by Rick, our Supplement Manager
In accordance with recommendations made by the American Heart Association in conjunction with the AMA, more Americans than ever before are taking prescription medications to lower their cholesterol and, ideally, improve their cardiovascular health. These drugs, generally classified as “statins,” minimize the body’s capacity to manufacture and metabolize cholesterol, and in doing so are able to reduce one of allopathic medicine’s most often utilized markers for predicting cardiovascular events such as heart attack and stroke. New research, however, has begun to suggest that the correlation between cholesterol and heart disease is, at best, only peripherally understood, and that there may be other factors that play a vital role in determining one’s vascular function. These findings direct our attention to systemic inflammation and its likely role as contributor to cardiovascular stress.
Systemic inflammation can be a largely silent saboteur, increasing homocysteine levels in the blood and creating a state that, over time, increases capillary fragility and encourages amyloid plaque formation in vascular walls (both undesirable.) Statin drugs, although effective at lowering cholesterol and perhaps somewhat incidentally slowing the processes behind heart disease, do nothing to address this other, potentially more insidious cause. Also unfortunate is the potential imbalance that can occur when cholesterol metabolism is inhibited through artificial means. Our bodies’ use of cholesterol is centered on the production of countless hormones and prostaglandins, many of which play crucial roles in the normal functions of our organs and immune system. When these are out of balance, unwelcome side effects can occur, thus the numerous links between statin reliance and autoimmune disease, cancer, fibromyalgia, and menopausal disorders.
It should come as no surprise to most that the foundation for a healthy heart begins with healthful choices concerning lifestyle and diet. An unwholesome diet, one rich in refined sugars and processed oils, promotes excessive inflammation, placing particular strain on the liver and vascular system. It is thus necessary to limit these foods, substituting healthy alternatives whenever possible. Fresh fruit might not quench the voracity of the mainstream sweet-tooth with the same sordid satisfaction as a salty bag of cheese-n-chocolate waffle-fry pretzel dingers, but they do provide a fiber-rich, nutritious substitute. In addition, planning meals that are adequately proportioned and stress the presence of healthy fats, vegetables and organic, cruelty-free meats are almost certain to provide the abundant enzymes, vitamins and minerals that keep stress hormones and inflammatory tendencies safely in check.
Certain nutritional supplements can also have a positive influence on circulatory and cardiovascular health. Hawthorn berry has been used traditionally as a “cardiotonic” herb since the early 19th century in order to tone and strengthen the heart. Its suspected method of action is based on its high concentration of oligomeric procyanidins, or OPC’s (also found abundantly in grape seed extract.) These complex flavonoids improve blood flow to the heart by stimulating blood vessels to dilate. They also exert an antioxidant effect, helping to destroy potentially harmful free radicals. Anecdotally, it has been used with great success in cases of chronic angina, or chest pain associated with vascular disease.
Nattokinase, a fermented soy-derived enzyme, has similarly beneficial cardiotonic properties. These benefits stem from its ability to dissolve the tiny fibers known as ‘fibrin’, which account for one of the stubborn clotting mechanisms responsible for the formation of arterial plaques. In doing so, Nattokinase helps to maintain the capillary integrity of vascular structures.
Another option when considering nutritional supplementation is fish oil. Fish oil provides the specific essential Omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA, two substances well-researched and identified to be intrinsically linked to healthy inflammation in the body. Not only are a surprisingly high percentage of American adults deficient in this important nutrient, they also bear the burden of excess Omega-6 acids, which can lead to the excessive production of inflammatory eicosanoids. By maintaining a healthy balance of Omega-6 and Omega-3 fatty acids (4:1 being the generally accepted optimal ratio), exorbitant inflammation processes can be kept within the threshold of good health, working to promote, rather than disrupt, the workings of a healthy heart.
For those who find statins or statin-like supplements (i.e. Red Yeast Rice) necessary for down-regulating excessive cholesterol levels, there are certain considerations worth making. One of these is a supplement called CoQ10. CoQ10 is an oil-soluble substance that is found in the mitochondria of nearly all healthy body cells. Its role in cellular respiration places it in high demand for organs with high energy requirements such as the heart, but its metabolism is considerably hindered by cholesterol-lowering medications. Deficiencies of this nutrient have been linked not only to heart disease, but also to cancer, arthritis, migraine headaches, and overall shortened lifespan. Many studies further support these correlations by suggesting that the risks for developing such disorders can be reduced through oral supplementation with CoQ10.
Without doubt there are innumerable factors to prioritize in the balancing act of maintaining positive health and well-being. Single factors are often scrutinized and over-emphasized in such a way that can mislead, making it difficult for individuals to customize an effective treatment protocol. Considerations involving lifestyle and diet are inextricable to the process of developing wholesome habits, and with modest, proper supplementation, the benefits of these elements can be enhanced in ways that minimize the likelihood of cardiovascular and related diseases.
Products for recommendation:
- Now: L-Carnitine
- Now: Nattokinase
- Now: Hawthorn Berry
- Jarrow: SterolMega
- Jarrow: Resveratrol
