Cardiovascular Conditions

Long-Term Effects of Low-Carb Diets Like Keto and Paleo

August 4, 2023 |

Low-carb diets are often touted as the best way to lose weight. Indeed, short-term clinical trials show the effectiveness of switching from a standard western diet to a low-carb diet for weight loss.  However, there is more to this than meets the eye, not the least of which is emerging data regarding the long-term health…

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The Effect of a “Keto-Like” Diet on Heart Disease

July 21, 2023 |

A large portion of the population of the developed world is now overweight or obese.  A survey from January 2020 showed that 69% of Canadians surveyed had tried the keto diet for weight loss.  Another 48% were considering adopting a keto diet to improve their health. (1)  Keto diets, consisting of low amounts of carbohydrates…

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Eating Red Meat Increases the Risk of Heart Disease

March 17, 2023 |

It has been known for many years that atherosclerosis, the process of plaque build-up inside blood vessels, leads to coronary heart disease, stroke and peripheral arterial disease (aka atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease or ASCVD).  Additionally, studies have shown a connection between higher blood levels of a substance known as trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) and increased risk of…

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Alleviating the Agony of Neuropathy

October 7, 2022 |

Neuropathic pain is what you would feel if your nerves were lacking in blood supply.  There are a myriad of nutrients required for every cell in the body to carry out its functions and these important particles are transported by the blood to all body cells.  Oxygen is one of these vital molecules, an essential…

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THE BASICS: What Does Eating Plants Do For Your Blood Vessels?

August 26, 2022 |

“Some people think the plant-based, whole foods diet is extreme.  Half a million people a year will have their chests opened up and a vein taken from their leg and sewn onto their coronary artery.  Some people would call that extreme.” Caldwell Esselstyn MD   A delicate balance…. Plant-based diets have many beneficial effects on…

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My name is Debra Harley (BScPhm) and I welcome you to my retirement project, this website. Over the course of a life many lessons are learned, altering deeply-rooted ideas and creating new passions.