There is no doubt that stress have a major factor in heart disease. How many times we have seen patients coming ton the clinic that have had heart attack without any factures that are consider to be the main reason in heart disease, they are young and have no hereditary reason to have heart attack and many times after talking one can notice they have been going through tremendous stress, Moving to a new job, breaking up from a relationship etc.. ect.. So Stress management should really be a preventive approach that can saves many lives. By teaching few simple technic at work place and have stress days off (NOT JUST SIC DAYS)at work, we can save many lives.
Original Post
January 3, 2011
Heart Disease
First, let’s review a holistic approach to personal health. There are a few concepts that are probably familiar to you – one is that a holistic approach is based on the integration of mind‑body‑spirit; another is that all healing is self‑healing. With the latter said, I sense from your email that you have made the decision to take personal responsibility for your health and you seem to be making good strides in improving your overall well‑being. Let’s look at mind‑body‑spirit as it relates to cardiac health, then review your current regimen, and then look at a plan that may work for you.
Mind‑Body‑Spirit
Mind: Stress reduction strategies – stress is correlated with cardiovascular incidence and chronic disease. Stress reduction strategies include yoga, breathing exercises, guided imagery, reiki, and massage. Exercise is also good for stress management and cardiovascular health.
Body: There are many studies that validate the impact of diet on cardiovascular health. These studies indicate that a mostly vegetarian diet without processed food, white flour, sugar, or animal fats, can actually reverse the underlying causes of heart disease.
Spirit: You mentioned prayer in your email. Having a spiritual focus in life and higher purpose in life promotes health and well‑being. It is also important to have a reason to live; in other words, a reason for being here and a purposeful plan for your life.
Current Regimen:
1. It is good that you have lost some weight. Planned weight loss is almost always associated with improved health. Also your lipid profile is looking good, you should be able to make the switch from Lipitor to a natural supplement like red yeast rice.
2. Metoprolol is indicated for therapeutic use following a heart attack. Research suggests that it provides good results for up to 3 months following a heart attack but its usefulness after 3 months has not been established. You may want to consider talking with your physician about discontinuation.
3. Lipitor: Lipitor is a statin drug that has several side effects. Red Yeast Rice is a natural statin that is sometimes used as replacement therapy for statin drugs like Lipitor. The Lipitor site lists the following common side effects; ddiarrhea, upset stomach, muscle, and joint pain, as well as alterations in some laboratory tests. They list rare but serous complications involving the liver and serious muscle problems which could lead to kidney failure. Red yeast rice is a natural supplement and does not have the side effects that have been documented with Lipitor. When taking Lipitor or red yeast rice, be sure to take CoQ10 along with it. CoQ10 is an antioxidant that gets depleted by the statin.
4. Plavix is prescribed to prevent a heart attack or stroke that is caused by a blood clot that reduces or blocks the flow of blood through an artery. It helps keep platelets in the blood from sticking together and forming blood clots. Side effects include eeasy bruising and minor bleeding. Plavix use with aspirin is associated with an increase in major bleeding (primarily gastrointestinal and at puncture sites). Research indicates dietary changes may provide better protection for prevention and reversing the disease process.
5. Aspirin has been shown to decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease, such as heart attack and stroke, events in both primary and secondary trials. Several studies have shown that dietary modifications are not only more effective in preventing heart attack recurrence than but can also reverse the blockage of clogged arteries.
Holistic Approach:
1. Approach: Heart attack and heart disease is usually caused by Atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is a disease directly related to diet and lifestyle. Treatment and prevention include reducing all known risk factors.
2. DIET: Eat less saturated fat and cholesterol by reducing or eliminating the amounts of animal products in the diet. Increase the consumption of fiber-rich plant foods (fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, and raw nuts and seeds). Increase the consumption of monounsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids. Follow a low-glycemic-load diet.
3. Lifestyle Recommendations: Practice stress management techniques including yoga, breathing exercises, meditation or guided imagery, reiki, and massage. Achieve ideal body weight. Exercise aerobically on a regular basis, Do not smoke.
4. Supplements:
a. High-potency multivitamin and mineral formula,
b. Vitamin C: 250 to 500 mg three times/day,
c. Vitamin E: 200 to 800 IU/day
d. Fish oil supplement: minimum 1000 mg of combined EPA and DHA,
e. Red Yeast Rice 600-1200mg at night.
f. Bromelain:500 mg daily between meals
g. Serrapeptase 20,000IU daily between meals
h. Lutein 100mg daily
Research Facts:
1. Bromelain is an all-natural extract of the stem and juice of the pineapple plant. Medically, bromelain appears to have anti-inflammatory properties similar to other anti-inflammatory medications, such as ibuprofen. The German Commission E recommends 80 – 320 mg 2 – 3 times per day. For specific conditions, higher doses may be prescribed.
2. Serrapeptase or Serratiopeptidase, an enzyme isolated from a microorganism in silkworm, is widely used in clinical practice in Japan . Until more is known about the long term benefit and side effects of serrapeptase, we recommend limiting daily dose to 20,000 units.Researchers in Germany have used Serrapeptase for atherosclerosis to digest atherosclerotic plaque without harming the healthy cells lining the arterial wall.
3. Dietary Studies: Several studies have shown that dietary modifications are not only more effective in preventing heart attack recurrence than aspirin but can also reverse the blockage of clogged arteries. Subjects were allowed to consume as many calories as they wished. No animal products were allowed except egg whites and 1 cup/day of nonfat milk or yogurt. The diet contained approximately 10% fat; 15% to 20% protein; and 70% to 75% carbohydrates, which was predominantly complex carbohydrates from whole grains, legumes, and vegetables. At the end of the year, the subjects in the experimental group showed significant overall regression of atherosclerosis of the coronary blood vessels. In contrast, subjects in the control group who were being treated with regular medical care and following the standard American Heart Association (AHA) diet actually showed progression of their disease.
4. Research: A three-year study conducted by a team of doctors led by Dean Ornish, M.D., has demonstrated that lifestyle changes can not only arrest but also actually reverse the ravages of heart disease. The main components of the program followed by study participants were a low-fat diet, stress management techniques and exercise.
5. Research: Dr. Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Jr. is a doctor at the Cleveland Clinic, which is the top ranked hospital in the country for cardiac care, according the US News and World Report. Dr. Esselstyn is a highly acclaimed doctor who started a study in 1985 on the affects of a plant-based diet full of whole grain foods What Dr. Esselstyn found was that by sticking to a low-fat, plant-based diet, patients with severe coronary artery problems were able to lower their blood cholesterol levels dramatically (from an average of 246 mg/dL to 137 mg/dL.).
6. Antioxidants: Dietary antioxidant nutrients like lycopene, lutein, selenium, vitamin E and vitamin C have been shown in epidemiologic studies to offer significant protection against the development of CVD. Vitamin C is an “aqueous phase” antioxidant, while vitamin E is a “lipid phase” antioxidant.
7. Lutein may turn out to be the most significant carotene in the battle against atherosclerosis. On the basis of analysis of the different subtypes of LDL, lycopene, beta-carotene, and cryptoxanthin were mainly located in the larger, less dense LDL particles, whereas lutein and zeaxanthin were found preferentially in the smaller, denser LDL particles.78 Because the smaller, denser LDL subtype is most easily oxidized, lutein and zeaxanthin are particularly important in protecting against damage to LDL cholesterol.