Heart Disease is Preventable and Can Be Reversible
Although there are many genetic factors that determine your risk of heart disease, it is still preventable and can be reversible. This is because the most common cause of heart disease, atherosclerosis, is caused by factors that are under our control.Fat is Not Clogging Your Arteries
Atherosclerosis is not caused by fat clogging your arteries. Fat isn’t the problem. Atherosclerosis isn’t even the problem, it is the solution to the problem that is caused by oxidized LDL cholesterol.LDL – The Misunderstood Lipoprotein
LDL (low-density lipoprotein) is commonly referred to as “bad cholesterol”, but it is actually necessary for our survival.Think of LDL as a superhero with a very short temper. LDL brings nutrients like cholesterol and vitamins to our cells, saving their lives from those evil free radicals. Unfortunately, if the LDL interacts with these free radicals in the blood, it begins to oxidize.
The now oxidized LDL goes on a temper tantrum causing damage to the endothelial cells (cells that line the inside of our blood vessels). The endothelial damage triggers macrophages (immune system cells) to try to keep the oxidized LDL from doing any more damage.
(Don’t) Just Take a Statin
After hearing that there is indeed a link between LDL cholesterol and heart disease, it is tempting take whatever we can to lower our cholesterol. This is why cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins are consistently among the top-selling prescriptions in the world.The Dark Side of Statins
Statins work by inhibiting an enzyme called HMG-CoA reductase. When this enzyme is inhibited, cholesterol production by the liver is stopped, which leads to lower LDL levels in the blood. At the same time, inhibiting HMG-CoA reductase impairs our ability produce coenzyme Q10 – a molecule that is vital for cellular health and mitochondrial function.Coenzyme Q1o allows our mitochondria to produce energy efficiently so our cells can survive and thrive. When our levels of coenzyme Q10 are low, the ability of our muscles to function and recover plummets. This causes muscle pain and inflammation, which also happens to be the most commonly reported adverse effect from taking statins. What a coincidence! Other common adverse effects from taking statins related to a lack of coenzyme Q10 are a decrease in cognitive function and liver damage.
There May Still Be a Place for Statins
Although statins do come with many risks, they may be helpful for people have genetic risk factors for heart disease. But even if you do have a family history of heart disease, you can still address it more effectively by naturally increasing the activity of your LDL receptors.The Best Way to Reverse Heart Disease
Our liver contains many of our LDL receptors. When these receptors are active, they draw excess LDL cholesterol back to the liver, giving it less of a chance to get oxidized and cause problems.1. Reduce The Concentration of Cholesterol in the Liver
The liver is the regulator of cholesterol levels in the body. It produces cholesterol and sends it out to the cells using LDL particles and removes cholesterol by turning it into bile salts and excreting it in the feces.When we eat high fiber foods like split peas, lentils, artichokes, peas, and broccoli, the fiber prevents the bile from being reabsorbed. This forces the liver to increase its LDL receptor activity to bring LDL cholesterol back to the liver and synthesize more bile.
This approach to controlling LDL cholesterol levels is not just theory. Studies show that heart-attack survivors who adopt a high-fiber diet reduce the risk of a recurrence by about 40 percent, compared to survivors who make no dietary changes. According to the American Heart Association Eating Plan, you can reap the benefits of fiber by increasing your fiber intake to 25 to 30 grams a day.
2. Decrease Your Levels of Inflammation
Inflammation is the process that our body carries out to heal itself, and LDL cholesterol is an important player in this process. Whenever there is damage or trauma, the liver increases LDL output and decreases LDL receptor activity so that the LDL stays in circulation and aids the healing process. This is why when we are stressed, sick, or hurt our cholesterol levels will tend to be higher.When our cells are constantly undergoing trauma due to our own immune system (autoimmune disease) or chronic toxic stress (due to emotional stress, environmental toxins, and/or dietary toxins), our system will be in a chronic state of inflammation with high cholesterol.
To reduce your inflammation, focus on removing toxins from your environment and diet, increasing the quality of your sleep, reducing emotional stress, and increasing your level of low intensity activities like walking or yoga. You can also supplement with anti-inflammatory foods like turmeric or vitamins like vitamin E and C to reduce oxidative stress.
3. Improve Thyroid Function
If you are feeling depressed, losing your hair, and you have high cholesterol, you may need to improve your thyroid function. Low thyroid function leads to increased levels of cholesterol, while increased thyroid function may increase LDL receptor activity and decrease LDL cholesterol levels. This leads us to the conclusion that improving thyroid function, if you have an under-active thyroid, will reduce your risk of heart disease.To improve thyroid function it is important to first reduce inflammation, which shuts down thyroid hormone production. It is also important to make sure that you are eating nutritious foods that leave you feeling satiated. When we are satiated from a nutrient dense meal, our thyroid gland gets a signal from the brain that we have enough energy. The thyroid gland responds to the signal by releasing thyroid hormones that improve cellular function throughout the body.