The Heart of the Matter

by Carrie A. Corson, from the February & March 2000 Newsletter

This is the time of year when we see hearts everywhere. Candy hearts, chocolate hearts, paper hearts all displayed to remind us to honor the relationship bond with those we love. But what about our own hearts? The real deal. The most important organ in our bodies, yet heart disease is the leading cause of death, for both sexes, in this country. Over 60 million Americans currently suffer from some form of heart disease and we may suffer from it for years before we ever have a symptom. It seems that the average lifestyle in this country is a perfect place for heart disease to begin—we don't exercise enough, we are too stressed out, we eat a lot of highly processed foods which often leads to a deficiency in essential nutrients. All of these things contribute to heart disease. What can we do to reduce our risk? Alternative medicine has some suggestions.

First of all, what causes heart disease? There are many forms and causes of heart disease. The major cause is coronary artery disease or atherosclerosis. This is a thickening of the arteries due to a build-up of fatty substances on artery walls. These substances form a plaque, which in turn causes a narrowing of the arteries. The result is a reduction of the amount of oxygenated blood to the heart. Coronary artery disease can lead to a disorder known as Angina, and can eventually lead to a heart attack. The plaque is often formed by LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol, also known as the "bad" cholesterol because it appears to deposit fats on arterial walls and causes the most arterial damage. However, LDL cholesterol becomes harmful only after it is oxidized. According to William Lee Cowden, M.D., a cardiologist from Dallas, Texas, this oxidation occurs when LDL cholesterol comes in contact with free radical substances.

Oxidized cholesterol (known as oxysterols) enters our bloodstream in a variety of ways. Processed foods, the metabolism of ingested animal products, from environmental pollutants such as chlorine and chlorinated pesticides such as DDT, and stressors such as infection, trauma and emotional stress can all play a role.

Research has shown that there are several natural supplements that may greatly reduce the impact of heart disease. One such supplement is Coenzyme Q₁₀ or CoQ₁₀. This is a vitamin-like substance found in the mitochondria of every plant and animal cell. It is essential for the body's energy production. There has been a link noticed between deficiency of CoQ₁₀ and heart disease. Deficiency can result from impaired CoQ₁₀ synthesis or increased need from cells. It also appears that levels may decrease as part of the aging process. There are indications that some cholesterol lowering drugs (called HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors) may also decrease levels of CoQ₁₀. In addition to being crucial to cellular energy production, CoQ₁₀ is also an antioxidant which may protect against the formation of oxysterols.

No harmful side effects have been reported in the use of CoQ₁₀. It can be found in oily fish, organ meats, spinach and whole grains. It is also available as a dietary supplement. At the Co-op you will find CoQ₁₀ in the Moscow Food Co-op Enzymatic Therapy and Thompson brand supplements.

Here are a few more supplements that show promise in the battle against heart disease. There is evidence to suggest that adding omega-3 and omega 6 fatty acids to your diet can be very helpful. Omega-3 fatty acids, found in flaxseed oil and cold saltwater fish may reduce high LDL cholesterol levels. Omega-6 fatty acids, found primarily in borage, black current and evening primrose oils, may decrease the aggregation or stickiness of platelets, allowing them to pass through arteries without clotting.

A deficiency of magnesium has been linked to some forms of heart disease including the Prizmetal variety of angina. It is believed that magnesium improves the delivery of oxygen to the heart muscle by relaxing the coronary artery as well as improving the production of energy within the heart muscle. (Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine, Murray, Michael, N.D. & Pizzorno, Joseph, N.D.).

The fish oils are reputed to have anti-coagulant effects similar to those of aspirin, which is often used as a heart attack preventative. However, fish oil does not have the dangerous side effects of continual aspirin use, including (possible) gastrointestinal bleeding.

Of course, antioxidants are important to help keep LDL cholesterol from oxidizing. Besides preventing oxidation, Vitamin E also appears to increase HDL or "good cholesterol," and helps break down clot-forming fibrin. (It is important, if you take a blood-thinning medication, to discuss vitamin E supplementation with your health care provider). Taking a supplement of vitamin E seems to be more effective than relying solely on absorption through food.

Vitamin C is also helpful in preventing oxidation of LDL cholesterol while raising levels of HDL cholesterol, and lowering triglycerides. High triglyceride levels can thicken the blood, causing it to clot and thereby blocking the arteries to the heart. Consuming alcohol and simple sugars, including fructose, can raise triglyceride levels, while diets that include fiber-rich whole grains help lower these levels.

Vitamin A, beta carotene, are important antioxidants and infection-fighters that are an important daily supplement. Selenium, the mineral activator for vitamin E, and zinc, which helps immune function should also be considered.

Hawthorn berry and extracts of its flowering tops have been widely used in Europe in the treatment of cardiovascular disease and it is gaining popularity in this country as well. It appears that hawthorn aids in improvement of blood and oxygen to the heart. Hawthorn’s ability to dilate coronary blood vessels has been repeatedly demonstrated in experimental studies (Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine, Murray, Michael, N.D., and Pizzorno, Joseph, N.D.). Other herbs shown to be beneficial are garlic which works as an antioxidant and to help dissolve clots, and ginger which has been shown to reduce cholesterol levels and to make blood platelets less sticky.

Adding soy to your diet is another way to maintain a healthy heart. Soy contains many valuable constituents including protein, isoflavones, saponins, and phytosterols. The protein from soy provides essential amino acids and is fat and cholesterol-free. Isoflavones have antioxidant properties. Saponins help enhance immune function and can help limit the absorption of cholesterol in the intestine. Phytosterols have been reported to lower cholesterol levels. Soy is available in a variety of food and supplement products here at the Co-op.

In other Co-op news of note, we are happy to announce the installation of Healthnotes online. This is a computer program designed to help answer questions about health concerns, diet therapies, the medicinal use of herbs and the use of vitamin supplements. The system is set up in the personal care department and is completely accessible to customers. It is simple to operate with a touch screen feature. The information is concise, but reference lists are provided for those desiring more detail. We are very excited about this system and are hopeful that it will provide our customers with a more complete resource base. A staff member will be glad to assist you while you try out the Healthnotes system for the first time. And of course, we’re always happy to help you with any questions that you might have.

For further reading on heart disease and the use of CoQ₁₀:
The Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine
Murray, Michael, N.D. and Pizzorno, Joseph, N.D.
1998, Prima Publishing.

Alternative Medicine, The Definitive Guide
Goldberg, Burton
1993, 1999 Future Medicine Publishing.

Prescription for Nutritional Healing
Balch, James F., M.D and Balch, Phyllis A., C.N.C.
1997 Avery Publishing Group.

The Merck Manual of Medical Information, Home Edition
Berkow, Robert, M.D., Editor-in-Chief
1997, Pocket Books.

Copyright: Copyright on articles and recipes are jointly held by the Moscow Food Co-op and the respective authors, except were otherwise noted.

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