Michael Ash BSc (Hons) DO ND F.DipION is presenting a functional medicine approach to patients with cardiovascular disease using nutrition and the immune system to provide evidence based strategies to assist in the care of affected patients. The CAM conference series three lecture, will be held at Cavendish Conference Centre, London on the 14th May 2010. Other speakers will help make this a very informative and strategic day.

Cardiovascular disease continues to be the number 1 cause of preventable death in the industrialised world as confirmed by a recent report undertaken in the UK. some 5000 patients followed up in the United Kingdom’s Whitehall Study, which began in the 1960s has revealed that just three cardiovascular risk factors shortened their life span by  a whole decade.

A series of papers out in the New England Journal of medicine on March the 14^th 2010 have failed to add any substantive weight to the use of medication in the prevention of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. [1]^,[2],[3]

The continued expansion of the western global waistline and incidence of diabetes has provided fertile opportunity for a wide range of clinical trials designed to uncover strategies for incidence of diabetes reduction.[4] There is no surprise in the discovery that making significant changes to people’s lifestyles, eating less and being more active, the primary causes of weight gain, also have a consistent reduction in type II diabetes risk. The real success has also been in the associated benefits in reduction of related cardiovascular disease risk[5] and raising of mood.[6]

Background: Consumption of nuts has been associated with a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease events and death. Walnuts in particular have a unique profile: they are rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, which may improve blood lipids and other cardiovascular disease risk factors.

A large body of literature suggests that higher intakes of omega-6 (or n-6) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) reduce risk for coronary heart disease (CHD). However, for the reasons outlined below, some individuals and groups have recommended substantial reductions in omega-6 PUFA intake. The purpose of this advisory is to review evidence on the relationship between omega-6 PUFAs and the risk of CHD and cardiovascular disease.