A Natural Approach To Health
Living With Atherosclerosis
I had a question the other day about atherosclerosis.
You know it better as hardening of the arteries.
It’s a progressive process silently and slowly blocking your arteries.
Atherosclerosis is the usual cause of heart attacks, strokes, and peripheral vascular disease – together called “cardiovascular disease.”
Arteries are blood vessels carrying blood from your heart throughout your body.
They’re lined by a thin layer of cells called endothelium.
The endothelium works to keep the inside of arteries toned and smooth, which keeps blood flowing.
Atherosclerosis starts when high blood pressure, smoking, or high cholesterol damage the endothelium.
At that point, cholesterol plaque formation begins.
Bad cholesterol, or LDL, crosses damaged endothelium.
The cholesterol enters the wall of your artery.
Over years, the accumulating mess of cholesterol and cells becomes a plaque in the wall of your artery.
It creates a bump on the artery wall.
As the process of atherosclerosis continues, the bump gets bigger.
A big enough bump creates a blockage.
Atherosclerosis tends to happen throughout your body.
So if you have plaque in your heart, you’re at a higher risk for stroke.
Atherosclerosis usually causes no symptoms until middle or older age.
Once narrowing becomes severe, the blood flow is choked off and it causes pain.
Blockages can also suddenly rupture, causing blood to clot inside an artery at the site of the rupture.
Who gets atherosclerosis?
It might be easier to ask, who doesn’t get atherosclerosis?
Atherosclerosis starts early.
A 2001 study of 262 apparently healthy people’s hearts may surprise you:
>52% had some atherosclerosis
>Atherosclerosis was present in 85% of those older than 50
>17% of teenagers had atherosclerosis
No one had symptoms, and very few had severe narrowings in any arteries.
This was very early disease, detectable only by special tests.
If you’re 40 and generally healthy, you have about a 50% chance of developing serious atherosclerosis in your lifetime.
The risk goes up as you get older.
The majority of adults older than 60 have some atherosclerosis but often don’t have noticeable symptoms.
There is good news.
Rates of death from atherosclerosis have fallen by 25% from 30 years ago.
This is thanks to both better lifestyles and improved treatments.
Atherosclerosis is progressive, but it’s also preventable.
To deal with atherosclerosis and get heart healthy at home it’s beneficial to:
*Drink 6-8 cups of purified water daily to hydrate and flush toxins.
*Increase exercise and movement as much as possible.
*Increase stress and relaxation techniques: yoga, meditation, prayer, deep breathing, etc. Consider energy medicine.
*Address emotional connections.
*Increase fresh air, sunshine, connect with nature.
*Increase essential fats (flax oil, olive oil, Omega-3 oils).
*Increase fresh, raw fruits and veggies (organic when possible).
*Consider fresh juicing; consume fresh garlic and onions.
*Increase fiber intake; ensure good bowel function; avoid constipation; consider liver and/or colon cleanse.
*Consider an arterial cleansing program.
*Investigate use of herbs (hawthorn, valerian).
*Monitor blood pressure, cholesterol, triglyceride and homocysteine levels.
*Decrease toxic exposures of all kinds (food and environmental).
*Decrease “hidden allergies”.
*Decrease any and all hydrogenated, trans fats, deep-fried foods, margarine, fast foods, etc.
*Decrease sugar, sweets, white flour products, processed foods.
*Understand and control diabetes.
*Avoid tobacco, alcohol, caffeine, soda pop.
*Decrease stress.
*Decrease excess weight, particularly around your mid-section.
*Understand your medications and possible side effects.
*Understand your family history and address any concerns. Practice preventive measures.
*Investigate possible connection to dental procedures; consult a holistic dentist.
*Eliminate MSG and all artificial sweeteners as they are neurotoxins.
*Decrease processed meats, deli meats (nitrates).
If you’re dealing with atherosclerosis, try these (100% money-back guarantee):
It’s essential to use: VitaLea, Protein, CoQHeart, B-Complex, VitalMag, Garlic, Vivix.
It’s important to use: Vitamin E, OmegaGuard, Lecithin, Mental Acuity, Vitamin D, Vitamin C, Alfalfa.
It’s beneficial to use: Stress Relief Complex, CarotoMax, FlavoMax, Optiflora, Cholesterol Reduction Complex.
email: lenay@dickandlenay.com
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