Heart disease has been a personal issue for me because my greatest hero dealt with it in his mid-thirties. His name was Ben Ellingson, but I will always call my grandfather “Pap.”

 

He was the epitome of a man’s man—an avid farmer, bull rider, and rodeo champion. He was my champion, too. Pap was highly active, had a strong work ethic, and was an exemplary husband, father, and friend. It was 1950, and he and his family (including my mother) lived in Palm Springs, California, where Pap worked as a horse breeder and trainer.

 

Because of the amount of time he spent breeding horses, he had not been able to work on the farm and compete in rodeos as he once did, and he was getting no daily exercise. After several years, he decided to move his breeding and farming operation to Tennessee. He drove out ahead of the family to make the necessary preparations for the move. As he was driving back to California to pick up the family, he stopped in Arizona for the night. Sitting in a hotel room and exhausted from the long drive, he began to feel a pain in his chest that slowly crept down his left arm. The next thing he knew, he was lying in a hospital bed having suffered from a major heart attack. At only thirty-six years old, how could this be?

 

He was moved to St. Thomas Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee, to be put under the supervision of Dr. Thomas Frist Sr., a world-renowned heart specialist. After careful monitoring in the hospital for a month, Dr. Frist released him, but strictly warned him to not do anything strenuous. He was to stay indoors, never exert himself, and be on a restrictive diet for the rest of his life! These orders were not unusual, but rather were the standard way of thinking at the time in regard to heart attack survivors.

 

He returned to his new home in Loretto, Tennessee, a five-hundred-acre farm complete with cattle, horses, peacocks, and chickens. Stay indoors and in bed? That just wasn’t Pap’s style. The next morning at five o’clock, he began milking the cows, rounding up cattle, and feeding the chickens. This was his routine every day, and his strength slowly returned to him a little more each morning. He also had the benefit an all-organic diet because everything the family ate was raised or grown on the farm (of course, my granny’s world-famous cooking didn’t hurt, either). Once a month, he went to see Dr. Frist for a checkup. Just one year after his heart attack, the doctors were amazed at the state of his overall health. His heart had reduced in size and was no longer swollen, his arteries were clean, and his blood pressure was within the ideal range.

 

My grandfather’s story of extraordinary recovery became a landmark study and sparked research on heart health and the power of an organic diet and exercise. My Pap life styled his way out of his health crisis. He could have listened to the doctors and sat idly by as his life slipped away. But he chose to overcome. He set the standard for the importance that the medical field places on exercise, lifestyle, and diet choices for heart health today.

It’s next to impossible to find anyone who has not lost a friend or loved one to heart disease—it is the second leading killer in the United States. Carefully monitoring risk factors, knowing your genetic tendencies, and keep­ing the heart healthy with proper diet and exercise are absolutely critical.

 

There are several real risk factors for heart disease to consider. In the 1970s, an amino acid called homocysteine was discovered, which is thought to be one of the culprits behind heart disease. Homocysteine is a by-product of methio­nine, an amino acid found in luncheon meats and high-fat pork products such as bacon, bologna, sausage, ham, and hot dogs. Studies found that high levels of homocysteine produced high levels of arterial plaque formation.

 

Elevated blood levels of homocysteine have been linked to increased risk of premature coronary artery disease, stroke, and thromboembolism (venous blood clots), even among people who have normal cholesterol levels. Abnormal homocysteine levels appear to contribute to heart disease in at least three ways: a direct toxic effect that damages the cells lining the inside of the arteries, interference with clotting factors, and oxidation of low-density lipoproteins (LDL), or good cholesterol.

 

As mentioned earlier, it is believed that high levels of homocysteine pro­duce high levels of arterial plaque formation. But it is quite simple to natu­rally correct high levels of arterial plaque formation. Two ways to achieve this are through food choices—whole eggs are a good option—and supplements such as vitamin B6, vitamin B12, lecithin, and folic acid. Vitamins B6, and B12, and folic acid convert homocysteine back to methionine and help elimi­nate it from the body. Whole eggs contain coline, which removes plaque off the walls of the arteries. Lecithin liquefies fat and removes it from the body.

 

Heart attacks have also long been associated with high cholesterol levels. The theory is that if you eat foods high in cholesterol, you will have high blood cholesterol levels, and this will cause you to have a heart attack. However, this theory is not necessarily true. Cholesterol is a modified fat called sterol, which mimics a wax more than it does a fat or oil. Your liver naturally produces cho­lesterol, and as mentioned earlier, if you tried to eliminate it from your diet, your body would simply produce it on its own. Researchers and doctors cite high cholesterol as the main cause for heart disease, but eating cholesterol does not necessarily cause high levels of cholesterol.

 

There are plenty of natural ways to lower your cholesterol level to a healthy range, which is generally around 200. One of the chief ways to keep your cholesterol at this level is to avoid hydrogenated oils. Canola oil is a prime example—when canola oil is heated and a hydrogen atom is added (a catalyst called nickel commonly found in cookware), the product becomes solid. It is important to note that nothing in nature eats hydrogenated fat except humans. It is extremely toxic and is labeled on food items as trans fats; that’s why it is important to read all food labels.

 

In 2006 the FDA required food companies to list the presence or absence of trans fats in their products, and the amount of trans fat present. A word of caution: The phrase “zero trans fats” does not ensure that the product is totally free of trans fats. If there is any mention of hydrogenated oils or partially hydrogenated oils, that product does contain some form of trans fat. Even in small amounts, hydrogenated oils are not recommended. As a matter of fact, just 1.5 milligrams of hydrogenated oil is enough to change our bodies’ cellu­lar structure and DNA.

 

 

• Red yeast rice—200 milligrams daily

• Vitamin B-3 (niacin)—1,000 milligrams daily

• Co-Q-10—1 milligram per pound of body weight

• Vitamin C—1,000 to 3,000 milligrams daily

• Selenium—100 micrograms daily

 

Experts in the field of health and the majority of Americans now recognize that high blood pressure is almost always a precursor to both strokes and heart attacks. In fact, hypertension (high blood pressure) is the number one reason patients visit their physicians, and the treatment of hypertension is responsible for the single highest use of prescription drugs.

 

It seems that patient awareness of hypertension is on the rise; 85 percent of the adult population in the United States has their blood pressure taken regularly.Blood pressure is the force your arteries use to push blood through the arteries and venous system. This process is analogous to a water hose—if the hose is larger than the amount of water flowing through it, water does not back up. However, if the hose is smaller than the force of water attempting to go through it, the water cannot move through freely, and begins to build back up. In the human heart, when vascular resistance increases, the heart must work harder to overcome this resistance. As a result, the blood backs up much like the water in the narrow hose, and this causes hypertension.

 

Over the years, medical experts have argued over exactly what level of high blood pressure is too high. After years of research to discover at what blood pressure the body begins to exhibit adverse effects, a 1988 report of the Joint National Committee on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure reported that blood pressure above or equal to 140/90 is considered to be high. This does not mean, however, that if your blood pres­sure is 139/89, you are not at risk.

 

When going to the doctor to have your blood pressure checked, you are typically given numbers that represent how well your heart is functioning, such as 140/90, which is a higher than average blood pressure range. To under­stand the meaning of these numbers, you need to understand the beating cycle of the heart. The heart has two basic phases—systole and diastole. In the diastole phase, the heart relaxes and fills with blood. This corresponds to the number on the bottom, or 90 in this example. In the systole phase, the heart squeezes and pumps the blood into the arteries. This corresponds to the number on top, or 140. As blood is forced through the venous system, the measurement is 140. Between beats, or in the resting phase, the pressure is 90.

 

When a person is diagnosed with high blood pressure, health insurance rates soar. That means this problem not only affects you—it also affects your wallet. High blood pressure, high cholesterol, and high triglycerides cause insurance rates to increase because insurance companies do not want to offer coverage to unhealthy people. Insurance companies see such individuals as “walking time bombs.”

 

Insurance companies have a valid reason to hike rates after a high blood pressure diagnosis—blood pressure is statistically linked to life expectancy. The following statistics show just how critical the correlation is between blood pres­sure and the length of your life:

 

At age thirty-five: If your blood pressure is 120/80, you are expected to live forty-one more years. If your blood pressure is 150/100, you are expected to live twenty-five more years.

 

At age forty-five: If your blood is 120/80, you are expected to live about thirty-two more years. If your blood pressure is 150/100, you are expected to live another twenty-three years.

 

At age fifty-five: If your blood pressure is 150/100, you are expected to live only seventeen more years.

 

Statistics like these scare countless people into doctors’ offices for pills to fix their problems, but there is good news—you do not have to take prescrip­tion drugs to lower your blood pressure. The greatest medicine you can ever use is food. Food is powerful; it can completely change the biochemistry in your body. Instead of turning to a pill to fix your problems, turn to your lifestyle choices. Change the way you view things; change the way you do things; change your habits to include exercise; begin to do things that will affect your health positively. 

 

Fiber is an excellent weapon against high blood pressure. The U.S. recom­mended daily allowance of fiber is thirty grams per day, but most of us do not take in even half of the recommended amount. Monitor how much fiber you actually consume and you will be shocked—the Western diet is dangerously deficient in fiber.

 

Studies show that people who increase their dietary fiber experience a decrease in blood pressure. One study took 300 health food store customers— shoppers who were already health conscious—and increased their dietary fiber by 100 grams per week. The results showed a 3 to 4 mm difference in both systolic and diastolic pressures.

 

People suffering from diabetes often have hypertension. In a research pro­gram, twelve diabetic men were placed on a special diet for two weeks. They consumed raw fruits, raw vegetables, and three times their normal dietary intake of fiber. After only two weeks, the men showed a 50 percent increase in potassium levels.

 

Researchers also changed the diet of thirty-two subjects so that 62 percent of their caloric intake came from raw foods. In less than seven months, the average diastolic blood pressure of the group dropped by 17.8 mm.That is a significant decrease, which should give hope to all sufferers of high blood pressure.

 

If you begin to make dietary changes today—regardless of your blood pressure level—it won’t be necessary to continue taking pills for the rest of your life, as you’ve likely been told. Dietary fiber should be increased to the recommended level of forty grams per day. This can be accomplished by eat­ing whole grain, high-fiber cereals or through using natural fiber supple­ments. Remember, you have eaten your way into the condition you are now in, and you can eat your way out.

 

Nuts stand out as a powerhouse of nutrition and are an effective way to main­tain good heart health. Studies have shown that eating 20 percent of your daily caloric intake in pistachio nuts can dramatically increase your levels of HDL cholesterol (the good cholesterol), and lower triglyceride levels by a remarkable 26 percent. The amazing part is that this drop was accomplished in just three weeks.It’s worthwhile to include nuts as a part of a healthy heart regimen such as almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, brazil nuts, cashews, and macadamia nuts. However, avoid peanuts due to a highly allergenic mold found in most of them.

 

Hypertensive patients typically possess low intake levels of vitamins A, C, and potassium. Alterations in calcium metabolism have also been implicated as a primary factor in the development of hypertension. Hypertensive patients also tend to excrete more calcium in their urine, thus increasing their dietary needs. So it is essential that people with hypertension add supplements to counteract the depletion of calcium.

 

Supplements not only treat the effects of hypertension on the body, but can also serve as a way to overcome the condition. One study concluded that the use of the following supplements significantly lowered blood pressure: Vitamin B complex (consisting of 50 milligrams of thiamine, 40 milligrams of riboflavin, 200 milligrams of pantothenate, and 200 milligrams of nico­tinic acid), and 50 milligrams of lipoic acid. These supplements lowered blood levels of saturated fatty acids, while increasing polyunsaturated fatty acids, in as little as ten days.

 

Magnesium helps regulate the function of smooth muscles such as those surrounding arteries at the cellular levels. It is a potent vasodilator, (a sub­stance that reduces blood pressure by relaxing blood vessel walls), and hyper­tension is a symptom of its def iciency. If you look at profiles of most hypertensive people, most have a serious magnesium deficiency. The British Medical Journal reported that when twenty hypertensive patients were given magnesium supplementation for six months, the average blood pressure in the group dropped 12/8 mm—that’s a significant decrease!

 

Coenzyme Q-10 (Co-Q-10) is a well-known nutrient that helps with hypertension. Co-Q-10 is an essential component of the organelles that are responsible for producing cellular energy. (An organelle is to the cell what an organ is to the body; think of them as tiny “cell compartments” that help cells manufacture energy.) Co-Q-10 can be synthesized in the body, but deficien­cies related to hypertension have been reported.When a cardiovascular dis­order develops in the body, organelles and body tissue require increased levels of Co-Q-10 to help fight the disease and maintain energy levels.

 

Here are my recommended supplement protocols to reduce your risk of developing hypertension:

 

 

Being diagnosed with any major disease can be incredibly frightening, and it can make you feel helpless. But you aren’t! Your doctor wants to beat the disease, and now that you have learned some positive steps you can personally take to prevent the onset of a major illness, you can go forward with increased confidence that you know how to help your body defend itself against sickness.