Secrets for a Healthy Heart

Heart disease can almost be completely prevented through changes in diet, exercise and stress management

 

Background

You have a 50% risk of dying from heart or artery disease. However, it can almost be completely prevented. Back in history there was no 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 haemorrhages.

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.

The cholesterol myth

Cardiovascular disease is not simply a high cholesterol disease but an inflammatory disease. 85% Cholesterol is manufactured in your liver.   15% Cholesterol is from animal protein – that is now the food that you eat. Raised cholesterol levels are a sign of a lifestyle problem and possibly a specific gene. However, lifestyle modification should be the first priority in reducing cholesterol levels. The causes for high cholesterol are stress, depression, lack of exercise, lack of nutrients, smoking and genes.

 

All cells contain cholesterol and all tissues can manufacture and regulate it. Cholesterol levels vary during a day and also during seasons – higher in winter and lower in summer. It is also higher after surgery, infection and stress. Bones are filled with cholesterol and would be hollow without it.

 

In 2000, an article was published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition where they stated that there was no correlation between consuming more than one egg a day and the risk of heart disease.   We know that there an association between high cholesterol levels and coronary heart disease, but we also now know that there is an association between low cholesterol levels, depression, cancer, aggression, amnesia, strokes and your ability to fight infection.

There seems to be a narrow band that represents a healthy cholesterol level in blood and that is between 4.9 – 5.4 mmol/l.

Ideal test scores for cardiovascular health

	High risk	Medium risk	Healthy
Cholesterol	<3.1 & >8.5mmol/l	>6.2mmol/l	4.9-5.5mmol/l
Cholesterol/HDL	>8:1	>5:1	<3.5 : 1
Blood pressure	>140/90	> 130/85	<125/80
Pulse	>85	<85	<70
Homocysteine	>15	6<H<15	<6
Fibrinogen			<3g/l
hsCRP			<1.0mg/l
Apolipoprotein B	> 0.9G/L
LDLSF (yellow top)
LDL size is graded into 5 categories ranging from large to small: A1;AI;I;IB;B:     LDL-B is associated with a three fold increase of risk of ischaemic heart disease (small is bad / large less dangerous.

Let us look at the following facts

• There are ten different compounds in arterial plaque and no saturated fat at all.
• The majority of heart patients do not have high cholesterol.
• Only when cholesterol is oxidized it will damage arterial wall – if you have enough antioxidants in your diet, it will prevent oxidation of cholesterol a great deal.
• Real changes in lifestyle, diet, taking vitamins, minerals and antioxidants are the solution to heart disease.
• From all the studies we now know, 50% of risks are still unexplained.
• Statins cause cancer in animals and does not lower risk in women.
• Statins has a place in high-risk short-term solutions.
• Statins lower CoQ10 production – patients complain about exhaustion and muscle fatigue.
• Cholesterol reduction did not lower death rates in men and women.
• The effect of cholesterol on heart mortality declines with age.
• Little benefit in lowering cholesterol in patients over 60 years of age.
• Cholesterol is the precursor and building block of steroid hormones like testosterone, progesterone, etc.
• We know cholesterol increase with age, because hormone levels drop with ageing.
• Low cholesterol patients can often complain about depression, weight gain, impotence, fibromyalgia-like pain and can increase risk for gastric cancer.
• Low Thyroid hormone levels are also associated with raised LDL levels – if you correct TSH – LDL drops
• The High Sensitive C-Reactive Protein (inflammatory indicator) Test is more important than a cholesterol test (Lipogram) in determining heart disease risk. Chronically elevated levels of Insulin and high stress levels can increase hs CRP ( high consumption of bad carbohydrates -sugar and white flour).

Statins

• Men between 50-75 years with a predominance of small dense LDL – take a statin because of the anti-inflammatory effect (not for the cholesterol lowering effect).
• No statins should be prescribed for people older than 75 years of age.
• Women with arterial disease (high homocycteine, fibrinogen and CRP) and high levels of inflammatory cholesterol – take a statin.
• Do not take statins to lower high Lp(a) – they do not lower it. Take Vit B3 – non-flush, omega 3/6 and nattokinase.

A new theory on heart disease – lipoprotein A – check your level

According to scientists, human beings could make their own vitamin C, but that has changed. A lack of vitamin C weakens arteries and genetic research is now suggesting that the development of lipoprotein A was a response to protect leaky arteries.

We know that vitamin C deficiency will raise cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL, apo-protein and lipoprotein A and lowers HDL and enough C will do the opposite.   Vitamin C will inhibit excessive production of cholesterol and helps to convert cholesterol into bile.

Vitamin C deficiency is common amongst human cardiovascular disease and should be universal treatment for the disease.

Homocysteine – check your level

The damage in arteries is caused by homocysteine.   If you have had a stroke or heart attack – we now know that there is a 50% chance that you have high homocysteine levels.   High homocysteine levels are 40 times more predictive of a heart attack than cholesterol.   You can lower your homocysteine with folic acid, vitamin B₆ and vitamin B_12.    Homocysteine will also damage cholesterol and can let it accumulate in the arteries.

What is new?

Stem cell harvesting from the patients own hip.   These stem cells are incubated for three hours and then injected by a catheter into left ventricle of the heart.   This is a miracle grow for the heart.   This procedure has risks like: arrhythmia and inflammatory responses to the implanted cells that fail to grow.   This is still a last resort because of risk, but holds many promises in time to come.

 

Warning signs of a heart attack

• A serious pain in the chest that persists for longer than one minute.
• A pain that spreads to neck, shoulders or arms.
• Discomfort in chest with dizziness, fainting, perspiration and shortness of breath

General signs and complaints

• Pale in face
• Anxiety
• Perspiration
• Heartburn
• General fatigue
• Nausea
• Discomfort and pain in chest

What to do when you experience all signs of a heart attack

• Stay calm
• Use Isordil SL 5mg, Angised or Angispray – this will open coronary arteries.   Repeat medication if no improvement in 5 minutes – can repeat this procedure 5 times.
• Get help – phone GP, friend or hospital.
• Drink four Disprins – it can dissolve clot in coronary artery.
• Place yourself in a sit – lay position so that the heart needs not to work so hard.

What to do when you see someone else is getting a heart attack

• Stay calm.
• Sit patient in a 45º position and loosen tight fit clothes.
• As whether he has medication like Angispray and administer as discussed under previous section.
• Get help – phone and organize.
• Give patient 4 Dispins as dicussed above.
• Open up windows and do not suffocate patient.
• Oxygen – put mask on face and adjusts flow to 4 liter.
• Check pulse – if you cant feel it – patient might have fainted – do CPR

Supernutrition for a healthy heart

1. Eat your organic seeds and nuts (heaped tablespoon) or 1 tablespoon of cold pressed olive oil / flax oil.
2. Eat 2-3 fresh organic fruits per day.
3. Eat 3-4 servings of organic grains per day:  rice, millet, rye, oats or quinoa ( as cereal).
4. Eat five servings of organic vegetables per day:  watercress, broccoli, spinach, green beans, peas, carrots, sweet potato and peppers.
5. Water:  1.5 – 2 liters per day – reverse osmosis, filtered, bottled or distilled.
6. Eat at least 50% food raw and eat organic fruit and vegetables.
7. Avoid burnt, fried, browned foods as well as excess animal fat.
8. No sugar, white flour, processed food, preservatives and chemical additives.
9. Reduce alcohol consumption if you have BPH and have no alcohol if you have prostate cancer.
10. Eat organic beans and legumes daily (tofu, quinoa & seed vegetables).
11. Always have proteins with each meal:  cheese, yoghurt, eggs, nuts, fish, chicken or red meat.
12. Eat at least breakfast, lunch and supper – snack if needed in between with fruit and almonds.
13. Best way to prepare food:  Do a 2-minute sauté followed by adding water based sauce and let the food “steam -fries” at lower temperatures.  Grilling, steaming, boiling or baking is better cooking methods than any form of frying.  Do not kill your food by cooking it to death – you destroy the live enzymes and nutrients.
14. rBST hormone free dairy products please.
15. Rotate foods – do not eat the same foods every day.
16. Eat fish 2 to 3 times a week minimum.
    • Low fat fish (0.1-2.9%):  angelfish, geelbek, hanke, kingklip or kabeljou.
    • Medium-fat fish (3-10.9%):  pilchards, snoek, tuna or yellowtail.
    • High-fat fish (11-30%):  barracuda, salmon, butterfish, herring, mackerel or sardines.
17. Limit exposure to chemical – herbicides and pesticides present to the boday as estrogens.
18. Limit lead, cadmium and mercury exposure and quit smoking.
19. Eliminate all Trans fats from the diet – pastries and biscuits.
20. Re-pack food in plastic containers into glass containers ASAP.
21. Keep fit not fat.
22. Reduce stress.

Healthy heart supplements:

• Multivitamin and multi-minerals: preferably of organic origin
• Antioxidants like Grapeseed extract, Alpha Lipoic Acid and/or Coenzyme Q10
• Vitamin C – 2000mg per day in divided doses
• EPA/DHA fish oils 1200-2400mg and eat oily fish 3 times per week
• Vitamin E 400mg
• Viscum Alb herbal tincture
• Magnesium 300mg daily

Warning

If you are on a low dose of aspirin and you take extra vitamin E and/or extra omega 3 oils – your blood might become to thin – check PI – discuss with healthcare professional.

 

References:

1. New Optimum Nutrition Bible – Patrick Holford
2. Prescription Alternatives – Earl Mindell
3. Natural medicine – Beth Maceoin
4. Herbal Medicine – expanded commission E Monographs
5. Genesende Voeding – Dr Willem Serfontein
6. Gesondheid vir `n leeftyd – Dr Christiaan
7. Men`s Health September 2006
8. Townsend Letter June 2009 issue #311