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Are you at risk for inflammation that could lead to heart disease?
July 18 , 2005 by Doctor FitnessC-reactive protein is a measure of inflammation in your artery walls. The higher the CRP, as detected by a simple blood test, the higher the inflammation and likelihood of health problems.
Studies are examining links between inflammation and medical conditions such as Alzheimer's disease and cancer. Two of the latest, published in January in the New England Journal of Medicine, found that reducing inflammation lowers the risk of heart attack, stroke and cardiovascular disease at least as much as reducing cholesterol. Read the full article here.
Doctor Fitness Talks
They are finally getting closer to the cause of coronary artery disease. Inflammation, like high cholesterol, is only a symptom of the cause, not the cause itself.
I am not a medical doctor; regardless, this information might be helpful to you and your doctor.
Inflammation, how the blood clots, and infection are all symptoms of heart disease. Using just CRP as a measurement of artery disease is just as important or more important than overall cholesterol. Inflammation is the first stage in artery disease, followed by infection, repair processes, and clotting factors.
Inflammation, stage 1, is the result of an irritant. Many researchers feel that the irritant may be chronic elevated insulin levels. Over stimulation of cell receptors (i.e. doorway for substrates to enter and leave the cell) results in irritation of the cell membrane. This makes it more difficult for nutrients to enter and feed the cell and get rid metabolic waste (i.e. metabolic waste from cellular respiration are in the form of acids: Texas Heart Institute – says that 70% of all heart attacks are from vulnerable plaque not a blocked artery from calcium build up. Vulnerable plaque show the presence of higher temperature – this occurs with infection – and a low pH - acid).
Accumulation of the acids without efficient waste disposal leads to the cell’s running fast and hot eventually leading to the death of the cell. The immune system then goes to work, sending out cytokines that stick to the damaged dead cell. The cytokines stimulate monocytes (white blood cells) that go to work battling bacteria and keep the microbes from ravishing more cells more quickly than the repair process can take place. Repeat irritation of neighboring cells causes the same process to occur over and over until enough debris and damage have taken place that can be officially be called heart disease (coronary artery disease).
So what is the reason?
The debate into what is the cause of artery disease has been going on for some time. Many experts will claim that there is no one single cause, but a multitude of causes, that leads to heart disease. I believe heart disease is like every other disease. Heart disease is caused when cells within the lining of the artery struggle to make energy and have a difficult time removing the waste (acids) produced during energy production.
The body is like a galaxy!
There are over 60 trillion cells in the body. Each communicates information to its neighbor, each talking constantly letting the other know what it is doing. The cells in our bodies are like separate living entities, much like the stars within our galaxy and the galaxy within our universe. When our cells are healthy, we are healthy. When our cells are sick, we are sick. It is that simple and that complex. Think about our solar system – if there were no Jupiter nor larger outer planets, it would be very possible that we would not have life on earth, bombarded by outer intrastellular debris.
Coronary artery disease begins when one cell in the artery becomes sick. It no longer can effectively make energy (ATP) and remove waste, so it dies. So the surrounding cells pick up the work-load and continue the communication to the nearest neighbor.
What is a high acid lifestyle?
High acid lifestyle or attitude is caused by the lack of exercise, bad nutrition and stress, each contributing in its own way to make us sick.
The cause of coronary disease like many diseases today is due to our high acid (low pH) lifestyles. Each of us has a built in system of cells that goes to work getting rid of dead cells that have been damaged by our lifestyle. It is this system that returns us to dust once we die.
Lets start with exercise
I love to exercise. It energizes me. It makes me feel young. I don’t understand why so many people avoid doing it. Exercise oxygenates the cells, it improves the removal of cellular waste, which if sluggish causes disease. Each time the muscles contract, it pushes junk out and when miscles relax fresh clean oxygenated blood enters. Life is good. So exercising is essential. DO IT!!!!
Eat to live!! Don’t live to eat!!
I am sure that you have heard this before. Unfortunately, most do the opposite: they live to eat, not eat to live. In other words, food is much more than the taking in of the necessities of life, but rather the need to eat to satisfy the addiction of the food itself. Many people are food addicts and don’t know it. Like drugs, the first step in breaking the addiction is to admit you have a problem. Changing the attitude by realizing the addiction is a step forward, a step to solving the weight issue.
Supplements that are helpful
My own personal experience has shown that certain nutritional supplements really do help with eating disorders. L-Theanine is one of them. It is great stuff! Another is L-Glutamine. This amino acid has been successful in drug and alcohol rehab. It helps to satisfy the brain receptor that is connected to both eating and substance abuse problems. If I were to pick, I would chose L-Theanine. It works well and it works quickly! Remember: supplements help. They won’t do what they can if you insist on eating the same way.
Change your attitude. Contact Dr. Lance Dreher, Ph.D for an assessment. Dr. Dreher’s assessment cost is $99.00. If you do the program it will be applied to the cost of joining.
Visit pH-aT Living for Doctor Fitness' Newsletter and other health articles. For more information about Lance Dreher, visit The Fitness Institute.
Lance Dreher is a frequent contributor to East Valley Living and his articles are regularly featured in Health/Doctor Fitness Talks.
