HEART DISEASE

THE SILENT KILLER

The cardiovascular system consists of a pump, the heart, and several miles of arteries and veins which subdivide eventually into the microscopic capillaries which link to every single cell in the body.  These capillaries carry blood, which supplies building blocks, proteins and fats, to the cells and glucose and oxygen for energy, and takes away waste products and carbon dioxide.  It also circulates the immune white cells to guard against any trouble-makers.  Every cell in the body is dependent upon a correctly functioning cardiovascular system.

Signs that something may be going wrong include raised blood pressure, raised cholesterol levels (especially ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol), blocked arteries, angina, and eventually thrombosis, a heart attack or a stroke.  Heart disease has been called the silent time-bomb because it takes many years for noticeable symptoms to happen and by then a lot of damage has already taken place.  Acute stress can definitely put the cardiovascular system into crisis, and there is a 14-fold increase in heart attacks within the first 24 hours of a bereavement.  In earlier days we might have said that someone died of a broken heart, but the less romantic explanation is probably more accurate - that they suffered severe stress.  We must assume that these people loved their departed ones, because other research has shown that those with unhappy marriages have increased blood pressure directly proportional to the amount of time spent in bed at night with their partner!

Women are frequently complacent about cardiovascular disease as it is, mistakenly, viewed as a man’s disease.  It is while women are menstruating they are protected to a degree by their hormones against the worst effects, but after the menopause the risk for women is identical to that of men. 

ARGUE YOUR WAY TO A HEART ATTACK

One of the main contributors to cardiovascular disease is chronic stress. Arguments, anxiety, tension and repressed emotions all raise adrenaline levels which raises blood pressure by contracting and hardening the arteries over time.  The short term effects of the stress hormones can be felt as increased pulse rate, pounding heart and perhaps veins at the side of the head pulsing.  If this goes on at a more subtle level for a long time, then long term damage to the structure of the cardiovascular system can result.

EAT YOUR WAY TO A HEART ATTACK

Salt can raise blood pressure by increasing the fluid retention in the arteries.  If someone is also under constant pressure and perceives this as stress, then the combination of the stress with a high salt diet can have a devastating effect on their risk of heart disease. 
When we are under a lot of stress, or are anxious or depressed, we will often turn to our favourite ‘props’ - such as alcohol, coffee, tea.  Or we might use over-the-counter medicines to alleviate muscular tension or headaches. 
These substances need to be processed and disarmed by the liver and the liver is critical for the health of the cardiovascular system, in one very important respect - this is where cholesterol is made and processed by the
body.  If there is a problems with raised cholesterol it implies that the liver is not doing its job properly, and may be overloaded by all the substances we tend to take when under increased pressure.  There are many other factors with heart disease including exercise, genetics, smoking, types of fat in the diet and weight.


FACTORS IN CARDIO-VASCULAR DISEASE
(Heart Disease and Strokes)

RISK FACTORS           
                    High blood pressure
                    High levels of LDL cholesterol
                    High homocystein levels

DIETARY FACTORS        
                    Low fruit and vegetable consumption
                    High salt intake
                    Low mineral intake (especially calcium,
                    magnesium, selenium and chromium)
                    Low fibre levels

LIFESTYLE FACTORS      
                    Smoking
                    Lack of exercise
                    Stress

HOW TO REDUCE HEART DISEASE RISK

There are many factors which are associated with lowering the risk of heart attacks and strokes.   The more of them that you can incorporate into your life, whether you are a man or a woman, the greater your chance of avoiding the frightening possibility of paralysis from a stroke or a bypass operation if your arteries fur-up.   Below is a run-down of the most important eating and lifestyle factors to incorporate into your life.  If the list seems a little daunting, it is best to address one at a time.  Just concentrate, for example of eating more fruit, and then begin to add in oily fish and fresh
nuts.  If you change habits slowly in this way, they are more likely to stick, than if you go on a health binge overnight.  And as heart disease takes many years to develop it is important to create lasting habits.

o  Smoking.  Give it up!

o  Fruit, vegetables, beans and salads. We eat an average of three portions daily, and the recommended amount is five.  A portion is an 80 gram serving (one apple, one orange, a dozen large grapes, a cup of cabbage or broccoli). However studies have shown that Mediterranean people who eat around eight portions daily have the lowest amount of heart disease in Europe.  This is even the case when they smoke (which is one of the most important risk factors for heart disease and strokes).

o  Fibre.   We eat only around 9 grams of fibre against the recommended 18 grams daily.   It has been established without question that fibre lowers cholesterol and stabilised blood sugar levels (which when they are rampant are a source of oxidation damage to arteries).  The most valuable fibre to combat heart disease is soluble fibre found in oats, beans, and fruit.  Aim to eat fibre at each meal.  For breakfast you could eat porridge, oatcakes, fruit or baked beans.  For a main meal aim to include a portion of legumes  (beans, lentils, peas) and some fruit.  You can add beans readily to soups, salads, sandwiches, stews or eat them as a side vegetable.  For snacks include high fibre options such as oatcakes, rye crackers and nuts.

o  The most useful fats for thinning blood and building healthy blood vessels are those which are found in oily fish and in fresh nuts.  Eating two or three portions a week of oily fish, against the one portion we typically eat fortnightly, is highly protective.  In the walnut  growing districts of France people who eat more walnuts and use walnut oil have a 25% lowered risk.  Other nuts to eat (raw and unsalted) are Brazil nuts and almonds.  Hydrogenated fats, found in margarines and processed foods, are strongly suspected of being important contributors to the increase in heart disease we have seen since the war.

o  Excess salt is a killer.  You don’t even have to dramatically reduce the amount of table salt you use – 80% of the salt we consume comes from packaged foods, including breads and cereals.  Of course if you are unable to cut back on packaged foods as much as you would like, then you do need to get rid of the salt shaker and use delicious herbs instead.  We eat 9 grams daily and the amount to aim for is 6 grams daily.

o  Exercise is vital for reducing blood fats and exercising the most important muscle in the body – the heart.  If you are currently unfit it is wise to have a check up with your doctor before starting your regime.  Ultimately you will gain most cardiovascular benefit from a minimum of three sessions a week so that your heart pumps faster (but not so fast that you can’t hold a conversation).

o  Stress increases blood pressure by contracting the blood vessels and thickening blood.  Research has shown, for instance, that people who reported marriage problems were more likely to have elevated blood pressure than those
who said they were happy.  If you are under a lot of pressure it is really a good idea to work on how you deal with stress.

o  Cholesterol may be a bit of a red herring in the heart disease stakes.  Unhealthy LDL cholesterol is often raised, but it is does not seem to be the most important factor.   In any event we make 80% of cholesterol in our bodies and going on a low-cholesterol diet has limited effect.  To balance cholesterol it is more important to support liver health by reducing alcohol and coffee to a minimum and eating healthy fats as described above.

o  The above are the real basics of heart health, but there are other important ways in which you can help yourself.  Homocysteine is a highly toxic compound made in the body from a protein building block called methionine.  Around 25% of people are genetically programmed to make too much, and this toxic compound seems to be closely linked to heart disease.  The B-vitamins, folic acid, B6 and B12, have been shown to normalise homocystein levels when taken as supplements (I would suggest at least 25mg of B6 and B12 and 400 mcg of folic acid daily, taken in a single B-complex). 

Vitamin E (between 400-800 ius daily) is a powerful  blood thinner and may well be a good alternative if the more commonly prescribed aspirin is not tolerated because of stomach disturbance (speak to your doctor before stopping aspirin and be cautious about using it at high doses if you are on Warfarin blood thinning medication).  The mineral magnesium is often needed when there are muscle cramps, and heart palpitations are frequently helped by supplementing 300-600 mg daily.  Many people report improved heart health after taking co-enzyme Q10, at doses of around 100 mg daily, and this may be because the heart is the largest store of CoQ10 in the body.  This is because
CoQ10 is used for energy metabolism and the heart is always using energy.  Finally compounds in soya have been shown to be highly protective of the cardiovascular system.  It is not certain if supplements, which have isolated
these substances, are as beneficial as the food itself however and eating 2-4 oz of tofu daily is most likely to be beneficial.


The risks of heart disease can be greatly reduced by focussing on eating a healthy diet, reducing the effects of stress, and exercising.    For more information on how to improve your overall health read The Stress Protection Plan.   Click here for more information.