| If you want to learn your chances of suffering
a heart attack, ask your doctor
to draw blood for C-Reactive Protein
(CRP), the good HDL and the bad
LDL cholesterol, small low-density
lipoprotein, Lp(a), homocysteine.
He will also check your blood
pressure. We used to think that
heart attacks were caused primarily
by plaques accumulating in arteries
because of high cholesterol levels.
Now we know that the inner lining
of an artery must first be roughed
up before plaques form, and infections
are the most common cause of damaged
inner linings of arteries. C-Reactive
Protein is a blood test that measures
inflammation or the swelling that
occurs in arteries before plaques
form. So C-reactive protein is
one of the best indicators that
a person is headed for a heart
attack. Blood cholesterol levels
are still good predictors of heart
attacks. Your bad LDL cholesterol
should be under 100. If you have
had a heart attack, your LDL should
be under 70. Having high blood
levels of a subfraction of the
bad LDL cholesterol called small
LDL increases your risk for a
heart attack. Another test called
homocysteine also predicts heart
attacks. When your diet does not
provide you with adequate amounts
of the vitamins B12, pyridoxine
and folic acid, blood levels of
homocysteine rise, damaging the
walls of the arteries and causing
plaques to form. Lp(a) is a genetic
disorder that causes clots to
form and so is a cause of heart
attacks, particularly in younger
people (men under the age of 40
and women under the age of 60.)
If your C reactive protein is
high, you may need to take Zithromax,
Dynabec, or Biaxin for 9 days.
If your good HDL is low or your
triglycerides are high, you need
to restrict calories and any foods
that cause a high rise in blood
sugar, such as bakery products,
pastas and sugar-added foods;
and eat root vegetables and fruits
only with other foods, not alone
as snacks. You may also need to
take medications. If your bad
LDL cholesterol is high, you need
to restrict saturated fats, partially
hydrogenated fats and calories,
and you may need to take medication.
If your Lp(a) is greater than
40, you need to take the vitamin
niacin after every meal in continually
raising doses until your Lp(a)
is below 40. Diet will not lower
Lp(a). If your homocysteine is
high, you need to avoid meat and
poultry, and eat plenty of whole
grains, leafy green vegetables.
You can meet your needs for vitamin
B12 with seafood and skim milk
dairy products, or with B 12 pills.
If homocysteine remains above
100, you should take folic acid,
pyridoxine and B12 (readily available
in combination pills such as Foltex
or Fol-B.) A heart-healthy diet
and lifestyle makes it possible
for most people to control cholesterol
and blood pressure without drugs.
Dr. Gabe Mirkin has been a radio
talk show host for 25 years and
practicing physician for more
than 40 years; he is board certified
in four specialties, including
sports medicine. Read or listen
to hundreds of his fitness and
health reports at http://www.DrMirkin.com
Free weekly newsletter on fitness,
health and nutrition. |
