The Journal of the American Medical Association reported in the April 15th  issue of 1998 that properly prescribed drugs were the 4th leading cause of death in U.S. Hospitals.

Statistics about heart disease confirm that  the largest selling class of drugs, statins (cholesterol lowering) ones, do not prevent or significantly reduce coronary heart disease. Fully half of those who have heart attacks have “normal cholesterol” of 150 to 200. In spite of abundant studies on heart disease that demonstrate alternatives surpass and trump drug treatments…drugs remain the most popular.

Okay, how do you treat coronary heart disease? The most successful statistics about heart disease come from alternative heart doctors like board certified cardiologist Dr. Stephen Sinatra and Dr. Bruce West. They  rely on supplements and emphasized whole food rather than drugs.

Numerous posts on this blog detail the best in diet and supplements…Denis Van Loan D.D.S.

P.S. If you agree or disagree or would like to add information please scroll down and add a comment.

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1. Reduce inflammation and 2.  pay attention to diet.

Diet is really the key. The wrong diet, mostly excesses of sugar, salt, red meats, animal and trans fats plus a lack of raw, fresh vegetables and fruits is the problem. Poor diets cause inflammation.   Enzymes, anti-oxidant flavenoids, polyphenols and phytonutrients are often destroyed by man’s adulteration…cooking,  canning and preserving.

There are 3000 known enzymes that benefit the body, many are destroyed at only 126 degrees Fahrenheit. There are over 4000 flavenoids (anti-oxidants that color vegetables & fruit) that reduce free radical damage and inflammation.  Other phytonutrients, many with unknown properties and importance, come only in the fresh, raw fruits,  vegetables, and nuts. They provide and facilitate assimilation of essential nutrients.

Statistics about heart disease at research centers  like Harvard University and John Hopkins University demonstrate heart health is associated with diet and not cured with drugs. Drugs can relieve signs and symptoms of heart disease but do not fix the root problems. Supplements that replace deficiencies, along with raw foods, do co-relate to reduced heart attack and heart disease symptoms…Denis Van Loan D.D.S.

P.S. Please scroll down and leave a comment if you agree, disagree or would like to add to the information.

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Numerous studies now confirm this fact.  A recent 27 year study on seniors (those past 65) finds heart failure has increased by 131%.  More alarming is the statistic that death by stroke is double in those with heart failure. Inflammation is the common finding.

The inflammation relationship to heart disease and heart failure is now well documented. Recent statistics of heart disease confirm this. Here are some scientific studies that support the treacherous effect of inflammation in heart disease:

• Rheumatoid arthritis patients have twice the risk of heart failure compared to the healthy population. Rheumatism is clearly an inflammatory disease.
• Diabetes 2 is clearly propelled by inflammation and causes death by heart disease in over 60% of the subjects.  Source: Diabetes Association
• UCLA recently reported brain shrinkage in the hippocampus increased along with the increase of heart failure.  This was associated with inflammation as measured by the TNF marker.
• Subjects with abd0minal fat , a major source of inflammatory cytokine, TNF-alpha, demonstrated a higher rate of heart failure.
• Dietary foods that produce low grade inflammation (such as  wheat, dairy products and excess sugar…commonly found in many people) increase the incidence of heart failure and heart disease.
• Toxins and foreign substances like heavy metals and pesticides are associated with increased inflammation and subsequent heart failure and heart disease.

What does vitamin D have to do with heart disease and reduced inflammation? Vitamin D-3 is a potent immune builder.  It acts as a neurotransmitter that in recent study after study powerfully builds immunity.  Lower cancer, influenza, arthritis and various inflammatory diseases are documented in numerous research studies.

Heart disease can now be added to the list of diseases that are suppressed by vitamin D-3. How can we be sure it helps heart disease by reducing inflammation?

More than one study has shown vitamin D-3 reduces the inflammatory marker (cytokine) TNF-alpha in the blood.  Additionally the anti-inflammatory cytokine called IL-10 is increased with higher levels of vitamin D-3. Vitamin D-3 reduces inflammation, period.

It is noteworthy that patients suffering from congestive heart failure have the lowest levels of vitamin D-3 in the blood.

A study cited by Dr. Russell Blaylock demonstrated a 222% higher risk of death from heart disease when low blood levels of vitamin D-3 were compared to high blood level patients. The study followed 737 people for approximately 8 years.  Here were some indicators associated with inflammation:

• Higher oxidative stress (free radicals, hungry for electrons cause this)
• Higher CRP (C-Reactive Protein is a classic blood marker for inflammation)
• Lower glutathione levels  (Glutathione is one of the most potent anti-oxidants that reduces free radical damage and inflammation)

Studies and statistics about heart disease that accompany inflammation need to be heeded.

A German, double blind study on 123 patients with serious congestive heart failure were all given 1000 mg of calcium and half the group was also given 2000 IU of vitamin D-3.  (note:  calcium is necessary in muscle function and vitamin D-3 takes calcium from the blood and puts it into bone…less available to muscle) Here are the results of the test:

• Vitamin D-3 supplemented subjects had a 43% increase in the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 (after 9 months of supplementation)  The non supplemented vitamin D-3 group saw no change.
• TNF-alpha (the inflammatory marker) did not change in the vitamin D supplemented group. The group without the vitamin D supplementation increased the levels of  inflammatory TNF-alpha by 12%.

Comment:  Typically in heart failure cases the TNF-alpha progessively increases.  At first glance it appears that vitamin D did not benefit the levels of TNF-alpha.  It did help, it did stop progression but it did not reverse the existing levels of TNF…Denis Van Loan D.D.S.

P.S.  Leave a comment if this information was of value to you… or if you disagree with it.  If you liked it…send a friend to this blog.  Thanks

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Billions and billions of dollars are spent every year in the United States on health care. (Actually over 2 trillion dollars now) The U.S.A. is arguably on the cutting edge of innovation  and health research; yet we have terrible longevity compared to the rest of the world. Cancer has increased in spite of 70 billion dollars spent on research since president Nixon. We are 5 % of the world’s population yet we consume approximately 50% of the world’s prescription drugs.

Multiple sources confirm this fact of poor health and longevity in the U.S.A.

The World Health Organization says that U.S. residents are 31st in the world in their lifespans.  The United Nations report says that we are only 38th in longevity.  The United States census itself says the very worst…we are only 42nd in lifespans.

The health care system is now dominated by huge drug companies that have influenced medical doctors, the senate and legislature as well as the public. There are proven alternatives for health care that get squashed.

Statistics accumulated by creditable research, in multiple studies, clearly demonstrate that cholesterol lowering alone does not significantly reduce heart disease. Two thirds of those on cholesterol lowering drugs (70% according to cardiologist Dr. Stephen Sinatra) are in heart failure.  Statistics on heart failure demonstrate that within 5 years, inadequate cardiac output means death.

A large, well controlled study found half the people who had heart attacks had normal cholesterol. (150 to 200 levels). Inflammation in a Mayo Clinic study (and other studies) clearly demonstrated that inflammation in the blood highly co-related to the incidence of heart attack.  Cholesterol, in the LDL form, with inflammation, then attaches to the artery linings raising the incidence of heart attack and coronary heart disease.

Another study demonstrated that after age 75 life expectancy was higher with high cholesterol. This can be explained by the fact that lowering cholesterol reduces the production of vitamin D, takes out an essential coenzyme (CoQ-10) and reduces the steroidal hormones like testosterone, estrogens and cortisol.  All of the aforementioned naturally decline with age already…Denis Van Loan D.D.S.

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• Chest Pain, often radiating to the left arm or jaw
• Difficult getting enough breath
• Nausea and dizziness
• Irregular heart beat
• Fatigue and tiredness without good reason

Womens symptoms for heart disease seem less pronounced. They are more subtle.   They often include:

• listlessness and fatigue…without a good cause
• difficulty sleeping, in spite of fatigue
• anxiety without a good reason
• breathing problems
• indigestion

It is a known fact in medical circles that women’s symptoms for heart disease are not the same as they are for men. There is also confusion and disagreement among experts as to why.  Premenopausal women have fewer heart attacks than men of the same age.

Post menopausal, women’s statistics about heart disease tend to better mirror those of men, especially with increasing age. Some argue that a lower iron level due to blood loss at menstruation is an influencing factor.  Post menopausal women more closely parallel the statistics about heart disease of men.  Hormones?

Some believe the difference in hormones is a chief factor. Some just think that womens symptoms for heart disease  that are different are not accurately considered in the diagnosis.

Some argue that the diagnosis is easily missed because heart disease symptoms are stereotyped as a man’s problem. Maybe it is all of the above.

Heart Disease Symptoms That May Signal Heart Attack:

• Crushing chest pain…often radiating to arm, jaw and back, especially on the left side
• Shortness of breath
• Cold sweat
• Pale, cold skin
• Nausea
• Wooziness or faint feeling

These symptoms are more dramatic and should not be ignored, especially when clustered together.  You don’t want to be in denial or ignore the symptoms….consult you medical doctor! Your life may be at stake…Denis Van Loan D.D.S.

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Bruce West, M.D., reports on Harvard research that shows that vitamin K-2 is probably the best anti-plaque builder. Why? Vitamin K-2 sends the calcium from the blood into the bones instead of into the soft tissues. Drug companies would like you to believe that statistics about heart disease are related to the blood cholesterol… not true.

While calcium and cholesterol are the major components in arterial plaque, it is inflammation that attacks the cholesterol and it is K-2 that prevents the accumulation of calcium in blood vessels.

Statistics about heart disease show that it is the number one killer in the western world and the number one ultimate cause of heart disease is atherosclerosis. Vitamin K-2, found in butter fat, is a positive factor in heart disease prevention and the presence of cholesterol in butter fat is a non factor…Denis Van Loan D.D.S.

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Other statistics about heart disease that get little attention are that of diet and fast food. According to Eric Schlosser in Fast Food Nation, he says that $110 billion was spent in 2001on fast food.  This means high levels of trans fats and sodium (salt) and deficiencies of raw vegetables and fruit are substitutes for diets that are proven to decrease heart disease risk…Denis Van Loan D.D.S.

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