LifeCare Chiropractic

The Best Chiropractic Care in Mesa, Arizona

Heart Disease

ALL HEART ATTACKS PATIENTS NEED THIS VITAMIN

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Ok.  Ok.  I know you get it.  Vitamin D is important and almost everyone is deficient.  But I’m STILL not seeing this in the patients we’re seeing in the office.  A recent new patient has been diagnosed with osteopenia (“pre” osteoporosis), had low levels of D on bloodwork, has a strong family history of osteoporosis and her doctor told her she should be on 2,000 IU / day.  That’s what we START patients on if they don’t have all these issues.  The cost and safety of bumping a patient with these factors up to 4,000 IU / day is minimal.

Another potential new patient stopped in to ask some questions.  She’s had MS for over a decade.  Her recommendations from her neurologist and PCP are to take 2,000 / day, again in the presence of low levels in her bloodstream.  And there were no recommendations for her 2 teenage boys to start on vitamin D as well (vitamin D seems to play a large role in the onset, but not treatment, of Vitamin D).

This particular study again points out just how darn deficient we are as a society.  In patients who experienced a heart attack, 96% (yes…just 4% short of 100%) had insufficient levels of vitamin D.  And keep in mind that this was <30 ng/ml, while experts recommend >60 ng/ml as optimal.

Many physicians would argue that the links between heart disease and low vitamin D are not definitively proven yet.  But those same physicians will give out statins in a candy dish up by the checkout counter with even less data supporting their effectiveness.  Given the safety and low cost of vitamin D supplementation, it should be malpractice to not at least have the discussion with our patients.

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002914911003924

TYPICAL HEART ATTACK SYMPTOMS IN WOMEN

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Ok.  You don’t exercise enough.  You’re prediabetic.  Your vegetable intake consists of french fries and mashed potatoes.  You’re a smoker.  You KNOW you’re at risk for a heart attack.  Somehow, every thinks they’ll end up like Grandpa Joe who smoke and drank Jim Bean until he died at age 104 player poker.  Which is, by the way, the equivalent of not working because you’re just going to win the Lotto..

We all know the typical symptoms associated with heart attacks.  Crushing chest pain, shortness of breath, sweating, pain in the jaw or left arm.  But you’ve heard that women’s symptoms may be different.  This article looks at the other symptoms that women were having during a heart attack.  Mid back pain (a very common chiropractic complaint) was high on the list, as was vomiting.

Click on the link and read the symptoms.  Other than exercising today, it could be the best thing you may do for your loved ones.

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002914911003845

IS SALT REALLY A KILLER?

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When it comes to protecting your heart, most everyone will jump up and state that lowering salt intake will protect their heart.  Few will note that refined carbs and poor intake of omega 3 fatty acids will rip apart our cardiovascular system long, long before salt would begin to be a problem.  Much like anything else in “prevention” of disease today, we seem to avoid the massive pink elephant carrying a spider monkey playing an organ grinder and point out the small spiderweb in the corner.

The true contribution of salt to cardiovascular disease and blood pressure has always been small, despite what we lead the general public to believe, and the effect of salt may really have to do with oxidative stress (in other words, in people taking better care of themselves, salt intake has no effect on blood pressure) or as a marker for processed foods (which are always higher in sodium) or maybe even as a marker for poor intake of potassium.

Either way, we focus far to much on the little things because they are easy.  Getting patients to exercise, eat right and stress less have a massive impact on heart health, but seem to be more difficult for patients to do.  I just hate to think that the general public lives under the false pretense that not salting their fast food french fries is doing their heart a favor….

Bottom line?  Avoid processed foods.  If you use salt, make it sea salt or play around with the hundreds of other spices that can flavor up whatever you’re eating.  THIS your heart will thank you for.

http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736%2811%2960657-0/fulltext?elsca1=TL-130111&elsca2=email&elsca3=segment

AM I TAKING ENOUGH FISH OILS?

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Typically, the answer is a pretty strong no.  The research on the benefits of healthy fats are all over the board, and this particular study is no exception.  Ever since fats were demonized in the early 90s as a result of the USDA’s food guide pyramid (remember–the one with “fats and oils-use sparingly” at the top while refined carbs were proudly displayed across the bottom?) nutritional experts were warning about the detrimental effects from the lowered intake of omega 3 fatty acids.  They predicted increased rates of cancer, diabetes, heart disease and obesity.  And sure enough, we have seen increased risks of cancer, diabetes, heart disease and obesity (among other chronic diseases).

The most common of the omega 3s are ALA, DHA and EPA.  Each have health benefits of their own.  ALA is principally derived from plant sources such as flax seed, nuts and seeds (pumpkin is high in ALA).  The “fish oils” are DHA and EPA.  Their ultimate source is DHA in algae.  The vegetarian fish eat the algae, leading to higher levels of DHA in the fish.  Salmon is a great example.  These fish are then in turn eaten by large fish like halibut.  The vegetarian fish like salmon, tilapia and trout are the better sources for the omega 3 fatty acids because the mercury content is lower.  But NEVER eat farm raised–farm raised are fed corn (an omega 6 fatty acid), are high in pesticides and are dyed with a dye to give the “natural” color (wild caught salmon’s pink color is from the carotenoids in their diet).

From a supplement standpoint, it is rare that patients taking fish oils are taking decent dosages.  This particular study, which shows strong benefit in those with chronic heart failure, found most benefit from 4 GRAMS per day.  Not four capsules, but 4 grams.  In many cases, the capsules will contain anywhere from 300 mg to 740 mg, depending on strength.  Do the math–this could mean up to 13 capsules per day if it is the cheaper, less strength, supplements.

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002870311001645

PROTECT YOUR HEART THROUGH YOUR ADRENALS

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Mainstream medicine today has become more and more specialized (I’ve heard it said that the more specialized we become, the less we know about more and more…).  Unfortunately, no one discussed this arbitrary division of human physiology with the human body.  Every single system in the body is interconnected in hundreds of ways with every other organ system.  Ask your cardiologist what advice he or she can give you about protecting your adrenals or ask your endocrinologist how to protect your heart and they will happily refer you out to someone else.

This article is a perfect example of how the systems interact.  A normal cortisol response from the adrenal gland produces higher levels of cortisol in the morning and it gradually tapers off at night so you can sleep.  High stress levels and poor nutrition will alter this pattern.  Let this go on long enough and you may burn out the adrenal glands (they can only do so much to keep up with poor choices), flattening out this cortisol response.

As a side note, this study used saliva samples to determine cortisol levels, which is the only reasonable method to check most hormones.  Mainstream medicine will typically run a single blood test for cortisol, which gives no indication as to the pattern of cortisol production.

In patients who had this flattening out response they had an 87% increased risk of dying of cardiovascular causes.  Given how bad stress is for us, this should come as no surprise, and the actual mechanism is likely multifactorial.  The bottom line is that there is no question that stress affects our body’s function and this will ultimately lead to death.  Harsh, but true.  And, given today’s healthcare system, you can trust that it will be a long and painful deterioration of health before the end.

http://jcem.endojournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/96/5/1478

DO YOU KNOW HOW TO PROTECT YOUR HEART?

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In case you haven’t heard, cardiovascular disease is magnificently preventable.  A handle of minor changes will send your risk plummeting; a full blown lifestyle overhaul will probably make it more likely that you’d get struck by lightning than die of a heart attack. 

Based on this particular study, the odds are that you have NOT heard that you can prevent heart disease.  They asked 1702 participants to identify 7 factors that the AHA feels contribute to heart disease.  These 7 components included health behaviors (not smoking, regular exercise, and healthy diet) and health factors (ideal body mass index, cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood glucose).  The least identified factors were exercise, fruit / veggie consumption and diabetes.  Seriously?  No one knew that exercise could lower your risk of heart disease?  Maybe the message that we can prevent heart disease is still remaining as a deep dark secret?  The proverbial pink elephant in the room?

The bottom line is that heart disease is very easy to avoid if you focus on some important concepts.  Exercise, stress management, increased intake of omega 3 fasts along with decreased intake of omega 6 fats, high phytonutrient / low calorie diet and targeted supplementation using things like Vitamin D and fish oils.

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6T10-52D0MR0-7&_user=10&_coverDate=05%2F15%2F2011&_rdoc=1&_fmt=high&_orig=gateway&_origin=gateway&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=ca7e606600f41dafaee732d10d6ac1d6&searchtype=a