Cardiovascular Health

Happily, the same fundamental steps in Basics of Health that boost health in other parts of the body are also beneficial for the health of our heart and circulatory systems. Steps to prevent diabetes are also greatly helpful to the cardiovascular system. Unfortunately, the trend in mainstream medicine has been to use medications, stents and bypass surgery. Studies show that this approach especially in otherwise healthy people does not generally save lives and too often leads to over-treatment and dangerous side effects—without providing true prevention of ill health. To open your mind start breaking loose from the shackles of the dogma, read The Benefits of High Cholesterol. It seems prudent to fix the foundation (e.g. poor nutrition, lack of exercise, stress, inadequate sleep, toxins, etc.) and the invasive interventions for those with diagnosed disease and for true emergencies. The conventional wisdom is not always so wise. For example, there are now some 40 million people taking statin cholesterol drugs, and yet the rates of heart disease have not gone down as predicted.
Read this Bill Sardi article about safer alternatives to stents and even nitro tablets.

News:

Cardiologists Re-Discover Natural Remedy That Prevents Mortal Heart Attacks, First Reported 45 Years Ago. Read Bill Sardi’s article about chondroitin sulfate. (He also exposes the misleading hype about statin drugs.) And here is a study showing the benefit of the enzyme nattokinase as a plausible replacement for several cardio medications.

Fewer pills for the elderly? New guidelines issued January 2014 by the Journal of the American Medical Association recommend that patients age 60 and over NOT be put on high blood pressure drugs unless their blood pressure is at least 150/90. By using diet and lifestyle adjustments instead, the folks would be spared not only the known side effects of the drugs, but also surprise problems from interactions with their other medications. LINK. Natural remedies for high blood pressure such as fish oil and magnesium offer added protection for many other health issues. Celery Seed Extract is another good choice. LINK.

Fewer deaths from aspirin…really? It is trendy to take a daily aspirin in hopes of preventing heart attacks and cancer. However, according to a review of studies, the risks of that plan may outweigh benefits for most healthy adults. Neither the article nor the abstract seemed to address dosage. Aspirin may be anti-inflammatory and reduce platelet stickiness (“thin the blood”) but, its use carries the risk of GI bleeding and hemorrhagic stroke. Natural supplements such as fish oil, vitamin E and curcumin are also anti-inflammatory and reduce platelet stickiness. Plus, they offer fringe benefits instead of side effects. Likewise, pycnogenol may be a better choice.

Fewer statin drugs with better testing? An important new study (Dec 2013) shows that calcium in the arteries is a much better indicator of cardiovascular risk than cholesterol levels or other supposed risk factors. LINK. The results call into question the practice of dispensing statins (cholesterol-lowering drugs) based on the old guidelines or on the new ones discussed in our recent newsletter. (One of the study authors, Dr. Budoff, was on our radio show.)

Fewer statins, more apples? A British study opined that as many lives would be saved in the UK by prescribing an apple a day as there would be by giving a statin drug to every person over 50 years of age who wasn’t already taking one. LINK.

Of more concern than cholesterol is Lipoprotein (a) which increases risk of atherosclerosis, heart attack, or stroke. Statin drugs increase that factor and a low carbohydrate diet lower it.

Radio Shows:
The Cholesterol Hoax part 1. Sherry Rogers, MD.
The Cholesterol Hoax part 2. Sherry Rogers, MD.
Stopping Inflammation. Nancy Appleton, PhD.
Cardiology, CoQ10. Peter Langsjoen, MD.

Books:

Vitamin K2 and the Calcium Paradox, Dr. Kate Rheaume-Bleue
Is Your Cardiologist Killing You? Sherry Rogers, MD
Stopping Inflammation: Relieving the Cause of Degenerative Diseases, by Nancy Appleton, PhD

Products:
Omron Pocket Pedometer with Advanced Omron Health Management Software Omron Blood Pressure Monitor

Supplements (I do not sell any supplements—I just recommend what I believe in):

Cholesterol:

To protect cholesterol from becoming oxidized and therefor harmful to arteries, a natural vitamin E complex, FamilE from Jarrow Formulas
To reduce high levels: Fiber, liver support, Kyolic Aged Garlic Formula 107

Blood pressure: Kyolic Aged Garlic Formula 109 and please read this Library page on blood pressure.

Blood thinning: According to Bill Sardi, “Natural anti-clotting agents that can be taken without concern of over-thinning the blood are fish oil, resveratrol, garlic and vitamin E, even when all are consumed together.”

High Triglycerides and general cardio health: Omega 3 oils from Nordic Naturals

Calcium: (We need it to go into bone not the arteries) Vitamin K2 by Superior Source

Links:

For information on vitamin C and heart disease from Linus Pauling, LINK HERE.

New CPR procedure demo
Heart attack symptoms (includes women who may be different)
Calculate Heart and Stroke Risk – Reynolds Risk Score
Stroke Risk Calculator
Long Term Supplementation With Vitamins C and E, Coenzyme Q10 and Selenium May Benefit Patients With Multiple Cardiovascular Risk Factors