Yesterday I wrote to you about an important point that I found buried behind media headlines. The media coverage of the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions focused almost exclusively on how more people should be taking statin drugs to prevent heart attacks and strokes. But I say the research really proves something we’ve been saying all along at HSI – that cholesterol isn’t the be-all-end-all of heart disease prevention.
In the last e-Alert, I also shared our belief that conventional medicine is reluctant to focus on any other heart disease indicators because they don’t have a pill to treat them. Instead, they pour all of their attention into the one thing they CAN treat with prescription drugs. With blinders firmly in place, conventional medicine focuses on cholesterol with extreme tunnel vision. And as a result, information that casts doubt on their miracle cure – or suggests the validity of an alternate approach – is tossed aside like last week’s newspaper.
Nothing demonstrates that tunnel vision more clearly than the information the AHA released about the Sessions in their daily “newspaper” (read: press release).
Blaming the victim – and ignoring the obvious
The bias in the daily dispatches is almost chillingly obvious. For instance, on the opening day of the session, doctors from the Cleveland Clinic presented data that showed the majority of patients do not realize the level of benefit from statin drugs that are promised in the commercials. In a study of 375 patients taking statins, 66 percent benefited less than predicted according to the “package insert,” which are the physician instructions that are enclosed with the prescription. This information was buried at the end of an article, with only this explanation: “These real-world results can only be explained if patients are stopping their daily therapy.”
Two days later, along with its coverage of the statin drug findings, they threw in this little tidbit: “The study also clearly demonstrated that treatment with antioxidant vitamins E, C, and beta carotene confers no cardiovascular benefit. Because of the power of this large study, this issue should now be laid to rest.”
Quite a contrast, isn’t it? In one case, when a prescription drug doesn’t work as well as expected, we’re told it must be the patients’ fault. Then when an alternative approach doesn’t show the anticipated benefit, we’re told to forget about it and move on.
I noticed something in the AHA releases that might explain this discrepancy. In the bottom right hand corner of Monday’s release, there’s a note in small print: “This publication is made possible by an educational grant from AstraZeneca.” Wednesday’s recognized Merck’s contribution. In both issues, page two was dominated by pharmaceutical ads. Coincidence? You decide
Things you can do right now to protect yourself from heart disease
Luckily, you don’t have to depend on the American Heart Association for information. Because of the urgency of this topic, at HSI we’ve researched and written about several different markers for heart disease, and safe, natural products that can address them. And we’ll continue to bring you ALL the latest information on how to minimize your risk of heart attack and stroke – information your doctor may not even know about.
We’ve written quite a bit about homocysteine in e-Alerts and Members Alert newsletters – but it bears repeating again. No discussion of hidden heart disease markers would be complete without it. If you haven’t already, have your doctor test your homocysteine level. If it is above 12, take steps to reduce it immediately. There are two remedies we recommend: CardioSupport (formerly Cardiocysteine), which is available through Advanced Nutritional Products (888-436-7200) and Vessel Care, available through the Center for Natural Medicine Dispensary (888-305-4288).
You should also ask your doctor to test your level of coenzyme Q10. We wrote about this nutrient’s association with heart health in the September 1999 issue of Members Alert, when we revealed that many of the most-widely prescribed cardiovascular drugs actually DEPLETE the body’s stores of coenzyme Q10. Research has shown that this super-antioxidant fuels cellular energy production and repairs free-radical damage to the heart muscle. And, as we reported, when CoQ10 is deficient, the heart is one of the first areas to suffer. If you take prescription heart medication (and even if you don’t) have your CoQ10 level tested. According to HSI Medical Advisor Dr. Marty Milner, different laboratories use different methods to measure CoQ10, so “normal” reference points may vary. For example, the lab Dr. Milner uses measures CoQ10 levels in plasma; a normal range for that method is between .57 and 1.07 micrograms/ml. Your doctor and your lab report can help you interpret your results. If you find you are deficient, CoQ10 supplements are widely available. Some practitioners recommend taking one milligram of CoQ10 for every pound of body weight; for instance, a 150 pound person would take 150 mg of CoQ10 each day. For people with serious heart problems, some recommend doses as high as 300 to 400 mg per day.
We’ve also written about how elevated levels of certain substances can increase the risk of blood clots, the blockages that are a common cause of heart attacks and strokes. In the November 1999 issue of the HSI Members Alert newsletter, we told you how two of these clotting factors, platelet-activating factor (PAF) and thromboxane A2, can both be controlled by perilla oil, a natural source of omega-3 essential fatty acids. Animal research has shown that perilla oil can slash the production of PAF and thromboxane A2 in as little as seven days, and was safer and more effective than fish oil. Perilla oil is available at health food stores. We recommend the softgel which are available from Health-n-Energy (800-571-2999).
And just because we recognize cholesterol isn’t the only marker of heart disease, that doesn’t mean we don’t think it’s important to manage your levels. We’ve written about many natural products that can help you lower your total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels. One of the most promising is arjuna, the ancient Ayurvedic herb that has been proven to lower cholesterol as much as 12 percent in just 30 days. (Arjuna has also been shown to reduce angina and blood pressure, improve symptoms of congestive heart failure, and protect against ischemic heart disease, so it’s a good all-around therapy for heart health.) You can get arjuna (at a much lower cost than statin drugs) by contacting Himalaya USA at 800-869-4640 or on their website at www.himalayausa.com.
Another natural approach is ProFibe, a grapefruit pectin powder that you can add to beverages and foods like oatmeal, cereal, and sauces. In our May 2001 issue, we told you about a study of more than 200 people that showed how grapefruit pectin lowered LDL cholesterol between 25-30 percent in just four weeks. ProFibe is available from The Nutri Centre (1-800-701-8648).
There is plenty you can do to protect your heart without having to rely on prescription drugs. And there’s plenty of information out there to discount the mainstream’s single-minded focus on cholesterol. As a member of HSI and a subscriber to our e-Alert service, you’re way ahead of the learning curve on true heart health – probably even more so than your doctor. But not everyone is as informed. Please share this knowledge with family and friends so that they too can take their health – and their heart – into their own hands.
Copyright 1997-2002 by Institute of Health Sciences, L.L.C.
