THE GOOD NEWS:  REVERSING HEART DISEASE 

 

Everyday, nearly 2,600 Americans die of some type of cardiovascular disease, averaging one death every 34 seconds.  Another staggering statistic is that nearly 7.1 million Americans have had a heart attack during their lifetime. Those lucky to survive often have another heart attack later on in their life.  However, this does not need to be the norm.  Eating habits and other lifestyle factors play a major role in the risk of developing heart disease.  Surprisingly, heart disease can generally be prevented and even reversed!

 

 Atherosclerosis is the most common form of heart disease.  Plaques of cholesterol and other substances, very similar to small tumors, form in the artery walls and eventually the passageway for blood flow becomes clogged. The term “sclerosis” actually means hardening, and to give you an explicit visualization – a viscous, yellow, hardened, life-taking, plaque.  This restricts blood flow which in turn means less oxygenation for the heart muscle.  Oxygen is vital for the heart to function.  When it is not in abundance, chest pain (angina) occurs, usually following exercise or excitement.  When the blood supply is completely cut off, a part of the heart muscle actually dies.  This is known as a heart attack, or the medical term: myocardial infarction.  

 

Let’s make it clear; atherosclerosis is not caused by old age.  When battlefield casualties were examined during the Korean and Vietnam wars, American soldiers had significant atherosclerosis at only 18 or 20 years of age.  Their Asian counterparts, raised on a diet consisting mainly of rice and vegetables had much healthier arteries.  Older people are more likely to have heart problems than their younger populace because they have had more time to indulge in unhealthy eating habits, not because they have a hereditary tendency towards heart disease.  Usually, the problem is not due to genetics, but to poor eating and smoking habits.  Surprisingly, only about 5% of the population has a true genetic tendency towards heart disease.  Unfortunately, we can’t just blame it on our genes, unless we are part of that scant 5%.

 

What is Cholesterol?  Cholesterol is not the same as fat.  If you had a bit of cholesterol in your hand, it would look like wax.  Your liver manufactures cholesterol and sends it out to be used in the production of hormones and cell membranes and in other parts of the body.  Cholesterol levels are measured in milligrams (mg) of cholesterol per deciliter (dl) of blood serum.  Based on the results of the Framingham Heart Study, and other research, the ideal level appears to be below 150 mg/dl.  At this point, coronary artery disease is very unlikely.  Sadly to say, nearly 107 million American have cholesterol levels over 200 with the average level for coronary artery disease victims being 225.   Astoundingly, the Federal Government’s recommended maximum cholesterol level is still as high as 200.

 

Let’s discuss the different types of cholesterol.  When cholesterol is transported in the bloodstream, it is packed into low-density lipoproteins (LDL) also referred to as “Bad Cholesterol”.  Although LDL is necessary in limited quantities, a high LDL cholesterol level can dramatically increase your risk of a heart attack.

 

When cholesterol is released from dead cells, it is picked up for disposal in another kind of package called high-density lipoproteins (HDL), also referred to as the “Good Cholesterol”.  When doctors measure cholesterol levels, they first look at the total cholesterol as a good quick guide to assess a person’s total risk.  For a more exact guide, they divide the total level by the HDL level.  The ratio of total cholesterol to HDL should ideally be less than 4 to 1.  Unfortunately, the average American male’s ratio is much higher than that at 5.0 to 1.  Vegetarians on the other hand average only about 2.8 to 1.3.  Smoking and obesity appear to lower HDL (good cholesterol), but HDL can be raised by vigorous exercise and foods which are rich in vitamin C.

 

How to lower your Cholesterol.  Our bodies make plenty of cholesterol for our needs, so we don’t need to add any in our diets.  Cholesterol is found in all foods that come from animals:  red meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk, cheese, yogurt and every other meat and daily product.  Choosing lean cuts of meat is not enough; the cholesterol is mainly found in the lean portion.  Believe it or not, chicken contains as much cholesterol as beef.  A four (4 oz) serving of beef or chicken contains 100 milligrams of cholesterol.  Every 100 mg of cholesterol in your daily diet adds roughly 5 points to your cholesterol level.  This does vary from person to person.  In practical terms, 100 mg of cholesterol is contained in 4 oz. of beef or chicken, half an egg, or 3 cups of milk. 

 

Cholesterol levels can dramatically be reduced by changing the foods we eat.  Decrease fat intake, especially saturated fats.  Keeping your total fat intake low is an important way to lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of other chronic diseases.  Foods such as animal products, especially meat, ice cream, cheese, fried foods, margarine, vegetable oil, mayonnaise and many deserts are all loaded with FAT.  The most important piece of information to look for is the percentage of calories from FAT.  Even in the leanest cuts of beef, about 30% of the calories come from FAT.  Skinless chicken is nearly as high, at 23%.  Even without the skin, chicken is never truly a low-fat food.  Most cheeses contain 60 to 80% of calories from FAT and premium ice cream often contains 45 to 65% of calories from fat.  Butter, margarine, and oils of all types are typically 95 to 100% of calories for FAT.  The best oils to use are Canola and olive oil.

 

However, grains, beans, vegetables and fruit have comfortably less than 10% of their calories coming from FAT.  Animal products also contain saturated fat, which causes the liver to produce more Cholesterol.  A vegetarian diet is the best way to keep saturated fat intake low and to avoid cholesterol completely.

 

Along with a low saturated fat diet, it is essential to boost your fiber intake.  A high fiber diet has been proven to reduce the risk of heart attack and other cardiovascular diseases.  Eating at least 10 grams of soluble fiber daily has been shown to reduce LDL cholesterol by about 5%.  Foods that contain high soluble fiber include oatmeal, whole oats, and legumes, as well as fruits which are rich in the soluble fiber pectin.  They will help decrease harmful LDL cholesterol levels and reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease. 

If you’re faced with high cholesterol or cardiovascular disease you need to think carefully about what you eat as it could have a major impact on your condition.  Making changes such as substituting low-fat products for full-fat ones, cutting the amount of saturated fat in your diet,  choosing low-fat dairy foods instead of high-fat varieties, using monounsaturated oils,  increasing your intake of omega-3 fatty acids and increasing your intake of fiber can all be beneficial and lifesaving. 

 

The Lancet, in 1990, published the findings of Dean Ornish, M.D., who demonstrated that heart disease can actually be reversed without medicines.   Until then most doctors were not even attempting to reverse heart disease, even though it was, as it is now, the most common cause of death.  Most believed that the plaques of cholesterol and other substances that clog the arteries to the heart would not go away.  Dr. Ornish tested the theory that a more potent diet, along with other lifestyle changes, might actually reverse heart disease.

 

  He selected patients who had plaques that were clearly visible on angiograms and split the patients into two groups.  Half were referred to a control group in which they received the standard care that doctors prescribe for heart problems.  The other half began a vegetarian diet in which less than 10 percent of calories were contributed by fat.  They were also asked to begin a program of modest exercise and learned to manage stress through a variety of simple techniques.  Smoking was not permitted.  The patients had previously been struggling with the crushing chest pain of heart disease, but “most of them became essentially pain-free,” Dr. Ornish said, “even though they were doing more activities, going back to work, and doing things that they hadn’t been able to do, in some cases, for years.”  Not only did their cholesterol levels drop dramatically, but after a year, 82 percent of the patients who followed Dr. Ornish’s program showed measurable reversal of their coronary artery blockages.  The plaques were starting to dissolve with no medications, no surgery, and no side effects. 

 

In closing, you can certainly help reverse heart disease by adopting a low-fat, vegetarian diet, by increasing your fiber intake, and incorporating daily physical exercise to your health regimen.  Smoking and managing your stress are also two contributing factors that directly can influence your overall heart health.  Your heart, just like your bicep, is a muscle.  You need to treat it as such by strengthening it, and supplying it with the vital oxygen it needs to live.  You only have one heart, one body and one life, take care of it, by taking care of you. 

Antoinette is a fitness consultant specializing in small group and senior fitness. Antoinette provides her clients with the knowledge, support and motivation necessary to get to the next level of physical as well as mental, emotional and spiritual fitness.  Call today to make an appointment for you FREE fitness evaluation and consultation by phone.  We would be happy to assist in matching you up with a program that is right for you.  Contact me at 908-902-1207.