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Nut consumption and risk of hypertension in US male physicians. Djoussé L, Rudich T, Gaziano JM. Clin Nutr. 2009 Feb;28(1):10-4. Epub 2008 Oct 2. PMID: 18834651 doi:10.1016/j.clnu.2008.08.005 CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that nut consumption is associated with a lower risk of hypertension in US male physicians and that such relation may be influenced by adiposity.

Derived from the bulb or clove of the plant. Garlic is used as a spice and to treat hyperlipidemia, hypertension, atherosclerosis, cancer, and infections. Processing can have a substantial effect on the chemical content in garlic; the volatile oil components are sensitive to heat and certain enzymes are acid-labile. Several oral garlic formulations are available, and clinical studies have addressed a variety of the proposed claims. Placebo-controlled trials on the cholesterol lowering effect of garlic yielded mixed results (16) (17) (18) (21) (22) (26). Studies evaluating the antithrombotic effects repeatedly have shown modest reduction in platelet aggregation, but varying levels of fibrinolytic activity. Research shows mixed effects with regard to reductions in blood glucose, blood pressure, or risk of cardiovascular disease (23). Frequently reported adverse events include bad breath, headache, fatigue, GI upset, diarrhea, sweating, and possible hypoglycemia (9). Because garlic is known to decrease platelet aggregation and potentially elevate the INR, it should not be used with anticoagulants or in patients with platelet dysfunction (15). Garlic appears to induce cytochrome p450 3A4 and may enhance metabolism of many medications (e.g. cyclosporin and saquinavir) (12). An analysis of several case-control studies in Europe suggests an inverse association between garlic consumption and risk of common cancers (25).

AUGUSTA, Ga. - Too little vitamin D could be bad for more than your bones; it may also lead to fatter adolescents, researchers say.\n\nA Medical College of Georgia study of more than 650 teens age 14-19 has found that those who reported higher vitamin D intakes had lower overall body fat and lower amounts of the fat in the abdomen, a type of fat known as visceral fat, which has been associated with health risks such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes and hypertension

Now a new and controversial book by an American doctor suggests that taking even higher levels of the vitamin - 10 to 15 times the recommended amounts - can work wonders. Dr James Dowd, who works at the Arthritis Institute of Michigan, has been prescribing vitamin D to people suffering from chronic disorders such as arthritis, back pain and headaches and the result, he claims, is a huge improvement in their symptoms. In his book, The Vitamin D Cure, Dr Dowd describes a number of success stories using this approach. One of his patients, Barbara, for instance, was obese, and suffered from arthritis in one leg as well as high blood pressure. As Dowd explains: "In the past I would have given her anti-inflammatory drugs, pain medication, a pill to lose weight and drug treatment for hypertension."

Vitamin D and cardiovascular disease risk. Michos ED, Melamed ML. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2008 Jan;11(1):7-12. Review. PMID: 18090651

Vitamin D deficiency an important, common, and easily treatable cardiovascular risk factor?\nLee JH, O'Keefe JH, Bell D, Hensrud DD, Holick MF.\nJ Am Coll Cardiol. 2008 Dec 9;52(24):1949-56. Review.\nPMID: 19055985

Pomegranate juice: a heart-healthy fruit juice. Basu A, Penugonda K. Nutr Rev. 2009 Jan;67(1):49-56. PMID: 19146506 DOI: 10.1111/j.1753-4887.2008.00133.x

Vitamin D: A millenium perspective. Holick MF. J Cell Biochem. 2003 Feb 1;88(2):296-307. Review. PMID: 12520530

ScienceDaily (Mar. 11, 2009) - For every gram of salt that Americans reduce in their diets daily, a quarter of a million fewer new heart disease cases and over 200,000 fewer deaths would occur over a decade, researchers said at the American Heart Association's 49th Annual Conference on Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention.

March 11, 2009 -- Low vitamin D levels greatly increase a teenager's risk of diabetes and heart disease, Johns Hopkins researchers find. It is becoming clear that adults who get too little vitamin D are at higher risk for diabetes and heart disease. Now, it appears vitamin D levels also affect these risks earlier in life, say Johns Hopkins researchers Jared P. Reis, PhD, and colleagues.

Dec. 1, 2008 -- Getting too little vitamin D may be an underappreciated heart disease risk factor that's actually easy to fix.\n\nResearchers say a growing body of evidence suggests that vitamin D deficiency increases the risk of heart disease and is linked to other, well-known heart disease risk factors such as high blood pressure, obesity, and diabetes.

Vitamin D and Cardiovascular Disease Prevention by Dr. David C. Sane