Dr. Nina Radford, Director of Clinical Research and a cardiologist at Cooper Clinic, talks with Todd Whitthorne about calcium and heart disease. Dr. Radford, board certified in Internal Medicine and Cardiovascular Disease, gives her opinions about calcium consumption (in both food and supplements) for women who are concerned about both bone health and heart health.

Dr. Robert Heaney, who is a professor in the Department of Medicine at Creighton University in Omaha is interviewed. Dr. Heaney has spent over 50 years in the study of osteoporosis, vitamin D, and calcium physiology; he's authored three books and has published over 400 scientific papers, so when it comes to the world of vitamin D, and calcium in particular, Dr. Heaney is one of the leading gurus, literally, in the world!

Dr. Heaney discusses US Preventive Services Task Force recommendations for postmenopausal women; whether calcium and vitamin D supplement increase risk of kidney stones; calcium supplementation and heart attack risk; and personal recommendations for daily vitamin D and calcium instake.

Todd Whitthorne interviews Jorn Dyerberg, MD, the father of the omega-3 movement. Dr. Dyerberg was studying the Eskimos, who ate a high fat diet, and had very low rates of heart disease, and discovered the protective effects of omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) in marine sources. Dr. Dyerberg talks about advances in the science of omega-3 fatty acids from 1970 to present day, and a bit about the 25,000 studies that have been conducted during this time period. Once studied primarily for cardiovascular health, researchers have also studied the impact of omega-3 fatty acids on inflammatory disorders, brain health, eye health, etc. Dr. Dyerberg discusses the protective effects of omega-3 fatty acids, and how much of the nutrients we need for optimal health.

In this episode, Laura DeFina, MD, from Cooper Institute, is interviewed about research published this month in the Annals of Internal of Medicine. The study, shows that individuals who are fit at midlife have a lower risk of deveoping Alzheimer's disease and other dementias in their Medicare years.

The study followed more than 19,000 generally healthy men and women who completed a preventive medical exam at Cooper Clinic in Dallas when they were, on average, 49 years of age. The exam also included an assessment of other health risk factors such as body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, and cholesterol. Their health status was evaluated using Medicare data between the years 1999 and 2009, an average of 24 years after their Cooper Clinic examination.

Listen to hear Dr. DeFina's thoughts on the study.

Our guest is Dr. Robert Heaney from Creighton University. Dr. Haney has spent over 50 years in the study of osteoporosis, vitamin D, and calcium physiology. He's authorized three books and has published over 400 original papers, chapters and monographs in the scientific and educational fields. In the interview today, Dr. Haney covers the following topics:

• The relationship of vitamin D and calcium and how they work together
• In terms of osteoporosis, and prevention of osteoporosis, is it possible to separate the importance of vitamin D and calcium, or do they go hand-in-hand?
• Calcium deficiency - is it possible? If so, what's the impact?
• Recommended calcium levels for adult men and women
• Calcium rich food sources, and bioavailability of various foods
• Various forms of calcium supplements evaluated
• The relationship between calcium and prostate cancer
• The relationship between calcium and coronary calcification
• The relationship between calcium and kidney stones
• The relationship between calcium and weight loss
• Emerging calcium and Vitamin D research

In this audio interview, Dr. Nina Radford, Director of Clinical Research and a cardiologist at Cooper Clinic, discusses cholesterol in children. Earlier this year, the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and the major pediatric associations put some new guidelines out in terms of screening cholesterol in children. The panel discusses two cholesterol screening recommendations for children.

1) The Universal Screen - consider screening cholesterol in all children, regardless of risk, sometime between 9- and 11 years of age, the age range when atherosclerosis actually starts to begin. The panel believes this is a good time to identify kids who may be from families of high risk; and it's a good time to influence children to adopt healthier habits.

2) Targeted Screen - any time, from ages 2- to 21, cholesterol might be screened if the child has any other risks for heart disease - obesity; diabetes; or high blood pressure. The child should also be screened if either parent had a stroke early in life.

Dr. Radford also talks about the treatment recommendations the NHLBI makes for children who have elevated cholesterol.

In this podcast, Dr. Nina Radford, head of cardiology for Cooper Clinic, discusses the recent systematic review and meta-analysis Association Between Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation and Risk of Major Cardiovascular Disease Events published in the JAMA - The Journal of the American Medical Association September 12, 2012, Vol 308, No 10 issue.

A transcript of this program is also available on the Cooper Aerobics blog.

Dr. Nina Radford, head of cardiology at the Cooper Clinic, talks with Todd Whitthorne about the recent study published in May 2012 in the Lancet that questions whether raising HDL cholesterol is beneficial. A text transcript of the interview is avalable on our blog here.

Todd Whitthorne recently interviewed eye expert, Ophthalmologist Robert Able, Jr., MD. Dr. Abel is the author of The Eye Care Revolution and The DHA Story. In the interview Dr. Abel explains how nutrition and lifestyle impact our eye health. Click here to listen to the interview.

In the world of supplementation, mirtogenol, a combination of pycnogenol and bilberry, is discussed. Pycnogenol is French maritime pine bark, that’s like a powerful vitamin C, and it’s extremely helpful in diabetics and protecting the cross-linking of their blood vessels. In glaucoma patients, pycnogenol helps protect the nerve fibers. Bilberry helps peripheral vision and night vision. Mirtogenol helps lower intraocular pressure.

Dr. Abel also discusses an herbal blend called Ifolia, and how it may positively impact glaucoma by reducing intraocular pressure.

There’s a new Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) device that uses optical imaging to assist in diagnosing physiologic and pathologic conditions of the eye. The scanner is hand-held, so can be used in all patients, and comes with interchangeable lenses that allow various parts of the eye, from cornea to retina, to be examined. Using the device and looking at the eye, there's the potential to detect early stage Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s. The device is also used for MS detection too, as the thickness of the retina is changed in individuals who have MS. Dr. Abel says retinal testing may also pick up depression, because the eye and brain are so intimately connected.

Our eyes need at least five hours of darkness every day (or night) in order to rest and replenish. Sleep is needed mechanically and functionally. Stroke, increased glaucoma risk, cornea warping, and stroke in the eye, the sudden loss of vision that can occur during sleep, are all discussed.

Dr. Abel identifies the primarily culprits that make our vision worse - they include explosure to Ultra-Violet (UV) light; poor dietary choices; poor lifestyle choices; and stress.

Sunglasses aren't just for fashion. Dr. Abel make recommendations on what kind of glasses to select.

Finally, Dr. Abel discusses eye exams, and make recommendations for how often each of us should make an appointment to get our eyes checked.

In addition to his traditional books on eye health, Dr. Abel has written two thrillers, Lethal Hindsight, and Last Sighting. He is also the author of Lumi's Book of Eyes, a book for children about eye health. The book has QR (Quick Response) codes sprinkled throughout it, with each one teaching a different lesson.

In this episode, Gretchen Vannice, MS, RD, author of Omega-3 Handbook, A Ready Reference Guide for Health Professionals, is interviewed by Todd Whitthorne. A registered dietitian, Gretchen explains what types of omega-3 fatty acids are most beneficial, and how to determine the type of omega-3 in different foods. The ways our body stores and uses EPA and DHA are also explained. Gretchen also reviews the intake recommendations for omega-3 fatty acids for different populations.