Heart disease can be prevented through healthy diet, exercise and stress management

Heart disease can almost be completely prevented through changes in diet, exercise and stress management. The good news is that you do not need pharmaceutical drugs to cure heart disease, your body has an inner intelligence to heal itself if you give it a chance.

Background of Heart Disease

There is a 50% risk you can die from heart or artery disease but you can reduce this risk. There are no historical records of heart attacks per 100 000 people in 1890 in the USA (American health records), but by 1970 it had risen to 340 per 100 000 people.

Nowadays atherosclerosis (hardening of arteries) is evident amongst teenagers – which is the beginning of heart disease. It is obvious that something in our lifestyle, diet or environment has changed to bring this upon us.

The transport system

The cardiovascular system is responsible to supply oxygen, glucose, amino acids, vitamins and minerals to every single cell in the body via blood. Nutrients and oxygen are both transported via the arteries and the waste products (water and CO2) are transported via veins. All the used blood will pass through the heart and kidneys. In the kidneys waste products are removed from the blood and formed into urine, gets stored in the bladder, which will later be excreted when the bladder is full.

Diseases of the arteries

The main cause for disease is the arteries and not the heart. Our arteries harden because of age and atherosclerosis (arterial deposits). Plaque in the arteries, thicker blood and clots can lead to blockages, which will stop blood flow. When this happens in the heart, the cells will die because of lack of oxygen. This is what we call a heart attack (myocardial infarction). Before this, many patients are diagnosed with angina – lack of oxygen and glucose supply to cells in heart. They complain of chest pains when they exert themselves or when they are under stress.

If a blockage presents in the brain we call it a stroke and when a blockage occurs in the leg, we called thrombosis. If an artery ruptures in the brain, we call it cerebral hemorrhages.

Causes for CAD (coronary artery diseases)

• Raised LDL – high LDL small particles
• Elevated homocysteine, Lp(a), fibrinogen and CRP levels – signs of inflamed arteries.
• The oxidized cholesterol theory – lack of antioxidants in diet
• Microbe theory – certain organisms initiate the process of atherosclerosis
• The free radical-heavy metal theory (lack of antioxidants and increased levels of micro-minerals like iron).

Vitamin C and heart disease

As we age, our arteries harden. The most important cause is because of a lack of vitamin C in the diet. Vitamin C is needed to make collagen and it is collagen that keeps the arteries supple. All the causes for coronary arterial disease can raise your blood pressure and that will increase your risk for heart attack, stroke, thrombosis, angina and cerebral haemorrhages.
Blood pressure and heart disease

Blood pressure is still the number one reason for heart attacks. In healthy arteries, pressure should be 120/80 irrespective of age and when it starts to increase, we know that the arteries are getting sick.

When last did you check your blood pressure? Elevated blood pressure is a risk indicator for heart disease. Please check your blood pressure from time to time – at least once a year if it is normal and if it stays elevated ( >120/80) please see your Integrative Healthcare Doctor.