that builds up when your antioxidant systems start to fail – the biggest single risk factor for stroke. It was the highest I had ever seen.

I gave Ed a combination of safe and inexpensive supplements to counteract the acid. Ten years later, Ed is healthy and still working. And he never had that third stroke.

Many heart attack victims don’t see it coming either. The same acid that gave Ed two strokes gave Dave a heart attack at the age of 54. When he came to me for help, I found high levels, which I expected. But I also discovered low levels of a critical heart nutrient that most doctors completely overlook.

After 6 months of taking this nutrient twice a day he had no trace of heart disease and his blood pressure dropped to a normal 120 over 80. And he’s not the only one.

I’ve helped thousands of my patients overcome their fear of heart attack and stroke. By eliminating their risk, they sleep better at night. And if you have a family history, the anxiety can be intense – especially as you get older.

Prevent Heart Attack: Dodge the Heart Attack Causing Hormone

• There’s another very effective predictor of heart disease. When inflammation, injury or infection appears, your liver releases a marker. By measuring it, I can tell how likely you are to develop heart disease.

The New England Journal of Medicine found that men with high levels of this marker were twice as likely to suffer a stroke and 3 times as likely to have a heart attack.1 They also discovered this marker shows up in the blood 6 to 8 years before the event happens. That means it gives you an advance warning. You can take action to prevent them long before they strike.

• Your body produces a particular hormone to help you regulate blood sugar. When levels get too high, you start to gain weight and your body makes dangerous changes that appear in your blood. Triglycerides (blood fat) start to rise and your HDL (good cholesterol) starts to fall. Both your blood pressure and your risk of heart disease go through the roof.

Patients at my clinic are always surprised to discover the extra fat around their belly has put them in the danger zone. And most have no idea that a hormone is the real cause. But a few simple changes in diet fix the problem. There’s no sacrifice involved either. In fact many of my recommendations for heart health include steak, eggs and a glass of wine.

• It may surprise you to learn that cholesterol is a very poor indicator of heart disease. In spite of the drug ads you see on TV and in magazines telling you to push your cholesterol lower and lower, traditional cholesterol scores tell you very little about your real risk.

Many people with high cholesterol never develop heart problems and at least half of the people who have heart attacks have “normal” levels of cholesterol (below 200). But there’s an effective new test that gives you the real story about your cholesterol.

Traditional cholesterol tests pick up only 45% of cholesterol problems. The new one identifies about 90% of them. What’s more, the new test can determine whether your cholesterol is actually dangerous or if it is present in your bloodstream but harmless in terms of triggering a heart attack.

Prevent Heart Attack: Get the Exercise Your Heart Really Needs

Even more surprising than finding out cholesterol doesn’t cause heart disease is discovering that traditional exercise ramps up your risk of heart attack.

Aerobics, jogging and marathons have led you in the wrong direction. This type of long-duration activity puts stress on your heart that actually makes it shrink. When faced with long bouts of exertion, your body will “downsize” your heart and lungs to economize its use of energy. This keeps your heart going at high output for long periods.

But your body wasn’t designed for long-duration activity. Your ancient ancestors never ran for hours on end. Their activity was more like short bursts of intense exertion followed by rest – the kind used during hunting or escaping from dangerous animals.

When you stress your heart for long periods and force it to shrink, you lose vital reserve capacity. This is the extra pumping power your heart reserves for when it really needs it. If someone is chasing you and you need to get away fast, your heart will draw on that reserve capacity to pump more blood quickly and get more oxygen to your muscles. This gives you the power to get out of trouble.

The same applies for traumatic experiences that are emotional. If you find out that a loved one has suddenly died, the shock of hearing the bad news creates a demand for more oxygen, just like when you’re trying to escape danger.

Losing your reserve capacity means having a heart attack when a stressful situation arises. Every year, well-conditioned long-distance runners suffer sudden cardiac death. And distance runners have much higher rates of sudden cardiac death than all other athletes.

But you can prevent heart attacks and build up your heart’s reserve capacity by training your body in a whole new way. I developed a program over 15 years ago that bulletproofs your heart in less than 10 minutes.

I use it with my patients and get results in a matter of weeks. It strengthens their heart, normalizes their blood pressure and melts pounds of unwanted fat. In several cases I’ve had patients drop over 70 pounds of body fat in 12 weeks. It’s easy to learn and requires no special equipment or gym memberships.

Prevent Heart Attack: My Patients Beat these Killers Everyday… Why Not You?

Ed and Dave are just two out of thousands that have kicked heart attack and stroke to the curb. Just ask my secretary… The medical records of my past success stories take up two rooms at a warehouse down the street from my clinic.

Here are just a few from my files:

• In 1994, Emily from Houston, Texas came to see me after 5 strokes left her wheelchair bound and barely able to speak. Her doctors told her to “get her affairs in order,” and prepare for the end. But after 3 months of taking the supplements I told you about, she was talking like her old self.

Today she’s walking on her own and hasn’t had another stroke. That’s almost 14 years and counting… (Stroke victims never have “permanent” damage. If it doesn’t kill you, healing starts almost immediately.)

• In 2001, Mike walked into my clinic with advanced heart disease. He was on half a dozen prescription medications and over a hundred pounds over weight. Aside from being obese, his blood pressure was off the charts.

The same “heart nutrient” that helped Dave brought Mike back from an early grave. Combined with a 10-minute routine of heart-healthy exercise, Mike lost that excess weight in about 15 months. He says he “feels like his old self.” And his cardiologist confirms he’s heart disease free.

• Just a few years ago, Larry told me he was scared senseless. Both his father and grandfather died of heart attacks shortly after retirement. At 66, Larry was afraid his time was drawing near.

His fears were justified. After his blood tests came back I knew he was at risk. But with a few simple supplements and changes in diet, those risk factors disappeared in a matter of 12 weeks. Today, Larry is a lot more relaxed. He enjoys golf and time with his family without the anxiety of thinking he could go at any moment.

Prevent Heart Attack: Cross Heart Attack and Stroke Off Your List of Things to Worry About…

You can beat these killers and put the worry out of your mind for good. Even if you have a family history, I can help you. These methods are safe, proven and effective. Ed prevented his third stroke with just a few simple supplements available at your local grocery store. In The Doctor’s Heart Cure, I show you exactly which ones and how much to take.

These strategies work regardless of your current condition or medical history. I’ll give you all the details behind the techniques I mentioned in this letter and more.

You’ll find out how to stop heart attacks and strokes in a way that’s easy to understand and simple to follow. You’ll learn how to determine your own risk and put together a program that fits your own needs.

Now that you know it’s possible, I’ll show you how to get started right away. And I personally guarantee it will work for you. If it doesn’t, just let me know. You’ll get back every penny. Even your shipping and handling will be refunded.

To help you put the threat of heart attack and stroke behind you, I want you to have 3 more powerful resources. And they won’t cost you a single cent. Eva – my services director – put them into a special Doctor’s Heart Cure Package that’s full of FREE bonuses.

Attention Women: Emergency Room Doctors May Not Recognize Your Heart Attack Symptoms Until It’s Too Late…

You may think heart disease is just a man’s problem. But every year, more women die from heart disease than men. It’s the biggest killer of women in American history. And it’s deadlier in women too. Over 40% of women die within a year of their first heart attack versus only 24% for men.

Even most doctors underestimate this risk women face. To help you understand why and exactly what to do, I’m giving you a copy of The Doctor’s Heart Cure for Women.

You’ll discover:

• The 3 unique risk factors women have, but don’t know about.
• Why traditional “cardio” accelerates a loss of aging unique to women.
• The big blunder treating women with heart disease and how to avoid them.
• Why women are more likely to be deficient in important fats and nutrients because of flawed diet advice.
• Why emergency rooms fail to diagnose a heart attack in women. (Women experience completely different heart attack symptoms.)
• And more…

I Use 10 Powerful Supplements that Reverse Disease in My Patients – Today, I’ll Tell You what They Are and How to Use Them…

Supplements are one of the keys to preventing heart attack and stroke. There are 10 powerhouse herbs, minerals and nutrients I recommend most often to my patients. They’re easy to find and won’t cost you a fortune.

In my Top 10 Life-Saving Supplements, you’ll find out what they are, how to take them and where to get them. I’ll give you simple, easy-to-follow advice showing you exactly why these super-charged ingredients target and protect the most vulnerable areas of your body and mind.

Here’s a sample of what you’ll find:

• Just 55 micrograms of this mineral protects you from the 4 deadliest forms of cancer.
• This “miracle” nutrient has the power to reverse heart disease and prevent heart attacks.
• This potent herb can boost a man’s testosterone level by 30% in just 5 days. (It was used by Eastern European athletes to enhance their performance during the Olympics – decades before it was “discovered” by the West.)

Prevent Heart Attack: Throw Away Your Jogging Shoes and Beat Heart Disease in Just Minutes a Day

As another added bonus, you’ll get my Real Heart Strength audio download. You’ll hear me in my own words tell you step-by-step, how to avoid the dangers of traditional exercise and how you can prevent and reverse heart disease in just minutes a day.

In this revealing audio program you’ll learn:

• What you must do to prevent a heart attack
• How to super-charge your heart and lungs
• How you can strengthen your immune system as you age
• How to get the heart of a well-trained athlete in just 10 minutes a day

Order NOW!

Let Me Put an End to Your Worry… For Good!

Don’t leave yourself vulnerable to the lightning fast and deadly strike of a heart attack or stroke. The Doctor’s Heart Cure lowers your risk to zero. By taking action now, you’ll put your mind at ease by eliminating the two most common killers of our time.

When you order The Doctor’s Heart Cure Package, you’ll get a hard copy of The Doctor’s Heart Cure sent right to your door. Your other FREE reports, The Doctor’s Heart Cure for Women, my Top 10 Life-Saving Supplements and my Real Heart Strength audio download will be e-mailed to you immediately.

You get everything for just $24.00. If you need a refund, not a problem. All your FREE bonuses are yours to keep with my compliments. That way, we take all the risk.

Getting started is easy. Just click the link below.

To Your Good Health,

Al Sears, MD

Order NOW!

1. Ridker PM et al. Inflammation, aspirin and the risk of cardiovascular disease in apparently healthy men. New England Journal of Medicine. 1997 April 3; 336(14):973-9.

An FDA advisory panel wants to get healthy people hooked on statin (cholesterol-lowering) drugs – with all their ugly side effects.

Yes, the FDA has reacted to a drug company-sponsored study showing that people with high C-reactive protein (CRP) levels had fewer heart attacks and strokes when taking statins.

But they brushed aside the 13 deaths and 18 “confused states” among the participants. And they ignored the increase in adult-onset diabetes as well.₁

They also closed their eyes to the dangerous side effects of these drugs:₂

• Muscle pain and weakness
• Peripheral neuropathy
• Heart failure
• Dizziness
• Cognitive impairment
• Cancer
• Pancreatitis
• Depression

Despite these dangers, the FDA panel overwhelmingly recommended that patients with no history of heart disease, just elevated levels of CRP, take the statin drug rosuvastatin (Crestor).

Of course, I’ve been talking about the importance of CRP as an indicator of heart attacks and strokes for years now. But now that mainstream medicine can attach a drug to it, suddenly it is BIG news.

And, with the FDA pushing statins as a preventative – even for people with low cholesterol – the number of Americans consuming them will jump by millions. Thus enriching drug companies’ bottom line.

That’s bad news… my readers know that statins have been shown to increase the risk of heart disease by robbing you of the heart critical nutrient CoQ10.

Your CRP level is important. CRP measures inflammation in your body. And as I point out in my Doctor’s Heart Cure book, inflammation is the real cause of heart disease.

Inflammation comes from stress or damage to your blood vessels when they don’t get the nutrients they need. They can get cracked and weak, and the body responds by sending plaque to repair the damage. Continuous lack of nutrients can cause this plaque to build up – leading to heart attack or stroke.

You don’t need dangerous statin drugs to protect you from high CRP levels. If you want to lower the CRP levels in your blood – lower the inflammation in your body.

One of the best ways to lower CRP is to exercise. Studies clearly show that people who went from couch slouching to exercising lowered their CRP as much as 30%.₃

To get the most benefit in the least amount of time, exercise efficiently. If you’re familiar with my P.A.C.E. program, you know that traditional cardio exercises aren’t the most effective.

To lower your CRP level in the shortest amount of time, try this simple P.A.C.E.-style workout. (Of course, check with your doctor first if you haven’t been exercising for a while.):

1. Instead of a slow, steady pace on a bicycle or treadmill, try going 80% of your maximum for 2 minutes.
2. Rest for 1 minute.
3. Go at 90% for another two minutes.
4. Rest for 1 minute.
5. Go at 100% for 1 minute.
6. Recover.

That’s it! This exertion/rest cycle is much more effective than traditional cardio. And it will melt fat and build your heart and lung strength (and lower your inflammation) much faster.

To Your Good Health,

Al Sears, MD

1. Peck, P – FDA Panel Back Statin for Primary Prevention. Medpage Today. December 15, 2009 http://www.medpagetoday.com/Cardiology/Atherosclerosis/17569
2. Fallon S and Enig MG, PhD – Dangers of Statin Drugs: What you haven’t Been Told About Popular Cholesterol-Lowering Medicines. June 14,2004. The Weston A. Price Foudation. http://www.westonaprice.org/Dangers-of-Statin-Drugs-What-You-Havent-Been-Told-About-Popular-Cholesterol-Lowering-Medicines.html
3. Church T, Barlow CE, Earnest CP, et.al. Association between cardiorespiratory fitness and C-reactive protein in men. Arteriosclerosis and Thrombosis: Journal of Vascular Biology, 2002 Nov 1;22(11):1869-1879.

Most of the heart patients I see for the first time already know high blood pressure can mean disaster for their heart health.

But here’s what they don’t know.

Having high blood pressure can also wreak havoc on your brain, kidneys, and eyes.

Here’s the scary part…

High blood pressure can quietly damage these vital organs for years before you see any symptoms. If left unchecked, this silent killer can leave you with a disability. Or worse, it can lead to a heart attack or stroke.

That’s because your heart, brain, eyes, and kidneys all depend on blood flow. It supplies them with life-giving nutrients and oxygen.

Healthy arteries are strong and flexible. They’re smooth on the inside. This lets blood flow freely. With high blood pressure, however, it’s a different story.

The increased pressure can damage the lining of your arteries’ walls. This can lead to atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), heart disease, and stroke. The constant pressure can also cause a section of the arterial wall to enlarge, causing an aneurysm in the aorta or brain.

It’s the same story with the kidneys and eyes.

High blood pressure is the most common cause of kidney failure. And in the eyes, this arterial damage can cause serious vision problems due to fluid buildup or nerve damage.

Unfortunately, mainstream medicine’s solution to this is side-effect laden drugs like beta blockers, ACE inhibitors, calcium-channel blockers, and diuretics.

Some of the unpleasant effects of taking these medications include:

• Constant fatigue
• Weakness
• Shortness of breath
• Depression
• Impotence
• Chronic dry, hacking cough
• Swollen ankles
• Kidney damage

One of my patients, R.G., put it this way: “If this is what it feels like to survive a heart attack, I’d rather be dead!” His previous doctor had him on a laundry list of drugs, including blood pressure drugs, to “protect” his heart. The side effects were crippling him.

Fortunately, you don’t need medications to protect your heart or even reduce your blood pressure.

You can do it naturally, with inexpensive foods and supplements.

For starters, you should get your blood pressure measured.

Most grocery stores and pharmacies have a station where you can get it checked for free. Otherwise see your doctor.

Once you know your scores, take a look at the chart below and see where you fall between the normal and high blood pressure (hypertension) range:

Next, you can use any one of these four natural alternatives to reduce or even prevent high blood pressure:

Garlic – This tasty herb contains sulfides that help relax your arteries. This lets blood flow more freely. In fact, a study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that garlic can relax blood vessel tension by an amazing 72 percent.₁ For maximum benefit, eat one to two cloves of fresh garlic per day. If you’d rather use a supplement, choose one that gives you at least 3,600 mcg of allicin – garlic’s active compound.

Hawthorn – This herb has been used for centuries as a heart tonic. Just like garlic, it works to relax the blood vessels. It does this by inhibiting enzymes called angiotensin-converting enzymes. (They are what cause your blood vessels to constrict.) Prescription drugs like ACE inhibitors work the same way – with far more dangerous side effects. In one clinical trial, hawthorn effectively reduced diastolic blood pressure.₂ I recommend you take 1,000 mg of hawthorn extract daily.

CoQ10 – About 50 percent of patients that come to me on high blood pressure meds have stopped taking them just by supplementing with CoQ10. A study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition confirms what I’ve seen in my own practice. Researchers gave CoQ10 to diabetic patients. Not only did their blood sugar improve, so did their blood pressure.₃ This powerful and amazing antioxidant works by supplying your heart with the critical energy it needs to pump blood throughout your body. Without CoQ10, your heart would literally stop beating. I suggest you take 50 to 100 mg of the potent form of CoQ10 known as ubiquinol.

Quercetin – This powerful antioxidant is off most doctors’ radar screens. It’s a “bioflavanoid” that’s found in foods like apples, onions, red grapes, and leafy greens. In one study, researchers gave 22 people with high blood pressure quercetin for four weeks. At the end of the study, they showed significant improvement.₄ The easiest way to get more quercetin is to eat more fruits and leafy green veggies. Otherwise, you can get a supplement at your local health-food store. I recommend 300 to 750 mg per day.

My friends at Barton Publishing have put together a special report that covers these and many other natural high blood pressure remedies most people – even most doctors – have never even heard of.

It’s called “The High Blood Pressure Remedy Report: How to Cure Your High Blood Pressure Naturally Without Drugs.”

I’ve never seen a more comprehensive report on how to naturally:

• Prevent and reduce high blood pressure
• Protect your heart, kidneys, eyes, and brain
• Wean yourself off costly and harmful drugs like beta blockers
• Reduce your risk of heart attack or stroke

If you’re at all concerned about your heart health and overall health, I highly recommend you check it out.

Find out more about it here.

To Your Good Health,

Al Sears, MD

1. Benavides G, et al. “ the Cover: Hydrogen sulfide mediates the vasoactivity of garlic,“ PNAS 2007 104: 17977-17982.
2. Walker A., et al., Promising hypotensive effect of hawthorn extract: a randomized double-blind pilot study of mild, essential hypertension. Phytother Res 2002 Feb; 16(1): 48-54.
3. Hodgson et al, “Coenzyme Q10 improves blood pressure and glycaemic control in a controlled trial in subjects with type 2 diabetes,” European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2002, 56(11):1137-42.
4. Edwards et al, “Quercetin reduces blood pressure in hypertensive subjects,” Journal of Nutrition, 2007, 137(11):2405-11.

Recently in the news there was an important report regarding the cholesterol-lowering drug ezetimibe – being marketed as Zetia.

A trial comparing the drug to niacin was halted mid-stream.

Why? Most likely because the result was not what they expected. It doesn’t improve HDL. It also increases the thickness of artery walls.₁

This is not what you need, especially if you have narrow arteries to begin with.

Zetia may decrease cholesterol from being absorbed in the intestine. But, like statins, it can have serious side effects, including:

• Mental confusion and disorientation
• Depression
• Amnesia
• Stomach and intestinal upsets such as gas and bloating
• Muscular issues
• Liver damage
• Kidney failure
• Impotence

Statins also rob the body of CoQ10 – an important co-enzyme that protects the heart and gives your cells energy. Statins can lower CoQ10 by as much as 40 percent.₂

And this, in turn, can weaken your heart.₃

The trial offers huge support for what I’ve said all along…

Lowering LDL through the use of a drug like Zetia creates a host of problems. It may not address the issue at all. In fact, it may make it worse.

The good news is, you can get tremendous heart-health support the natural way. Niacin is a vitamin that supports heart health by:

• Lowering LDL cholesterol by 15 to 25%
• Lowering triglycerides by 20 to 50%
• Raising HDL cholesterol by 15 to 30%
• Relaxing blood vessels so you have better circulation₄

All this from a simple vitamin!

Niacin is found in many foods. Here is a list of foods containing niacin:

You may also need to take a daily supplement. I suggest using extended-release or sustained-release niacin. This avoids the hot flushes that may occur with immediate-release niacin. But even these usually go away with regular use. You can also try taking it with a small handful of nuts to slow down the absorption.

I recommend taking 500 mg a day as a starting point for heart health. It’s best to discuss your situation with your doctor. Ask about niacin as an alternative to statins.

To Your Good Health,

Al Sears, MD

1. Ghirlanda G, Oradei A, Manto A, et al. Evidence of plasma CoQ10-lowering effect of HMG-COA reductase inhibitors…. Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. 1993 Mar; 33(3):226-229.
2. Biochemica et Biophysica Acta; Ernster, L; 1271:195-204 (1995)
3. Taylor AJ, Villnes TC, Stanek EJ, eg al. (26 November 2009). “Extended-Release Niacin or Ezetimibe and Carotid Intima Media Thickness.” N Engl J Med 361 (22): 2113.
4. Tavintharan S., Kashyap, M. “The benefits of niacin in atherosclerosis” Current Atherosclerosis Reports; 2001; l3: 74-82.

With a simple test I can tell you if you’re likely to have a heart attack or stroke.

I can also give you a remedy to help make sure you never do – no matter how high your risk is…

The test checks for levels of homocysteine. It’s your number one indicator of heart disease.

The big drug makers play down the importance of this critical factor. They haven’t figured out a way to make any money from it, so they try to convince you that it doesn’t matter.

Turns out knowing your homocysteine level is even more useful than we thought. Homocysteine can foretell a host of other diseases as well.

And here’s the good news: It’s easy to keep your level low.

Homocysteine is a naturally occurring amino acid. But too much of it irritates the lining of your blood vessels and prevents them from dilating. This increases your risk of heart attack and stroke.

One study found that levels of homocysteine were dramatically higher in men who died from heart attacks. They discovered that men with high levels were four times more likely to suffer a fatal heart attack than those with lower levels.₁

In Norway, doctors studied men with heart disease for six years. Again, they found that those with high levels of homocysteine suffered the highest number of heart attacks. The higher their levels, the lower their chances of surviving.₂

But their most startling discovery is that homocysteine levels are your strongest predictor of death. More so than any other measured factor, including cholesterol.

High levels of homocysteine can also alert you to other problems and potential diseases including:

As you can see, many of these conditions don’t have a direct link to heart disease or stroke. Yet my own experience backs up the evidence.

The connection between high homocysteine and an underactive thyroid is also critical. Many times doctors fail to recognize thyroid problems. The result can leave patients with fatigue, migraines, and depression.

The irony is that you can easily manage your homocysteine. A simple blood test will tell you if you have high homocysteine levels. I like to keep my patients’ levels at 7 or below.

I have not had a single case of elevated homocysteine that couldn’t be corrected with the right combination of natural supplements. Here’s what I use with my patients. (Amounts are daily.) You can find these at your local health-food store:

• Vitamin B12 – 500 mcg
• Folic acid (B9) – 800 mcg
• Vitamin B6 – 25 mg
• Riboflavin (B2) – 25 mg
• TMG (Trimethylglycine) – 500 mg

To Your Good Health,

Al Sears, MD

1. Wald NJ, et al. Homocysteine and ischemic heart disease: results of a prospective study with implications regarding prevention. Arch Intern Med. 1998; 158:862-7.
2. Nygard O, et al. Plasma homocysteine levels and mortality in patients with coronary artery disease. New Engl J Med, 1997, 337:230-6.

When I was in India I met “yogis” or meditation masters who had remarkable powers of concentration.

Simply by focusing on their breath they could change their heart rate, raise their body temperature, and even walk on burning-hot coals.

In your daily life you probably don’t have the need or opportunity to walk on hot coals, but the power to quiet your mind gives you more control over your health than any pill or prescription.

Many of these yogis practice meditation. It’s easy enough to do on your own. There are even clinical studies that back it up.

Studies show meditation:

• Lowers blood pressure
• Improves sleep
• Reduces stress and anxiety
• Improves immunity
• Helps with pain management
• Increases productivity
• Improves concentration
• Heightens learning ability and creativity

A study published by the American Heart Association (AHA) found meditation to be as effective as medications for lowering blood pressure. The study involved 111 men and women between the ages of 55 and 85 with hypertension. About a third practiced meditation for 15 to 20 minutes twice daily. A second group practiced muscle relaxation. The third group cut back on salt and calories and practiced aerobic exercise.₁

The meditation group showed the greatest improvement. Their systolic pressure – the top number – dropped an average of 10 points. And their diastolic pressure – the bottom number – fell an average of 5.6 points.₂ The National Institute of Health (NIH) was so impressed with the results they granted $1.4 million for a follow-up study.₃

Meditation is safe and easy. The technique is exceedingly simple. The most natural object of meditation is your breath. For beginners, I recommend mastering your focus on your breath before you try any other object of meditation.

• Find a quiet, comfortable place to sit.
• Rest your hands in your lap and close your eyes.
• For the first few minutes, focus on the natural rhythm of your breath.
• At first, don’t try to change it. Just follow your breath.
• The next step is to gently make your breath, quieter, slower, deeper and more regular.
• If your attention drifts to other things redirect it to your breath.

Try to meditate at least 10 minutes once a day. Twice a day is better.

During my trip to India I had wonderful teachers, but when I got home I felt like I was on my own. After asking around, my friends at Learning Strategies offered me a couple of great programs that make meditation a snap.

Seeds of Enlightenment takes you step-by-step through 8 simple meditations. You don’t need any experience and all you have to do is listen and follow along. One of my favorite parts is the meditation on the Laws of Attraction. It sharpens your awareness and helps you get what you want out of life. The experience is self-empowering.

You can apply this to anything: breaking free from what they call the “money and emotions game,” enhancing your quality of life and your daily experiences, even for personal and business coaching options… the possibilities are limitless.

Learn more about what’s really possible when your mind is clear and focused. This is something you should explore.

To Your Good Health,

Al Sears, MD

1. Goad, M. “A powerful case for TM” Portland Press Herald: November 27, 1995.
2. Khalsa, D. S. Brain Longevity, Warner Books, 1997: 309.
3. “The Effects of the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi program on the aging process,” International Journal of Neuroscience 16 (1): 53¬58, 1982.

It might surprise you to learn that nearly 85 percent of coronary bypass surgeries are done unnecessarily. But at nearly $60,000 per surgery it’s certainly easy to see why. Since almost 70 percent of the U.S. population has some sort of heart disease—related treatments, surgeries, and drugs line the pockets of mainstream medicine and big pharma. It ultimately puts your health at risk and this infuriates me.

That’s why I wrote my book the Doctor’s Heart Cure and why I’m always on the look out for credible and actionable alternative heart information as well as allies in the fight. And my friend Dr. Michael Cutler is on the front lines. As a medical doctor in private practice, he’s seen the devastation of heart disease first hand.

Here’s a tip I bet you’ve never heard of… you can lower your triglyceride levels with white bean extract! This simple vegetable blocks sugars from being absorbed and digested. One study showed that it lowered triglycerides by an average of 26 mg/dL.

Plus, white bean extract has an added benefit. Those who took it lost on average four pounds. Dr. Cutler suggests you take 1,500 mg of white bean extract twice a day.

He recommends other breakthrough treatments you can use to strengthen your heart, including:

• How a certain tree resin from India prevents the build-up of plaque in your arteries.
• The “sugar cane cure” that helps lower high cholesterol and high blood pressure.
• The ginger spice that blocks cholesterol absorption in your intestines.
• And, how a tasty “lemonade cleanse” can lower your blood pressure.

Dr. Cutler’s medical briefing A Doctor’s Treasury of Hushed Up Natural Heart Cures and Deadly Deceptions of Popular Heart Treatments blows the lid off mainstream medicine’s popular assembly line heart treatments. In his urgent report, you’ll find little known ways you can avoid a heart attack, unclog your arteries (before you experience a heart or brain related disaster), reverse heart disease, and even restore a failing heart without surgery, doctors, or drugs.

Plus, get the tools you need to see if your heart’s at risk, such as:

• The heart attack predictor—this test accurately predicts whether or not you’ll have a heart attack in the next five years. It measures the presence of a seemingly harmless mineral that sticks to the walls of your arteries. Score above 400 and I suggest you see your doctor immediately!
• The simple and safe blood test that helps you diagnose heart failure.
• Plus, why allergies can increase your risk of having hardening of the arteries and what exactly what you can do about it.

In Dr. Cutler’s special medical briefing, he’ll explain in detail the six deadly heart deceptions you must know about if you want to keep your heart pumping for years to come. Don’t listen to conventional medicine… there are alternatives to dangerous surgery and harmful medications. To find out more, I recommend you read Dr. Cutler’s free special report.

To Your Good Health,

Al Sears, MD

My old college roommate, R.G. looked a mess when he came to me. A month after his heart attack he was in my clinic desperate for help.

“If this is what it feels like to survive a heart attack I’d rather be dead!”

His doctor had him on a laundry list of drugs, including statins (cholesterol-lowering drugs), beta-blockers to “protect” his heart and nitrates to keep his blood vessels open.

Doctors often prescribe nitrates at the first sign of chest pain. But this common medication for chest pain actually increases your risk of having a fatal heart attack.

Luckily, there are natural and safe alternatives to nitrates. I’ll tell you about these alternatives, and I’ll tell you what you can take to protect your heart from these drugs.

Millions of Americans take nitrates, such as nitroglycerin. You can take them as tablets you swallow, sublinguals you place under your tongue or as patches you apply to your skin. Here is a list of the most common nitrates:

People take nitrates to relieve heart symptoms. Angina is chest pain caused by a temporary lack of blood flow to the heart. Nitrates will temporarily open blood vessels to allow blood to flow back into the heart.

However, as they do this they damage the sensitive lining of your heart’s blood vessels called the endothelium. This eventually makes the endothelium stop its normal functioning (endothelial dysfunction). People with endothelial dysfunction suffer from more heart attacks.

A now landmark study from Japan revealed just how damaging nitrates are. People who took nitrates on a regular basis were 2.4 times more likely to have a major cardiac event than those who didn’t take nitrate drugs. And the nitrate accelerated any damage already present in the heart.₁

Nitrates temporarily dilate blood vessels by helping to produce nitric-oxide molecules. Nitric oxide (NO2) naturally opens blood vessels.

Fortunately, nitrates aren’t the only substances that cause the release of NO2. Several naturally occurring nutrients can also release NO2. These supplements have the same effect, without harming the heart.

L-arginine: The most important of these supplements is l-arginine. L-arginine is a precursor for NO2. This means that it has a hand in the production of NO2. L-arginine gently causes blood vessels to dilate and improves endothelial dysfunction.

The International Journal of Cardiology published a study, which analyzed 35 people with endothelial dysfunction. Researchers split people into two groups. One group took l-arginine, while the other took a placebo. Those who took the l-arginine saw an improvement in the health of their endothelium. The placebo group had no significant change.₂

Taurine: Taurine is an amino acid that protects against endothelial dysfunction and endothelial cell death. Taurine also causes vessel dilation. Scientists have seen the benefits of taurine in the lab. As a powerful antioxidant taurine protects the heart lining. Taurine can actually prevent endothelial cells from dying.₃

Folic Acid: Folic acid lowers levels of toxic substances that irritate the heart’s lining. Less irritation means a reduction in cardiac events.

In one well-done study, researchers found “folic acid supplementation significantly improved endothelial dysfunction…”₄

Vitamins C and E: Both Vitamin C and E have antioxidant effects on the lining of you blood vessels. The vitamins protect the lining from damage. They do this by blocking the oxidative stress caused by irritants like nitrates. Take a mixture of tocopherols and tocotrienols (the two kinds of vitamin E) for the best protection.

If you are on nitrates, you may be able to switch to a more gentle natural nutritional approach to relief symptoms without damaging the delicate living system lining the blood vessels of your heart.

You should also check your C-reactive protein and homocysteine levels. As their levels rise, your chance of having a heart attack does too. Controlling these inflammatory factors can have the opposite effect of the nitrate drugs and keep you heart blood vessels supple and responsive.

To Your Good Health,

Al Sears, MD

1. Circulation Supplement II Circulation 2002 Nov; 106(19): Preliminary Abstract 1494
2. Lekakis J. et al., Oral l-arginine improves endothelial dysfunction in patients with essential hypertension. Int J Cardiol 2002 Dec; 86(2-3): 317-323
3. Wang J. et al., The beneficial effect of taurine on the prevention of human endothelial cell death. Shock 1996 Nov; 6(5): 331-338
4. Title L. et al., Effect of folic acid and antioxidant vitamins on endothelial dysfunction in patients with coronary artery disease. Am Coll Cardiology 2000 Sep; 36(3): 758-65

This weekend it happened again.

In 16 minutes 3 people lost their lives at the Detroit marathon.

Thirty-six-year-old Daniel Langdon collapsed at about 9:02 am on Sunday between the 11 and 12-mile markers and 65-year-old Rick Brown collapsed at 9:17 am, near where Langdon went down. One minute later, 26-year-old Jon Fenlon collapsed just after finishing the 13.1-mile half-marathon.1

When I was watching the news this morning I heard the announcer say sudden death “was rare” during marathon events. I suppose that depends on how you define “rare.”

In 2006, at least 6 runners lost their lives in marathons in the US. In March, two police officers, one 53, the other 60, died of heart attacks at the Los Angeles Marathon. Three runners in their early 40s all had fatal heart attacks during marathons in Chicago, San Francisco and the Twin Cities. And on October 29th, at the Marine Corps Marathon, a 56-year old man collapsed at the 17th mile marker, never to recover.2

In 2007, two high-profile marathon related deaths occurred here in the United States, one in Chicago and one during the Olympic trials in New York. A third runner died during the London marathon.3

In 2008 a young woman – Erin Lahr – collapsed and died three miles from the finish line during the Dallas White Rock Marathon.4 And during the New York City Marathon two men died during the race and a third one died a week later. There was also a fatality at the Little Rock Marathon the same year.

I’ve seen this up close. Twenty years ago, I provided emergency care for marathon races.

At one event I was surprised to see a thin young man collapse to the ground just yards from our emergency aid station. His heart continued to violently race, as we put an oxygen mask over his blue lips. Another runner in his 20’s made it to our station but had to kneel down to wait for emergency assistance. He was weak, dizzy and frightened, with a dangerously irregular heartbeat.

In spite of what all the so-called fitness gurus tell you on TV there is plenty of evidence that marathon running accelerates heart disease and on occasion can trigger sudden cardiac arrest.

Results from Boston area hospitals reveal the risks and damaging effects experienced by dozens of marathon runners they’ve studied over the last ten years.

Dr. Arthur Siegel, the director of internal medicine at McLean Hospital in Massachusetts and an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard University has authored more than two dozen studies on runners of the Boston marathon.

In October of 2001, Dr. Siegel published two studies in the American Journal of Cardiology.6 Between 1996 and 2001, he drew three blood samples from 80 middle-aged male runners. They drew the first sample just before the marathon. They drew the second sample immediately following, and then a third sample a day after the marathon.

The results: Twenty-four hours after the race, the men – none of whom had any history of heart disease – exhibited early-stage signs of cardiac damage similar to the symptoms that appear during a heart attack.

This happens because adding repeated “cardio” to our busy days and pushing for greater endurance produces the opposite result of what we need in the modern world.

Routinely forcing your body to perform the same continuous cardiovascular challenge, by repeating the same movement, at the same rate, thousands of times over, without variation, without rest, is unnatural.

Our ancient ancestors never ran for long distances without rest. Maybe it happened rarely but never routinely. It doesn’t happen in the animal kingdom either.

Long-distance running shrinks your lungs and downsizes your heart’s output. Nature designed your body to adapt to whatever environment it encounters. If you ask it to run long distances repeatedly and routinely, it will adapt to meet the challenge more effectively. When you run long distances like in a marathon you’re actually training your heart to get weaker.

Why does this happen?

Your body downsizes your heart and lungs to enable a long-distance run. A smaller output will take you long distances more efficiently in the same way an economy car with a small engine gets you better gas mileage.

But that’s not what your heart was designed for… it’s built more like a Ferrari: powerful bursts over short distances with plenty of reserve power when you need it.

My PACE program is designed with that in mind. Your heart needs reserve power in times of stress and trauma. Small blood and oxygen output, which is what you get as a marathoner, spells heart attack.

If you’re new to the idea, your first PACE workout will be a single period of exertion followed by recovery.

You will start at a speed and level of intensity that feels comfortable to you. Then you will gradually increase your level of intensity until you are panting and breathing heavily. When you reach this level of exertion you will stop and recover. That’s it.

This is the foundation of PACE. You start off easy, you gradually increase the intensity, you reach a level of maximum exertion, and you stop and rest.

To get started, you can walk, run, swim or choose an “instrument.” An instrument is simply an exercise device like a treadmill, a rowing machine, an elliptical, a bicycle, etc.

Do one set and see how you feel. When you’re ready do another set. The key is making progressive changes. Little by little you increase the challenge. Each time you practice you do something a little different.

The advantage of PACE is that it’s easy to get started, no matter how out of shape you are when you get started.

The second edition of my PACE book will be out in the coming weeks. Even if you read the first one you’ll be surprised. There’s a ton of new material and the approach has been streamlined. PACE is now easier to do and easier to understand.

Stay tuned.

To Your Good Health,

Al Sears, MD

1. Associated Press. Autopsies Planned in Marathon Deaths. AOL News. Oct 19, 2009
2. Reynolds G. “Is Marathoning Too Much of a Good Thing?” The New York Times, Dec 7, 2006
3. McGrath, T. “Are You Running Yourself to Death?” MSNBC, Nov. 1, 2008
4. McGraw, D. “Runner Collapses, Dies at White Rock Marathon” The Dallas Morning News, Dec. 15, 2008
5. Willdorf N. “Run for Your Life?” The Boston Phoenix, Apr 11 – 18, 2002
6. Siegel A., et al. “Effect of Marathon Running on Inflammatory and Hemostatic Markers.” Amer Jour Card. Volume 88, Number 8, 15 October 2001

Whoever said, “Ignorance is bliss” never saw anyone die of a heart attack.

So I want to share with you a piece of wisdom that most people and doctors don’t know: The key to a healthy heart is to promote normal levels of inflammation and oxidation, not cholesterol.

Low cholesterol doesn’t necessarily mean healthy veins and cardiovascular system.

Research done at the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine at Yale University found that those with low cholesterol didn’t have any better heart health than those with high cholesterol.₁

One of the most well-known and publicized heart studies is the Framingham study. The findings are nearly identical to the Yale study. Half the people had no better heart health than those with higher cholesterol.₂

Cholesterol on its own is harmless. It’s the oxidation of cholesterol that can impact overall cardiovascular health. When cholesterol mixes with oxygen, it causes free radical damage.

You can support the health of your blood vessels from oxidation and promote normal levels of inflammation naturally.

First, measure your homocysteine. I do this for all my patients. It’s not only a predictor of arterial health, it is also important to keep homocysteine down to keep your arteries healthy.

Homocysteine is a simple amino acid. It gets cycled with other amino acids to facilitate the exchange of atoms between your cells. But when this cycle breaks down, homocysteine has nowhere to go and gets backed up, just like a drain that gets clogged.

Keeping homocysteine levels down helps promote normal levels of inflammation, which helps promote the health of your blood vessels.

There are a number of studies supporting this connection:

Research from the Physician’s Health Study, which tracked 15,000 male physicians, found that those with low levels of it had overall better heart health than those with higher levels.₃

A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine confirms these findings. They discovered that keeping lower levels of homocysteine is associated with better overall health. More so than any other measured factor – including cholesterol.₄

I’ve seen at least 20 more studies like this, indicating a strong link between levels of homocysteine and heart health.

Lower your homocysteine – The irony is that you can easily manage your homocysteine. A simple blood test will tell you if you have high homocysteine levels. I like to keep my patients’ levels at 7 or below to maintain arterial health.

I have not had a single case of elevated homocysteine that couldn’t be corrected with the right combination of natural supplements. Here’s what I use with my patients (amounts are daily):

• Vitamin B12 – 500 mcg
• Folic acid – 800 mcg
• Vitamin B6 – 25 mg
• Riboflavin (B2) – 25 mg
• TMG (Trimethylglycine) – 500 mg

You can find these at your local health food store. If you don’t want to take them all separately, you can use the same formula I give my patients.

Reduce oxidation – The other key is to protect your blood vessels with powerful antioxidants. The most heart healthy warrior is omega-3s. I also recommend resveratrol.

Resveratrol inhibits the oxidation of LDL cholesterol, promotes healthy, flexible arteries, and keeps your heartbeat steady. I recommend getting 200 mg of resveratrol daily. You can find resveratrol at your local health food store.

The formula I give my patients has the added bonus of 500 mg of superoxide dismutase (SOD), one of the most powerful antioxidants on earth.

Get Omega-3s – Researchers found that the cell membranes of heart cells store omega-3 from fish oil. This storage promotes health heart rhythms, promotes healthy triglyceride levels, and raises HDL, your good cholesterol.

I tell my patients to get 1 gram of fish oil daily. Good sources of fish oil are cod liver oil or fish-oil capsules. You can find both at your local health food store. But pay attention to the source of your fish oil. I give my patients a fish-oil capsule from the pristine Pacific waters off Peru.

To Your Good Health,

Al Sears, MD

1. Krumholz HM, Seeman TE, Merrill SS, et al. Journal of the American Medical Association. 1994 Nov; 272(17): 1335-1340.
2. Gordon T, Castelli WP, Hjortland MC et al.. American Journal of Medicine. 1997 May; 62(5): 707-714.
3. Stamper M et al.. Journal of the American Medical Association. 1992 Aug 19; 268(7): 877-881
4. Nygard O, et al.. New Engl J Med, 1997, 337:230-6.

Three years ago, no one believed me… they said it was impossible.

Now the buzz is about to spread over the entire country.

You were the first to get the high-powered version of CoQ10, which I call Accel. Soon, the rest of the country will find out how to turn on and keep the power of youth.

The media blitz starts October 5th and will include TV commercials on 12 cable channels around the country: ABC Family, BBC America, Biography, Discovery Health, E!, GAC, Lifetime, Lifetime Movie, Oxygen, Soapnet, Style and WE.

The nationwide ad campaign expands two weeks later to include time during Oprah and Good Morning America. This is exciting news.

I’m thrilled Accel is finally getting the recognition it deserves. And I’m honored to have been one of the first doctors in the country to offer you such a powerful and remarkable breakthrough.

Dr. Sears with Dr. Mae in 2006

When I first met with Dr. Mae – the Japanese researcher and inventor – I knew his pioneering work on CoQ10 would change the face of medicine forever. The day he came to my clinic is one I’ll remember for the rest of my life.

Back then no one realized this form of CoQ10, which is 8 times more powerful than the original, would be able to keep your heart and brain young and vibrant for decades longer than anyone thought possible.

Being 8 times more powerful doesn’t just mean that it’s 8 times better. The truth is more remarkable. Accel gives you the opportunity to make gains on a scale that defies comparison.

The old CoQ10 works wonders, but the problem I had was keeping my patients’ blood levels high enough. They often required high doses, and that sometimes meant taking 4 to 6 capsules a day of at least 200 mg. That’s expensive and inconvenient.

Accel lets me give a single 50 mg capsule to the patients who used to need half a dozen. And that’s just the beginning. The fact that Accel stays in your blood stream so much longer means you can literally turn back your aging clock with a much smaller dose.

The new TV commercials will feature Ms. Peggy Fleming, 1968 Olympic Gold Medal Ice Skater, discussing the benefits of the new high-powered CoQ10.

Peggy Fleming is a strong advocate of CoQ10 and started using it after researching ways to strengthen her heart. Peggy’s father died of a heart attack when he was just 41-years old, and Peggy’s sister died of a heart attack nine years ago.

Knowing her family history Peggy wanted only the strongest, most powerful heart nutrient on the planet. She was so impressed she became their spokesperson.

But there’s more to the story.

I’ve made Accel even better.

Having worked with Dr. Mae from the very beginning, I’m privy to some of the new ideas and new formulas that aren’t available to the rest of the country.

For the first time, Accel is packed with a little-known form of vitamin E called tocotrienols. This kind of vitamin E is specifically geared toward boosting heart health. It’s the perfect partner for Accel.

You won’t find this form of Vitamin E in any multi-vitamin. And it’s backed up by some rock-solid evidence. Tocotrienols help maintain healthy:

• Blood pressure (systolic or top number) ₁
• Arteries _2,3
• Cholesterol ₄
• Blood sugar ₅
• Triglycerides or blood fat ₆

Accel with tocotrienols is a major step forward.

Combining Dr. Mae’s high-powered CoQ10 with the heart-healthy form of vitamin E is a nutrient powerhouse. The two work synergistically together, giving you the highest level of energy and protection.

The new Accel with tocotrienols is on the cutting edge.

You won’t find anything like it anywhere… I guarantee it.

We just received a new shipment, so I recommend you get yours today. (The new Accel is usually gone in days.)

To Your Good Health,

Al Sears, MD

1. Rasool A.h.g, et al. Plasma tocotrienol levels and its effect on arterial compliance in healthy humans supplemented with tocotrienol rich vitamin E. J Nutr Sci Vitaminol. 2006;52:473-478.
2. Qureshi AA, et al. Novel tocotrienols of rice bran inhibit atherosclerotic lesions in C57BL/6 ApoE-deficient mice. J Nutr. 2001;131:2606-18.
3. Black TM, et al. Palm tocotrienols protect ApoE +/- mice from diet-induced atheroma formation. J Nutr. 2000;130(10):2420-6.
4. Baliarsingh S, et al. The therapeutic impacts of tocotrienols in type 2 diabetic patients with hyperlipidemia. Atherosclerosis. 2005;182:367-74.
5. Wan Nazaimoon WM, et al. Tocotrienols-rich diet improves glycemic control in diabetic rats. Malays J Pathol. 2002;24:77-82.
6. Chen CW, Cheng HH. Tocotrienols of rice bran oil diet increases LDL-receptor and HMG-CoA reductase mRNA expressions and insulin sensitivity. J Nutr. 2006;136(6):1472-6.

Is your doctor telling you to take an aspirin for your heart?

If so, you may be putting your life at risk.

Aspirin is fine for the occasional headache, or to take while you are having a heart attack, but NOT as a daily preventive medication.

Yet each day nearly 50 million Americans take an aspirin, hoping to prevent a heart attack.

I’ve never been a fan of using daily doses of drugs to prevent disease. Especially when there are safe, natural alternatives. And this new information about aspirin confirms my beliefs.

A new Scottish study reveals that aspirin has no effect on preventing strokes, coronary and vascular events. Even worse, daily aspirin use increases internal bleeding.

In other words, taking aspirin daily won’t save you from a heart attack.

But “daily aspirin therapy” is the medical marketing idea that just won’t die, no matter how many people do. Here are just a few of its clinically-proven dangers:

• Gastrointestinal bleeding
• Stroke
• Major abdominal bleeding
• Ulcers
• Cataracts
• Pancreatic cancer
• Kidney failure

Fortunately, there are natural alternatives to aspirin that really work. Some have been around since the B.C. era. So consider the wisdom of our ancestors before taking your next aspirin.

White willow bark is the original aspirin. It comes from a tree native to Europe and Asia. The medicinal use of willow bark dates back to the ancient Egyptians who took advantage of its anti-inflammatory power.

Even the so-called “father of medicine,” the ancient Greek doctor Hippocrates, had his patients chew on white willow bark to reduce fever and inflammation.

Here’s why it works. White willow bark contains salicin, the same curative compound found in aspirin. But there’s a big difference.

White willow bark won’t upset your stomach. It won’t cause bleeding in your GI tract. Your body first has to extract the salicin from the plant’s natural fibers, slowing its release into your system. White willow bark stays in your system longer and provides lasting relief.

And here’s a convenient way to enjoy the healing benefits of white willow bark. You can reduce inflammation by drinking white willow tea. You’ll find it in health and nutrition stores. Try a cup after breakfast and at bedtime.

Plus, there are plenty of ways to lower your risk of heart attack without taking aspirin. Here’s what I recommend to avoid aspirin and do something healthy for your heart:

• Get proper exercise. My PACE program is a great example. It protects your heart, pumps up your lung volume and burns fat in just minutes a day.
• Supplement with Accel each day. CoQ10 has well-documented benefits for the heart. Accel, which is 8 times more bioavailable than regular CoQ10, is a heart-healthy powerhouse. My new formula includes the power of tocotrienols (the right Vitamin E), so it stays in your system longer for better heart health. It’s the only supplement I take each day.

To Your Good Health,

Al Sears, MD

1. Murphy, Sabina A. “Aspirin for Asymptomatic Atherosclerosis,” (AAA — Presented at ESC 2009). Aug. 30, 2009, http://www.cardiosource.com/clinicaltrials/trial.asp?trialID=1853

If you buy Lipitor, you may see a new warning label.

Here’s a proven fact: Cholesterol-lowering drugs – also known as statins – slash your levels of CoQ10. In fact, studies found that statin drugs lower CoQ10 levels by as much as 40 percent.₁

Now, officials in Canada are finally blowing the whistle.

The Canadian government is now requiring all statin drugs to put a warning label on their box. And for good reason… The loss of CoQ10 can impact your heart health.

I couldn’t say it better than well-known CoQ10 researcher Dr. Peter Langsjoen:

“The depletion of the essential nutrient CoQ10 by the increasingly popular cholesterol-lowering drugs (statins) has grown from a level of concern to one of alarm…”

I added the underline for emphasis.

While Canada has come to their senses … it seems that the U.S. is hell-bent on pushing statins on everyone.

Not long ago, the JUPITER study (funded by AstraZeneca, the makers of Crestor) was presented at an AMA conference.

The claim: Statin drugs save lives when given to people who show no signs of high cholesterol. There was even talk of putting statins in the water supply, so everyone could get their share – as if we’re all born with a Crestor deficiency.

I don’t know about you, but I certainly don’t want to be fed statins… or any other drug… without consent.

For my part, I’m going to continue doing what I’ve been doing for many years – warning anyone who will listen to avoid statin drugs.

If you do take them, a CoQ10 supplement is vital to your heart, your strength and your vitality. It’s one of the most important nutrients in the world today, because it fuels your cells with energy.

Don’t put your health at risk. If you’re taking cholesterol drugs, you need Accel. Accel has the most absorbable form of CoQ10 available. It’s 8 times stronger than regular CoQ10, so it helps restore the energy you lose by taking cholesterol drugs that much faster.

And now, Accel has the added benefit of tocotrienols.

They are the rarest and most active forms of vitamin E. They provide an additional layer of heart support by:

• Boosting heart arterial health to support healthy circulation
• Bringing your cholesterol and soluble-fat blood levels into balance
• Promoting normal response to inflammation
• Fighting oxidative stress throughout the body

Together, CoQ10 and tocotrienols give you unmatched cardiovascular support.

Getting started is easy… begin restoring life-giving energy to your cells to keep you strong, vibrant and youthful today.

To Your Good Health,

Al Sears, MD

1. Ghirlanda G, Oradei A, Manto A, et al. Evidence of plasma CoQ10-lowering effect of HMG-COA reductase inhibitors…. Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. 1993 Mar; 33(3):226-229.

And that’s critically important if you want to live a long and healthy life.

When you’re young, your blood vessels are thick and flexible. They provide blood flow to your heart – keeping it pumping strong. And they deliver oxygen-rich blood to every single organ in your body.

But by the time you’ve hit your 40s, chances are slim that your arteries have the elasticity they had in their youth.

It’s important to keep your arteries firm and flexible – so your heart and lungs can deliver oxygen-rich blood to your extremities, heart and brain.

You can take the single most important step toward keeping your blood vessels strong, elastic and performing their job for years to come.

It’s not cholesterol. It’s not triglycerides or calcium deposits.

This Substance is Floating in Your Bloodstream

For the past 20 years, I’ve noticed something interesting. Many of my heart patients have something in common: High blood levels of a simple, typically harmless amino acid: homocysteine.

I say “typically harmless,” because when levels are normal, it’s not a problem. However, when you have too much of it in your body it can affect the health of your arteries.

But there’s good news.

I’ve had success treating my patients with key nutrients that quickly reduce excess homocysteine. Many patients show an increase in their arterial health within a matter of weeks.

And here’s the great news: Even if you already have high levels of it racing through your blood, it can be easily addressed – as long as you get these nutrients in the right ratio.

It’s a surefire way to support your blood vessels, and today I’m going to share it with you. First, let me tell you about …

A Strong Link to Cardiovascular Health

It’s important to keep homocysteine at bay to keep your arteries strong, healthy and flexible, and to support your cardiovascular

health. In fact, there are a number of studies showing just that:

• In a study published in the journal of Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology, researchers found that for every 10% increase in the blood level of homocysteine, there was an almost equal rise in the risk of developing serious arterial problems!₁
• Research from the Physician’s Health Study, which tracked 15,000 male physicians, found that those with low levels of it had overall better heart health than those with higher levels.₂
• A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine confirms these findings. They discovered that high levels of this simple amino acid are the strongest predictor of death. More so than any other measured factor – including cholesterol.₃

I’ve seen at least 20 more studies like this, indicating a strong link between high levels of this amino acid and overall cardiovascular health.

Bottom line: Maintaining low levels of homocysteine is critical to support the health of your heart and arteries.

Busting the Cholesterol Myth

It always surprises me to see how many doctors let this potentially harmful amino acid – homocysteine – slip by unnoticed.

That’s because mainstream medicine is still hell-bent on lowering cholesterol.

But you know what?

Low cholesterol doesn’t mean healthy veins and cardiovascular system. Just take a look at some of the research that debunks this myth …

• Research done at the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine at Yale University found that nearly twice as many people with low cholesterol developed seriously poor cardiovascular health compared to those with high cholesterol.₄
• One of the most well-known and publicized heart studies is the Framingham study. The findings are nearly identical to the Yale study. Half of the subjects developed extremely poor heart health despite having low cholesterol. ₅

The truth is there’s a sea of research that proves homocysteine is an important predictor of cardiovascular health.

For instance, in Norway, doctors studied a group of men for six years. They found that those with lower levels of homocysteine had better cardiovascular health.₆

Another study found that men with low levels of it were less likely to have serious heart problems.₇

When taken together, all this research suggests one thing: Homocysteine is a better predictor of cardiovascular health than cholesterol.

Every doctor learns about this amino acid over the course their medical training. So it’s a mystery why most don’t give it a second thought, since the benefits of lowering it have been documented repeatedly in clinical studies.

Good news is, all you need are three, all-natural, everyday nutrients to sweep out any excess of this amino acid from your bloodstream.

Guard Your Blood Vessels with 3 Simple Nutrients

You should get your blood levels checked. You could have high homocysteine levels and not know it.

There are no symptoms. Fortunately, a simple blood test can give you an accurate reading. I always tell my patients to keep their homocysteine level at 7 or below to maintain arterial health.

If your levels are high, don’t panic. There’s an easy way to lower your homocysteine levels: B vitamins. B vitamins are the “missing” link your body needs to get rid of this potentially harmful amino acid.

Researchers at the National Institute on Aging (NIA) found that those who took B vitamins saw their homocysteine levels drop. But those who didn’t take them saw their levels actually increase.₈ This confirms what I’ve seen in my heart patients in the last 20 years.

Vitamin B-6. B-6 is one of the most overlooked supplements. Over 60 different bodily enzymes rely on B-6 to do their job properly.

You can get B-6 from the following foods:

I recommend getting at least 50 mg of B-6 daily for your heart health.

Vitamin B-12. A study from Oxford in England found that as much as 500 micrograms of B-12 lowers homocysteine.₉

Lean meats — particularly grass-fed beef — and organ meats are a great source of B-12. Here’s a list of other good sources:

Vitamin B-9. You probably know vitamin B-9 better as folate or folic acid. Folate is the nutrient found in food, while folic acid is the supplement form. It’s a key B vitamin for heart health.

Folic acid lowers levels of toxic substances that irritate the heart’s lining. Less endothelial irritations equates to a reduction in cardiac events.

One study found that “folic acid supplementation significantly improved endothelial dysfunction…” ₁₀

The best natural sources of folate are vegetables. Vegetables with the highest folate content are dark, leafy greens like spinach, kale and romaine lettuce. But, your body only absorbs half of the folate you consume. So taking folic acid as a supplement is a good idea. I recommend getting 800 mcg a day.

And there’s one other supplement I recommend to lower your homocysteine levels. It’s called trimethylglycine (TMG).

When researchers at the University of New South Wales studied people with genetically elevated homocysteine, they discovered that adding TMG to a regimen of B vitamins kept homocysteine levels at 25% of the pre-TMG levels. ₁₁

I recommend getting 1,000 mg of trimethylglycine each day.

1. Verhoef P, et. al. Plasma total homocysteine, B vitamins, and risk of coronary atherosclerosis. Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology 17:989-995, 1997.
2. Stamper M et al. A prospective study of plasma homocysteine and the risk of myocardial infarction in US physicians. Journal of the American Medical Association. 1992 Aug 19; 268(7): 877-881
3. Nygard O, et al. Plasma homocysteine levels and mortality in patients with coronary artery disease. New Engl J Med, 1997, 337:230-6.
4. Krumholz HM, Seeman TE, Merrill SS, et al. Lack of association between cholesterol and coronary heart disease mortality and morbidity and all-cause mortality in persons older than 70 years. Journal of the American Medical Association. 1994 Nov; 272(17): 1335-1340.
5. Gordon T, Castelli WP, Hjortland MC et al. High density lipoprotein as a positive factor against coronary heart disease. The Framingham Study. American Journal of Medicine. 1997 May; 62(5): 707-714.
6. Nygard, O., Nordrehaug, J.E., Refsum, H., et al. Plasma homocysteine levels and mortality in patients with coronary artery disease. New Engl J Med, 1997, 337: 230-6.
7. Wald NJ, Watt HC, Law MR, Weir DG, McPartlin J, Scott JM. Homocysteine and ischemic heart disease: results of a prospective study with implications regarding prevention. Arch Intern Med. 1998; 158:862-7.
8. Howard N. Hodis, MD et al. “High-Dose B Vitamin Supplementation and Progression of Subclinical Atherosclerosis,” Stroke. 2009;40:730-736
9. Clark R, et al. Vitamin supplements and cardiovascular risk. Semin Thromb Hemost. 2000;26(3):341-8.
10. Title L. et al., Effect of folic acid and antioxidant vitamins on endothelial dysfunction in patients with coronary artery disease. Am Coll Cardiology 2000 Sep; 36(3): 758-65
11. http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag97/july97_cover3.htm

You may be surprised to learn there’s more to a heart attack than chest pain. Especially in women. In fact, many women never realize they’re having a heart attack – until it’s too late.

Over the past several decades, modern medicine has improved its ability to rescue heart attack victims. But you must receive this life saving technology fast. The most common reason for death or serious heart damage is that patients simply don’t recognize their symptoms in time.

The cells of your heart muscle require a constant supply of blood. If they don’t get, they die. We had a saying in medical school, “Dead meat, don’t beat.” The number of cells that die during a heart attack determines if you live or die.

If you survive, the extent of this damage determines your future capacity or incapacity. Early detection and treatment makes the difference.

Here’s a list of the common heart attack symptoms you’ve probably heard of:

• Chest discomfort
• Pain that radiates to the shoulders, neck, back or arms, especially the left arm
• Dizziness
• Sweating or breaking out in a cold sweat
• Nausea
• Shortness of breath
• Pain that radiates to the jaw

Most people know to look out for those classic symptoms. What they don’t know is that many heart attack victims don’t experience any of the classic symptoms.

Many believed they strained a muscle. Some have no pain at all.

The signs considered typical of a heart attack—sharp chest pains, pains running down the left arm, and shortness of breath—are true in men. These are the “classic” symptoms we mentioned above.

But they’re not common in women. A woman having a heart attack is more likely to experience:

• Aches in the shoulders and both arms.
• Abdominal discomfort that mimics indigestion.
• Unusual fatigue.
• Dizziness or lightheadedness.
• A general feeling that something’s wrong.
• And often, no pain at all.

So what can you do? If you have one or more of the symptoms mentioned, get to an emergency room immediately! Don’t put it off. Calling 911 is usually better than driving to the hospital. The EMS team can begin treatment immediately.

While you are waiting for EMS to arrive, chew and swallow a regular 325 mg aspirin. There’s strong evidence that during a heart attack, a single aspirin could save your life.

To Your Good Health,

Al Sears, MD