A case involving
Colin, aged 65, who came with a history of heart attacks and progressive heart
failure. His problem was that his heart’s pumping ability was severely reduced.
Colin’s blood pressure was 180/90, he was unable
to tolerate most conventional heart drugs, and his mitral valve (one of the
heart’s 4 valves) was leaking blood as a result of his high blood pressure.
Colin had chronic shortness of breath and was unable to walk much without
getting winded.
Therapy:
Dr. Sinatra started
Colin on the Mediterranean diet, coQ10, magnesium, calcium, and potassium
supplements, and hawthorn herbal extract (from hawthorn berries) beginning at
500 mg daily, then increasing to 1000 mg. Clinical studies have shown that
hawthorn can help reduce blood pressure by reducing or blocking the
constriction of blood vessels directly serving the heart. This is crucial
because when blood vessels constrict, blood pressure rises. “I gave Colin
hawthorn to reduce his blood pressure, strengthen his heart, and give him a
good quality of life,” which means improved health without the unpleasant side
effects of drugs.
Colin also began
taking B vitamins, specifically 40 mg each of B1, B2, and B6, 40 mcg of B12,
and 800 mcg of folic acid. “I recommend B vitamins for anybody with heart
disease because they are the antidote to a condition we call
hyperhomocysteinemia,” says Dr. Sinatra.
Homocysteine:
Here is how it
works: Red meat contains methionine, an essential amino acid and protein
building block. But if your system is deficient in B vitamins, methionine does
not get broken down into simpler substances and instead forms homocysteine. Too
much homocysteine contributes to premature heart disease and aging, explains
Dr. Sinatra.
After about 6 weeks
on the program, Colin’s blood pressure dropped to 140-145/90-95. There was less
leakage at his mitral valve; he was not taking any conventional drugs; he was
able to walk, play golf, and exercise more freely; and “he felt he was in terrific
control of his life,” says Dr. Sinatra.
Depression:
Often an individual
with high blood pressure or heart disease suffers from depression and sexual
dysfunction including impotence, Dr. Sinatra notes. Sometimes these conditions
are caused by conventional drugs; other times, they result from diminished
nutrition and unresolved emotional issues. To help shift the depression that
can accompany heart problems, Dr. Sinatra prescribes the amino acid L-tyrosine.
Getting a person off conventional heart drugs and onto a solid nutritional
support program often completes the turnaround, he adds.
“When you empower
patients with nutritional support, diet, and exercise, they have control over
their destiny and develop a much greater optimism. When you have this optimism
about participating in your health, you become alive sexually. I’ve seen this
many times. I tell them I am not their doctor but their nurse. In other words,
I will nurse them along and nurture their healing, but they have the
power to get well.”
The Mediterranean Diet:
“the Mediterranean
diet, rich in monounsaturated fat (olive oil) and antioxidants, has proved to
be crucial in cardiovascular protection.” Dr. Sinatra says this diet is low or
absent in saturated animal fats (such as dairy products and meats), high in
fiber and antioxidants (from fresh fruits and vegetables) such as vitamin C,
beta carotene, and vitamin E, Avocadoes and asparagus, commonly eaten in this
diet, are rich in L-glutathione, an amino acid that can scavenge harmful free
radicals, while garlic and onions have ingredients that help protect the heart,
and olive oil is “the healthiest of oils, no doubt.” Coconut oil is another
"healthy" oil that can be used in cooking.
Insulin Resistance:
Underlying the
success of the Mediterranean diet is a biochemical principle, Dr. Sinatra says.
It is called insulin resistance or hyperinsulinism. Insulin is a key digestive
hormone, secreted by the pancreas for regulating the absorption of glucose (blood sugar) and the metabolism
of carbohydrates and fats. In general, most people are eating too many
carbohydrates which in turn leads to excess insulin secretion (hyperinsulinism)
and to insulin resistance, says Dr. Sinatra.
“When you’ve had
too much insulin circulating in your bloodstream for too long—as is often the
case when people doggedly stick to high-carbohydrate, low-fat diets—specialized
receptor cells lose their ability to respond to insulin.” The resulting insulin
resistance can lead to higher blood pressure, thickened, less elastic arterial
walls, increased cravings for carbohydrates, and higher blood sugar levels,
says Dr. Sinatra.
Heart Disease:
This factor
contributes to heart disease in 2 ways. First, as insulin secretion increases,
so does the level of arachidonic acid; further biochemical changes resulting
from this cause blood vessels to constrict and blood to clot, and this sets up
a risk factor for both higher blood pressure and serious heart problems.
Plaque:
The second problem
with too much insulin is that it is antagonistic to the cells (called
endothelial) that line the blood vessels and keep them free of obstructions,
Dr. Sinatra says. As insulin levels rise, the structural integrity of the
endothelial cells suffers and the type of muscles in the blood vessels changes.
The result can be blood vessels that are prone to developing plaque deposits,
which again can lead to high blood pressure, he adds.
“The benefit of the
Mediterranean diet is that everything in it helps prevent excess insulin
release,” says Dr. Sinatra
Dr. Sinatra also
generally recommends minimizing the consumption of “high glycemic
carbohydrates.” This means foods such as flour pastas, bread and white rice,
whose carbohydrate portion enters the bloodstream quickly, leading to higher
levels of insulin to handle the sudden glucose load. Examples of fruits with a
low-glycemic index (slow absorption by the blood) include grapefruit, cherries,
peaches, plums, kiwi, and rhubarb. Pamela was also instructed to avoid
preservatives, processed foods and meats, canned vegetables, diet soft drinks,
and chemical ingredients.
cholesterol: is an essential component in cell membranes needed
by the body to make bile salts which help absorb the fat-soluble vitamins (A,
D, E, K) and essential fatty acids from the small intestine. Cholesterol, a
steroid, is also at the beginning of the pathway that manufactures steroidal
hormones, male and female sex hormones, including pregnenolone, testosterone,
estradiol, estrone, progesterone, and cortisol. These are critical for the
health of the immune system, the mineral-regulating functions of the kidneys,
and the smooth-running of the hormonal systems in men and women. Cholesterol is
not only obtained through the diet, but produced by the liver which synthesizes
about 3000 mg of new cholesterol in any 24-hour period, a quantity equivalent
to the amount contained in ten eggs. This new cholesterol is used to repair
cells; when cholesterol levels get too low, depression, lung disease, and even
cancer can result.