CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH

 The heart pumps blood continuously through the circulatory system to deliver oxygen, fuel, nutrients, and hormones to every part of the body and eliminates waste. In a 70-year lifetime, the average human heart beats approximately 2.5 billion times.

The ability to perform this never-ending workload is often burdened by lifestyle factors.

About 1 in 12 Canadian adults age 20 and over live with diagnosed heart disease.

Our modern lives are riddled with factors that increase risk for cardiovascular disease including poor food and agricultural practices that result in diets that are high in saturated fats and processed foods to high stress loads, stress, exposures to toxins and pollutants, infections, and inflammation.

A healthy diet and exercise can reduce the risk of heart disease.

We will work together to identify lifestyle factors that increase risk for cardiovascular disease, and apply modifications and natural therapies to optimize heart health.

Atherosclerosis is the buildup of plaque in the inner lining of the artery, resulting in thickening and hardening of the arteries.

CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO ATHEROSCLEROSIS INCLUDE:

• diet high in processed foods and saturated fats

• exposure to pollutants and toxins

• diabetes

• digestive disturbances

• high cholesterol

• high triglycerides

High blood pressure, also called hypertension, is a common cardiovascular condition. It is increased force against the artery walls to pump blood, requiring the heart is working harder, for a consistent period of time.

In general, hypertension is considered to be a blood pressure reading of 130/80mmHg or higher.

Untreated, high blood pressure increases risk of heart attack, stroke, and other health issues.

Common symptoms of high blood pressure includes headaches, shortness of breath, and nosebleeds, however, high blood pressure may not present any noticeable symptoms.

• diet high in processed foods and saturated fats

• exposure to pollutants and toxins

• diabetes

• high cholesterol

• high triglycerides

• genetic predispositions

• inflammation

• obesity

• lack of physical activity

• smoking

• excess alcohol intake

Cholesterol is a waxy substance that the body uses to build healthy cells, but in excess, can increase risk of heart disease.

In surplus, cholesterol will deposit on the walls of blood vessels and can accumulate, developing fatty deposits in the blood vessels. This can create thicker and harder blood vessel walls that increases pressure in the vessels and increased force required by the heart to pump blood, or these deposits can break and form a clot that causes heart attack or stroke.

There are different types of cholesterol:

• Low-densitiy lipoprotein (LDL): the “bad” cholesterol, that builds up in the walls of the blood vessels

• High-density lipoprotein (HDL): the “good” cholesterol, picks up excess cholesterol and takes it back to the liver for processing

High cholesterol has no symptoms, so must be detected through blood test.

Triglycerides are the main form of fat (lipids) in the body. They are the end product of digesting and breaking down fats in food, and are made in the body from other energy sources such as carbohydrates if not needed immediately for fuel by the body.

Triglycerides are stored in fat cells to be used between meals for energy or when more energy is needed.

When levels of triglycerides are elevated, it increases risk of heart disease, especially if paired with elevated LDL and low HDL, or diabetes.

The heart pumps approximately 2,000 gallons of blood throughout the body per day. Poor circulation occurs when the circulatory system that delivers blood is interfered with, by plaque buildup, blood clots, narrowed blood vessels, lack of movement, and constriction of blood vessels in response to cold or stress. This results in a reduction of oxygen and nutrients to areas of the body. If this continues for too long, cells do not have what is needed to function optimally.

Symptoms might include pain, numbness, tingling, cramping, pale or blue skin colour, swelling, bulging veins, or cold in parts of the body that have poor circulation. The most common areas affected include legs, hands, fingers, feet, and toes.

CONDITIONS THAT REDUCE BLOOD FLOW AND CAN CAUSE POOR CIRCULATION INCLUDE:

• high blood pressure

• atherosclerosis

• diabetes

• deep vein thrombosis

• obesity

• sedentary lifestyle

Strokes occur when blood supply to part of the brain is blocked (ischemic), or when a blood vessel in the brain bursts (hemorrhagic). In both cases, part of the brain can be damaged or effectively die, resulting in lasting brain damage, long-term disability, or even death.

Long-term effects depend on the part of the brain that is affected, the severity of the stroke, how soon intervention is made, and rehabilitation.

Interventions that support neuroprotection, neurogenisis, and provide antioxidants which can be found in nutraceuticals, diet, and herbal medicine, have been shown to improve recovery. Use of acupuncture has also been shown to improve outcomes.

Family history, high risk factors, or following a stroke or heart attack, prevention is key.

Diet and lifestyle modifications can have a significant impact in stroke prevention by increase vascular strength and resiliency, reducing inflammation, stress, blood pressure, cholesterol/fatty deposits in the vessels, and toxic and pollutant exposures that increase fragility of the blood vessels.

Identification and modification of individualized lifestyle factors that contribute to increased risk of stroke and heart attack can make a significant impact.