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Atherosclerosis (blocked arteries) and its prevention
Prevent this number one killer disease from today. LA Muscle's Dr. Bod gives you the facts and known ways for getting healthier and preventing a premature death.
The Number One Killer!
By Behrooz - "Dr Bod" - Behbod MB ChB
Medical Doctor & Life Coach
Atherosclerosis (blocked arterties) is the leading cause of disease and death in the USA and most Western countries, far greater than cancer! It is a condition in which patchy deposits of fatty material develop in the walls of medium-sized and large arteries, leading to reduced or blocked blood flow to the brain, heart, kidneys, other vital organs, and legs. This can lead to serious medical complications such as angina, heart attack, abnormal heart rhythms, heart failure, kidney failure, major and mini-strokes, and leg cramps.
In the prevention of atherosclerosis, there are some risk factors which cannot be changed, such as increasing age, male gender, heredity (e.g. Africans & Asians tend to have a greater risk of developing atherosclerosis, but this is partly due to higher rates of obesity and diabetes) and a family history of atherosclerosis.
The following Top Tips can have a dramatic effect on the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis.
1. Smoking - tobacco smoking is not only dangerous in atherosclerosis, but also contains a debilitating cocktail of carcinogens and heavy metals that can cause a huge variety of other degenerative diseases. So take control and put it out before it puts YOU out!!!
2. High Cholesterol - Treatments include dietary modification and taking up regular exercise.
Supplements that may help reduce and balance cholesterol levels include policosanol, vitamins C & E, well as other anti-oxidants to prevent cholesterol from oxidizing and sticking to the walls of arteries. In those not responding to the above measures, pharmaceutical medications such as the "statins" may be necessary. These drugs also inhibit the important enzyme, Co-enzyme Q10, which therefore needs to be replaced orally.
3. High Blood Pressure - this is known as the "silent killer" and is one of the most common diseases of the cardiovascular system. It is defined as a condition of sustained elevated pressure in the arteries of 140/90 or higher. In the majority of cases, specific causes are not identified, though stress management and dietary modification has been shown to be of benefit:
" Avoid sodium-rich foods such as processed meats, salted snack foods, cheeses, and canned foods which cause atherosclerosis.
" Eat foods high in potassium, calcium & magnesium. Good dietary sources of potassium include bananas, potatoes, avocados, tomato juice and grapefruit juice. Food sources rich in calcium include low-fat milk, green beans, sardines (with bones), broccoli, spinach, and tofu. Good sources of magnesium-rich foods include any legumes and seeds, such as navy beans and sunflower seeds. 
" Watermelon and celery (and their seeds) can lower blood pressure, due to their cucurocitrin and 3-n-Butyl-Phthalide contents respectively.
" Garlic inhibits the enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of Angiotensin I (which does not raise blood pressure) into Angiotensin II (which does raise blood pressure).
" In severe and resistant cases, pharmaceutical intervention may be indicated, with the use of blood pressure-lowering drugs, such as alpha- and beta-blockers, ACE-inhibitors, and angiotensin-II inhibitors.
4. Diabetes - both type I and type II diabetes mellitus seriously increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Contributing factors include poor control of glucose levels, as well as the formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs). This simply means that the excess sugar levels alter the shape and function of proteins, carbohydrates and other substances in the body, whilst also making them more "sticky", and increase oxidative stress, an important factor in the development of atherosclerosis. Useful supplements include the amino acid l-carnitine, chromium, and alpha-lipoic acid. Of course these must all be taken under the strict supervision of your licensed doctor.
5. Physical Inactivity & Obesity - Excess weight places strain on the heart, raises blood pressure and cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and lowers the "good" HDL cholesterol levels. It can also increase the risk of developing diabetes. There is much evidence that suggests that regular exercise reduces the risk of atherosclerosis, as well as helping reduce other risk factors such as lowering blood pressure, cholesterol levels, helping with weight loss, and reducing stress as the result of the release of natural endorphins. Simple measures such as regular walking, for a daily minimum of 30minutes, through to jogging, swimming, cycling, and dancing, all based on your current fitness levels. Please consult your physician prior to starting any exercise program.
6. Stress - everyone reacts to stress differently. They may over-eat, start smoking or smoke more than they otherwise would, or drink excessive amounts of alcohol. Stress also increases the body's cortisol levels, and can increase the likelihood of obesity, diabetes, and high cholesterol and blood pressure levels. There are excellent natural options, such as physical exercise due to the natural increase in the "feel good" endorphins, relaxation techniques such as meditation, yoga, and of course remedies such as the Bach Flower Remedies.
7. Inflammation - a commonly used blood test for inflammation, a high sensitivity assay for C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), has been found to be consistently elevated and related to the risk of developing heart attacks or stroke. The cause of this generalized low-grade inflammation has not yet been found, though new findings are in favour of the theory that it is due to a chronic infection. Antibiotic and antiviral therapies may very well become included in the treatment of atherosclerosis. In the media recently, German doctors found a reduced number of stroke-victims following the 'flu vaccine. The reason could very well be the result of prevention of infection and inflammation, which can result in an increased risk of developing blood clots.
8. Alcohol - Although studies have suggested that red-wine consumption lowers heart disease risk, just how this happens has been a matter of speculation. Its worthwhile noting that in Japan, the country that consumes the least red wine, has the lowest incidence of heart disease. There's clearly something else that the Japanese are doing. They have very low cholesterol levels with minimal obesity and they eat a lot of fish. Despite the risk of heart disease perhaps being lower in those who drink moderate amounts of alcohol (an average of one to two units per day), there are certainly healthier ways to reduce the risk of heart disease, as mentioned in the rest of this article.
9. Homocysteine - high levels of this amino acid can directly injure the inner lining of blood vessels, and make them prone to developing atherosclerosis. A deficiency of folic acid, vitamin B6, B12, or betaine (TMG) can cause elevated homocysteine levels. Other causes include pregnancy, a genetic disorder known as homocystinuria, kidney failure, some cancers (such as breast cancer), psoriasis, heavy smoking, and use of certain drugs such as methotrexate, anticonvulsants, cholestyramine, and the antibiotic isoniazid.
10. Nutrition - a life-long optimal nutritional plan can work wonders for preventing all sorts of chronic degenerative diseases. Of prime importance, one should first identify their food intolerances and allergies, and avoid these. They can cause detrimental affects to the body as a whole, if continually ingested over a long time.
Avoid or minimise sugars and artificial sweeteners, refined flour products (pastries, white bread), caffeine, most hard alcoholic beverages (occasional beer or wine are fine), white rice, artificial flavouring, colours, and preservatives.
Include a wide variety of organic, whole foods, low in fat and high in fibre, such as whole fresh fruit and vegetables in season, whole grains and legumes. Try to get your protein from as many non-animal sources as possible, due to their high content of saturated fats. Include a variety of the following vegetarian protein sources:
" Cereals and grains - wheat, rye, corn, rice, pasta...
" Leafy green vegetables, including spinach
" Legumes - beans, lentils, peas, peanuts
" Nuts - almonds, walnuts, cashews...
" Seaweed - kelp, spirulina...
" Seeds - sesame, sunflower...
" Soy products - tofu, tempeh, soy milk...
" Vegetables - Brussels sprouts, potatoes, yuca…
Of course, a small amount of animal produce is ok, but limit these to clean fish, yoghurt and free-range eggs. Meats, chicken, cheeses, and other dairy products can contain pesticide residues, hormones, antibiotics, and are relatively high in fat content. There have been many studies that show a vegetarian diet leads to a lower risk of developing chronic diseases, such as atherosclerosis, high blood pressure and cancer.
Also ensure that you drink a sufficient amount of good, clean, mineral water, since dehydration can easily cause the blood to thicken, and increase the risk of heart attacks and stroke - that's why there is an increase in the number of sufferers during the hot summer months!
11. Supplementation - To accurately detect any nutritional imbalances, one can send off a sample to be tested for a full range of vitamins, minerals, amino-acids and antioxidants. Please discuss the following with your practitioner:
" A good, all-round multi-vitamin and mineral combination.
" Anti-oxidants such as vitamins A, C, E, beta-carotene, selenium and melatonin.
" Coenzyme Q10.
" Essential fatty acids, with a good ratio of omega 3: omega 6 fatty acids. Good sources include flax and pumpkin seeds, walnuts, salmon, trout, and tuna. EPA and DHA found in fish oils can be helpful in the reduction of abnormal clotting, high triglyceride levels, and many forms of chronic inflammation.
" Vitamin C and bioflavonoids.
" Green tea, Ginkgo biloba, garlic, aspirin, and vitamin E can all act to inhibit platelet aggregation, another crucial factor in the development of atherosclerosis.
" Vitamins B6, B12, folic acid, and TMG (betaine).
" Hawthorn Berries increase the supply of blood to the heart muscle, resulting in enhanced circulation throughout the body.
" The amino-acids L-Taurine, L-Arginine, L-Carnitine & L-Glutathione.
In Summary
In sum, the "number one killer" does not have to be so common if we were all to make a concerted effort to follow the Top Tips to help prevent the development of atherosclerosis, and reduce the risk of suffering from high blood pressure and cholesterol levels, diabetes, angina, leg cramps, heart attacks, strokes, gangrene and unwanted limb amputations!
