Most women I know are pretty in tune with their body and can tell when something isn’t quite right…but I’m noticing a trend of women too busy to take care of themselves and letting some things slide. Ladies, you can’t let things slide. Please take care of yourself and let your healthcare provider know if you start experiencing any of these symptoms.
1)Shortness of breath – feel like it’s becoming a little more challenging to get oxygen in? Walking from your car to work, or up the stairs causes pressure on your chest? Please don’t blow it off as being overweight or out-of-shape. You could be anemic, have thyroid problems, sleep apnea, a heart murmur, or asthma. Yes, I realize you may be overweight but if you have been overweight for awhile and the shortness of breath is new or worsening, talk with your doctor!
2)Worsening Fatigue – okay, yes you may have two little ones at home and work a full-time job while balancing the acts of being a mother, wife, and professional. What if your fatigue is due to something fixable, like anemia? Or thyroid problems? What if your fatigue is a heart problem, sleep problem, or hormone problem? Wouldn’t you want to do something about it so that you feel energetic again? Talk with your provider about getting a full work-up.
3)Heart Palpitations – you know that little flutter you may feel from time-to-time in your chest? It’s like your heart wasn’t entirely paying attention for a second and had to do a few double beats to catch up. The occasional palpitation could be normal; our heart does beat about 100,000 times a day so the minor mishap is bound to occur. However, if you are noticing an increase in flutters, prolonged flutters, flutters that cause you to lose your breath or creates some chest pain – see your healthcare provider. Normal things cause palpitations such as stress or anxious feelings, but it could be a vitamin/mineral deficiency or a heart problem.
4)Chest Pain – seems like a no-brainer but you multi-tasking busy women still manage to push this one under the rug and “hope” it goes away. True, it could be due to stress and anxiety, but what if it’s not? Do heart problems or diabetes run in your family? Get yourself to your doctor.
5)Dizziness – you stand up and the world turns without you - problem or low blood pressure? Low salt? Adrenals? Heart? Thyroid? Post-infection ear problem? Dizziness is a problem I’m hearing more about from women and it’s worthwhile to get it checked out especially if you find that it’s worsening, causing you to black out longer than a few seconds, or occurs randomly.
Women, listen to your bodies and take care of yourself! Please put yourself first every once in awhile and get these symptoms checked out.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Friday, September 4, 2009
Top 5 Reasons for CoQ10
This hot little nutrient is so important for all women and yet many only associate it with cholesterol drugs. Why do we need it on a regular basis? Let me count the ways…
1) It’s critically important in our electron transport chain. This is the energy making process of our body. Our body goes through a whole process to make ATP which is for energy and requires CoQ10. See the more detailed explanation below.
2) It can improve the strength and function of your heart because of the ATP it produces thereby reducing your chances of heart failure.
3) Some studies are showing an improvement in blood pressure. This is important to note if you are already on a blood pressure medication. Track your numbers as your health care practitioner may need to adjust your drug dose.
4) Other research links CoQ10 with improvement in migraine sufferers.
5) It is an antioxidant and therefore is important to your immune system and keeping you healthy from free-radical damage.
The electron transport chain (to bring you back to biochemistry) occurs in your mitochondria which are known as your ‘energy powerhouses.’ Sound familiar? There are four complexes that electrons must go through. In order to get from complex one to complex three or from complex two to complex three, the electron must get cozy with CoQ10 which then shuttles it right on to where it needs to be. Without CoQ10, a common side effect is fatigue and muscle pain.
If you are on a statin drug, you should really consider supplementing yourself with good quality CoQ10. The purpose of a statin is to be a HMG-CoA inhibitor which lowers cholesterol. The problem is that it also lowers CoQ10 which may end up causing cardiovascular problems.
Most CoQ10 supplements range from 100-300mg and should be taken with dietary fat if it is not already in an oil based capsule. Side effects are few however some experience some GI upset if taken on an empty stomach or diarrhea. CoQ10 does have some blood sugar lowering abilities, therefore if you are on a glucose lowering drug, consult your healthcare practitioner and monitor your numbers.
1) It’s critically important in our electron transport chain. This is the energy making process of our body. Our body goes through a whole process to make ATP which is for energy and requires CoQ10. See the more detailed explanation below.
2) It can improve the strength and function of your heart because of the ATP it produces thereby reducing your chances of heart failure.
3) Some studies are showing an improvement in blood pressure. This is important to note if you are already on a blood pressure medication. Track your numbers as your health care practitioner may need to adjust your drug dose.
4) Other research links CoQ10 with improvement in migraine sufferers.
5) It is an antioxidant and therefore is important to your immune system and keeping you healthy from free-radical damage.
The electron transport chain (to bring you back to biochemistry) occurs in your mitochondria which are known as your ‘energy powerhouses.’ Sound familiar? There are four complexes that electrons must go through. In order to get from complex one to complex three or from complex two to complex three, the electron must get cozy with CoQ10 which then shuttles it right on to where it needs to be. Without CoQ10, a common side effect is fatigue and muscle pain.
If you are on a statin drug, you should really consider supplementing yourself with good quality CoQ10. The purpose of a statin is to be a HMG-CoA inhibitor which lowers cholesterol. The problem is that it also lowers CoQ10 which may end up causing cardiovascular problems.
Most CoQ10 supplements range from 100-300mg and should be taken with dietary fat if it is not already in an oil based capsule. Side effects are few however some experience some GI upset if taken on an empty stomach or diarrhea. CoQ10 does have some blood sugar lowering abilities, therefore if you are on a glucose lowering drug, consult your healthcare practitioner and monitor your numbers.
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