Prevent /Modulate Inflammation

General Anti-inflammatory Tactics

Follow the NEWSTARTS Plan:

Nutrition Exercise Water

Sunlight Thoughts Air Rest Trust in God Sex

The following link describes tactics to modulate chronic (long-term) low-level inflammation (CLLI)

How to Treat CHRONIC Low-Level Inflammation (CLLI)

Improve the balance of antioxidants vs. oxidants to prevent radical/oxidant damage to arteries:

ANTIOXIDANT/ROS BALANCE

Supply sufficient antioxidants

Especially A, B6, C, D, E and K.

Antioxidants have several roles concerning CVD / High blood pressure:

-   CONTROL oxidants.   Which would otherwise cause chronic arterial damage and subsequent inflammatory response /atherosclerosis. Vitamins A, C, D, E, and Beta-carotene inhibit lipid peroxidation (as they are Incorporated in endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells, platelets, immune cells)

-  REDUCE inflammatory cytokines

-   REDUCE calcification in the arteries

-   REDUCE platelet aggregation (blood clots):

Here are some study references of antioxidant roles specifically related to CVD:

Vitamin C

-    Vitamin C.   Dr. Linus Pauling and his research partner Dr. Mattias Rath determined that CVD is a symptom of a chronic ascorbate deficiency, common in most humans.This author surmises that many other symptoms, including bleeding gums, random nosebleeds, slow healing wounds (E.g. in diabetics), hemorrhages in disease such as Crohn's and ulcerative colitis, are also consequences of a low-grade C deficiency, causing weakened connective tissue, but not full-blown scurvy.

Rath-Pauling Therapy - To strengthen the vascular wall

-    Vitamin C and Vitamin E.   Work hand-in-hand together supporting and recycling each other

•  Halts LDL oxidation within the fatty portions of LDL - Vitamin C stops the free radical damage in the watery medium.

Sato, K., et al., Free radical-mediated chain oxidation of low density lipoprotein and its synergistic inhibition by vitamin E and vitamin C. 1990.

Vitamin E

-   Vitamin E deficient arterial walls allow oxidative stress.    Causing many harmful changes in the arteries. Dr. B. Hennig, University of Kentucky, 1989.

-   Vitamin E protected against the artery damage that leads to plaque and heart disease.    There is a significantly lowered rate of heart disease and amount of heart disease in any age group proportionally with the length of time that vitamin E had been taken -length of time was actually more important than quantity after a minimum daily dose of 400 IU.

1974 epidemiological study conducted by biochemist/author Dr. R. A. Passwater;

Heart Study of 50- 59 Year Olds. Passwater, Richard A., Prevention 28 (5) 111- 115 (May 1976)

Heart Study of 60- 69 Year Olds. Passwater, Richard A. Prevention 28 (4) 107- 113 (Apr. 1976)

Heart Study of 70- 79 Year Olds. Passwater, Richard A., Prevention 28 (2) 61- 68 (Feb. 1976)

-    Vitamin E supplements raise HDL cholesterol.   Several researchers, including Dr. William Hermann of the Methodist Hospital in Houston and Dr. Staurt Hartz of Tufts University.Hermann, W., Ann. NY Acad. Sci. 462 1982. A 1987 studyfound that 500 IU /day of vitamin E for 3 months produces a significantly improved HDL level

Cloarec, M. J., et al., Israel J. Med. Sci. 23(8) 869-72, Aug. 1987

Beta-Carotene

Beta-carotene discourages LDL oxidation.    Involving ~22,000 male physicians; physicians who took 50mg beta-carotene every other day had about half as many heart attacks, strokes, cardiac arrests, bypass operations or angioplasties to remove embolisms.

1990 Harvard Physicians' Health Study

Vitamin D

Vitamin D - most people are D deficient;your optimal circulating CALCIDIOL [25(OH)D] Level should be between 50-65ng/ml, but while treating heart disease, 70-90 ng/mlis recommended. Test your level using acompany such as Lab Corp.

Vitamin D -The Sunshine Vitamin

-    The further from the equator, the higher risk of high blood pressure - found a 2007 study, in which researchers theorized that UV exposure leads to the release of endorphins (brain chemicals linked to pain relief and euphoria) that lower blood pressure by reducing stressful feelings. Researchers also consider that decreased vitamin D production results in increased parathyroid hormone production, serving to increase blood pressure.

Rostand SG, Ultraviolet Light May Contribute to Geographic and Racial Blood Pressure Differences, Univ. of Alabama, Hypertension. 1997;30:150-156.

-    Another study found that vitamin D actually serves to lower blood pressure - in that vitamin D is a negative inhibitor of the renin-angiotensin system

-    Several physiological mechanisms that fight heart disease are triggered by vitamin D production through sunlight exposure::

•  An increase in the body's natural anti-inflammatory cytokines

•  The suppression of vascular calcification

•  The inhibition of vascular smooth muscle growth

British Journal of Nutrition October 2005; 94(4): 483-492

-    D sufficiency produces optimal blood pressure levels

Lack of Light Causes High Blood Pressure?

-    Vitamin D supplementation lowers calcium deposition in arteries/lowers blood pressure -Scottish researchers found that calcium levels in the hair inversely correlated with arterial calcium - the more calcium or plaque in the arteries, the less calcium in the hair. 90% of men experiencing myocardial infarction had low hair calcium. When vitamin D was administered, the amount of calcium in the beard went up and this rise continued as long as vitamin D was consumed. Almost immediately after stopping supplementation, however, beard calcium fell to pre-supplement levels.

Administration of dietary vitamin D or UV-B treatment has been shown to lower blood pressure, restore INSULIN sensitivity and lower cholesterol.

Vitamin K (two natural forms are K1 and K2)

-   Vitamin K1 (found in green vegetables) is known for its role in ensuring blood is able to form clots when necessary -E.g to prevent excess bleeding with an injury

-   Vitamin K2 together with vitamin D prevent arteriosclerosis (hardening of the medium/large arteries) due to arterial calcification - calcium buildup in the arteries causes blood vessels to to lose elasticity rendering them unable to contract and dilate efficiently. This can lead to a restriction of blood flow delivering nutrients and oxygen to your organs and tissues. Vitamin K2, in particular, keeps calcium out of the arteries and other soft tissue and puts it where it belongs E.g. in teeth and bones.

Health Benefits of K

(See: K2 and D protect Blood Vessels from Calcification)

CoQ10 - acts to scavenge oxidant species

Coenzyme Q10 - Spark and Dampener

Polyphenols (e.g. in 2 glasses red wine/day) or flavanols(e.g. in cocoa).   In sufficiency reduce white blood cell adhesion to arterial lining and enable lining cells to make vessel dilating Nitric oxide (NO).

Selenium.   This important trace mineral provides necessary support for the body's “in-house” production of the antioxidants Glutathione Peroxidase (GPx) and Glutathione (GSH).

-   Selenium found protective against CVD

Oster O, Prellwitz W,(1990), Lancet II 175 (1982), Clin. Chem. 30:1171 (1984)

-   Persons with low-selenium diets have two-to-three times greater risk of heart disease than those eating selenium rich diets

Omega-3

Quality Antarctic krill oil shown to significantly reduce total cholesterol, LDL and triglycerides, and increase HDL levels (1-1.5 g/day krill oil for 90 days + Follow-up of 500mg/day (1 softgel) for 90 days). Recommended preventive maintenance dose is 1000 mg/day.

Antarctic Krill Oil

One study showed that fish consumption reduces Lp(a) levels.   Most likely due to its omega 3 fatty acids

Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 1999 May;19:1250-6.

In another study with patients consuming large quantities of walnuts (contain omega-3 ALA),Lp(a) levels were found to decrease an average of over 6% - as well as an almost equal decrease in LDL cholesterol levels

Ann Intern Med 2000 Apr 4;132(7):538-46.

Magnesium

A magnesium deficiency (common in many people today) is closely associated with CVD

Magnesium against CVD

Reduce Free Radical Presence

Minimize dietary free radical Intake from:

-   Refined carbohydrates (fructose, high fructose syrup,  refined sugar and flour).   Prevents hyperglycemia

-   Processed foods/Damaged fats.   “Grocery store”vegetable oils, hydrogenated fats and products containing them usually contain altered, toxic fats, such as trans fats (tFAs):

•  tFAs raise LDL and triglycerides and lower HDL cholesterol.   tFAs block the liver's normal conversion of cholesterol to bile, contributing to higher blood cholesterol levels The net increase in LDL/HDL ratio with tFAs is approximately double that due to saturated fat, and Harvard university researchers determined that those who ate partially hydrated oils (which contain tFAs) had double the risk of heart attack of those who didn't.

•  tFAs increase C-reactive protein.   Indicative of general inflammation and an accurate marker for CVD presence and extent;

•  tFAs raise blood levels of lipoprotein(a).   A type of cholesterol used to fix arterial damage.

-    Oxidized cholesterol in foods

-   Too much meat.   Prevents elevated homocysteine levels

Reduce stress

-   Antihistamines.   Histamine accumulates as a result of erratic stress leading to inflammation and plaque formation.Vitamin C is somewhat antihistaminic. B6 - Treatment of diabetics with antihistamines or B6 lessened vascular leakage and curbed retinal degeneration, suggesting an antihistaminic role for B6.

Avoid environmental toxins

Keep iron levels under control.    Over 50's should have their iron levels checked since elevated levels can raise cholesterol levels and cause major oxidative damage in the blood vessels, heart and other organs.

Consume anti-microbial /saturated fats to fight inflammation-causing microbes.   Animal fats, coconut oil

Exercise daily.   Reduces inflammation.

Address emotional issues.    E.g. using Meridan Tapping Technique (MTT)

Get plenty of restorative sleep

Avoid smoking or excessive drinking of alcohol

Reduce glycation and AGES

Minimize sugar/fructose/grains intake

L-Arginine.    Inhibits in vitro non-enzymatic glycation and advanced glycosylated endproduct (AGEs) formation of human serum albumin.

Anti-inflammatory foods / Ideal Heart-healthy Diet

Great anti-inflammatory foods.   Include eating fish for omega-3 EPA/DHA, turmeric, dark chocolate, and red wine (contains the anti-aging polyphenol resveratrol).

Ideal heart-healthy diet:

•   Organic raw, dairy products from pastured cows.   E.g. butter, cream, sour cream, cheese

•  Organic, pastured Eggs.   Lightly cooked with yolks intact, or raw in smoothies

•  Avocados

•  Raw nuts and seeds in moderation

•  Some raw foods / Some cooked foods

•  Organic, grass-fed meats.   In moderation (too much meat yields an excess of inflammatory eicosanoids from omega-6 AA fatty acids, and introduces free radicals by elevating homocysteine levels) 

•  Minimal sugar / fructose/grains (even whole grains).   Fructose is found in soda and processed foods. While you have CVD issues, keep even the fructose from fruit to no more than 15g.

•  Plenty of pure water