Can You Reverse Heart Disease

Can you reverse heart disease is a question that has been much debated in medical circles in recent years. For decades it was thought that once you were diagnosed with heart disease that open heart surgery combined with prescription nitroglycerine and oxygen therapy would be able to hold off the inevitable. But today research has provided us with so much new information that most doctors when presented with the question of can you reverse heart disease would probably say yes.

Nevertheless, heart disease has many different contributing factors including genetics, aging, and gender which cannot be changed making it clear that while a person may be able to reverse heart disease it cannot be cured. Thus when asking can you reverse heart disease the answer is yes but only to a certain point. One analogy of this would be if you were speeding down a train track headed for almost certain disaster slowing or stopping the train would be a whole lot better than speeding the train up in anticipation of the inevitable crash.

Can you reverse heart disease – Finding answers

The two main factors we should try to control are homocysteine levels and cholesterol levels. Both of these substances seem to be major risk factors for heart disease and need to be managed effectively. Let’s look at each one separately.

Homocysteines are dangerous amino acids that are produced by the body during the digestion of proteins. There have been at least 15 studies linking these amino acids to heart and artery disease. The theory goes that homocysteines roughen the interior lining of the arteries which in turn encourages the formation of arterial plaque. The good news here is that you can protect yourself from these dangerous amino acids by making sure you have enough folic acid, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12 in your diet. Good natural sources are green leafy vegetables (kale, turnip greens), cold water fatty fish, whole grains, tomatoes, and beans being five good sources for B vitamins.

Cholesterol is essential for health at the cellular level. While this may be the case too much blood cholesterol can prove deadly. Excess cholesterol can accumulate in the arteries surrounding your heart leading to narrowing of the arteries, and in the worst case scenario a blockage triggering a heart attack or stroke. There is no limit on how many plaque deposits can form and it is not unusually for multiple arteries to be affected simultaneously. So reining in high cholesterol levels is an important part of reversing heart disease.

In order to do this a multistep approach is needed including reducing saturated fat intake to 7 percent or less of total calories, maintaining a healthy weight, daily physical activity consisting of 30 minutes or more daily, saying no to cigarettes, and successful managing any disease/diseases that elevate blood cholesterol levels, such as diabetes.

Additionally, sometimes a natural cholesterol reduction supplement or a prescription cholesterol medication may be needed to provide that little extra bit of help needed to rein in high cholesterol levels.

In summary, when asking can you reverse heart disease the answer is likely yes, but it will take a great deal of commitment on your part to make changes and stick with them as part of a heart healthy lifestyle.

By: R.D. Hawkins

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

R.D. Hawkins is an enthusiastic advocate for the use of natural health products and natural living with over 10 years experience in the field. Learn more about natural remedies and natural health at Purchase Remedies.com