Cardiovascular Disease Becomes Number One Killer of Women in U.S.

Cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death of American women, and the leading cause of diabetes-related death. More than 27 percent of deaths among American women are caused by cardiovascular disease, with cancer coming in as a runner up at 22 percent.

To combat this scourge, the American Heart Association recommends eating a heart-healthy diet rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, high-fiber foods, lean meats and poultry and fish at least twice a week in order to lower your risk.

Unfortunately, the amount of fast food, processed food and genetically modified food consumed by Americans makes this a difficult task.

"Processed and fast foods have very little to no fiber, and the amount of omega-3 in a fast food fish sandwich is negligible," said women's health expert Dr. Sherrill Sellman. "One of the newest dietary aids in the fight for healthy hearts is an ancient grain called Salba, which is similar to flax seed. It contains 8 times more omega-3s than Atlantic salmon. Rich in antioxidants, magnesium, fiber, iron, vitamin C, calcium and folate, it seems to be the perfect vegetarian source of what women need in order to stay heart healthy."

Salba has been clinically proven to improve cardiovascular risk factors, according to a study published in Diabetes Care, the official peer-reviewed journal of the American Diabetes Association. Core Naturals (www.salba.com), the manufacturer and distributor of all Salba products, refers to it as the perfect "functional food."

"There are many reasons why I consider Salba a super nutritional star for women's hormonal health," Sellman said. "It has the highest known whole-food source of omega-3 fatty acids found anywhere in nature. It contains a perfect 4:1 ratio of omega-3s to omega-6s. That ideal ratio is required for optimal health and hormones: regulating heart rate, blood pressure, blood clotting, fertility, immune support, and reduction of inflam¬mation. Inflammation is now understood to play a major role in chronic illnesses, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer."

There are other supplements on the market that contribute folate, calcium, fiber and omega-3s, but none are as nutrient-dense as Salba, Sellman adds. Fish oil has been touted as an excellent source of DHA omega-3s. The body uses omega-3s in its DHA form, but Salba, a vegetarian source packs more omega-3s in its ALA form. ALA converts to EPA, then to DHA, which the body can then use.

"To put this into perspective, a 1 tablespoon serving of Salba Seed Oil contains 8,373 mg of ALA, which converts to roughly 1,250 mg of DHA. Fish oil supplements generally contain between 200-500 mg of DHA per serving," adds Sellman.

Based on analysis of the Core Naturals product line, Salba contains:
• 8 times more omega-3s than salmon
• 25% more dietary fiber than flax seed
• 30% more antioxidants than blueberries
• 15 times more magnesium than broccoli
• 6 times more calcium than whole milk
• 3 times more iron than spinach
• 50% more folate content than asparagus

"With cardiovascular disease on the rise and women's health at risk, this ancient super food has been resurrected at just the right time," Sellman said. "Salba is a formative addition to your diet; it has very little to no taste and is more adaptable to recipes than flax, which has to be ground fresh in order to be absorbed. I don't see anything else available to consumers that comes close to these results."

Tony Panaccio is a Staff Writer at News & Experts.