- Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) is the NUMBER ONE PREVENTABLE cause of death in the United States.
- One of the first symptoms of a Myocardial Infarction (Heart Attack) is…death.
- CVD often takes decades to develop.
- Most standard lipid tests (total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL, LDL, VLDL) tell very little about your risk of
developing heart disease. Recent studies show that the subsets of HDL, LDL, and VLDL (number, sizes, and types see image) give a much better assessment of your cardiovascular health. This means that a person can have “NORMAL” cholesterol levels and still be at high risk for CVD. The test I use in my office is the VAP cholesterol test. (Vertical Auto Profile).
- Cholesterol is beneficial. We need it. It helps make up your sex hormones (estrogen, testosterone etc.), absorbs your fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K), insulates nerve cells, and the list of benefits continue.
- Cholesterol is “bad” when it becomes oxidized by free radicals. This happens mainly through inflammation.
Common sources of inflammation are:
- Chronic infections
- Increased phase 1 detoxification in the liver producing free radical intermediates–>phase 2 (if working)–>stool/urine
- Food sensitivities
- Nutritional insufficiencies (most people in the United States are)
- Environmental sensitivities (not necessarily major allergic reactions)- medications, chemicals, molds, pollen, dust etc.
- Genetic challenges in methylation– creates destructive molecules such as homocysteine
- Dehydration
- There are laboratory test available today that expose these problems.
- Unfortunately, too many of today’s healthcare professionals are trained to “wait” until a health problem has progressed to a certain level before giving it medical attention. At this point, your problem is given a name (Myocardial Infarction, Hypertension, etc…). Once “it” has a name, it is given a predetermined treatment, not based on your individual makeup but based on…a book. This is where the field of Functional Medicine shines. My purpose is to identify those subtle and commonly missed causes of ill health in patients currently suffering and prevent their family members from becoming the next victims.
- THE ONLY CURE IS PREVENTION! This is why in our clinic we use genomic testing with our families (adults and children). This test checks for changes in segments of DNA. These changed, called Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms or SNP’s, can give us great insight on the LONG TERM risk factors of CVD. The results of this test also help us to develop a life-long dietary plan based on your genetic needs. For cardiovascular health, I use the Cardiogenomic Plus test by Genova Diagnostics (Sample Report).
- Statins (Lescol, Mevacor, Pravachol, Zocor, Crestor, Lipitor, Caduet) can significantly reduce cellular Co-Q10, a potent anti-oxidant, creating more free radicals.
“The superior doctor prevents sickness; the mediocre doctor attends to impending sickness; the inferior doctor treats actual sickness.”We need the “inferior doctors” when acute sickness/trauma shows, but handing them a chronic condition such as CVD, you might as well book your bypass.
It is inaccurate to apply acute methods (i.e. medication) to chronic conditions. If it were true that medications that helped promote and restore healthy human physiology no one would be sick- right? Unfortunately, that is not the case, only nutrition based on INDIVIDUAL NEEDS is powerful enough to make and keep us healthy.
Suggested reading: Selling Sickness
Also, check out Queen of Hearts Foundation- Educating women on Heart Disease. Help them help others by donating.
If this information helped you, please pass it on to others so they may be helped in the same way.
Dr. Brady Hurst
TrueHealthLabs.com