Heart Disease is the number #1 killer worldwide. It used to be a disease of the elderly population, affecting people 65 and older. Not anymore. Heart disease and heart attacks are becoming increasingly common among people younger than 65.
Why?
Dr. Pradip Jamnadas, a famous cardiologist, explains the rise of heart disease in the younger population by looking at a few risk factors which are increasingly common in younger people. These factors are equally true for older people as well, and significantly increase the risk for developing heart disease.
Renowned naturopath and author Andreas Moritz shared some of those views but differed in 1 key way from most cardiologists. with some very unique insights into Heart Disease.
Early Signs of Heart Disease:
- Visceral fat - if you have belly fat- fat around the belly specifically and nowhere else
- High Insulin levels- (both doctors agreed with. High insulin can be present not only with diabetics but also with a lot of prediabetics even with normal glucose levels)
- Fatty Liver- both doctors would agree with this
- Inflammation- both doctors would agree with this
- High Animal Protein diet- Andreas Moritz explained the dangers of high protein diets (see below) (this includes meat, fish, chicken, and dairy)
- ED- Erectile Dysfunction
All of these health issues are increasingly present in the younger population.
What is the cause behind these 4 things? Bad Diet.
Bad diet leads to high insulin.
Bad diet leads to visceral fat.
Bad diet leads to inflammation and fatty liver.
High Insulin & Heart Disease
Prediabetics and Diabetics are increasing their risk for heart disease. Period.
According to Dr Pardeep insulin levels is one of the first things he measures with his heart disease patients. That is how crucial it is to maintain normal insulin levels.
Elevated Insulin in the bloodstream makes blood thick and clotty, it also causes vasal constriction, and inflammation.
Most people only check blood sugar but its the insulin that really matters especially before diabetes has developed.
Why? Our body will push hard to maintain normal blood glucose levels for many years before we develop diabetes.
How does it accomplish this? By secreting insulin.
Glucose is toxic to the bloodstream which is why it is quickly moved out of the blood stream via insulin.
Lets explain the process:
When we consume glucose or refined foods (foods without fiber and nutrients), glucose enters the blood stream very quickly. Insulin is released to bring blood sugar levels down. the more glucose we consume the more insulin gets released. And then insulin resistance develops.
Insulin resistance is prevalent amongst prediabetics which means the cells of the body don't accept the glucose, and it's floating around in the bloodstream.
This can be caused by 1) eating the wrong foods and 2) eating too frequently.
The Disastrous Effects of High Insulin
Insulin pushes glucose into the liver which creates fatty liver. High Insulin and high glucose levels also creates new fats around the belly. This fat is made from glucose. What type of fat is this? Visceral Fat. Visceral fat is created by glucose.
Belly fat signals insulin resistance. Especially when there is little to no fat in other parts of the body. When we have that pot belly and skinnier arms and legs- thats a sign of insulin resistance.
Animal Proteins are Worse than Sugar for Your Heart
We've established that Refined sugars and refined carbs are bad. they bring up blood glucose which leads to elevated insulin. According to Andreas Moritz, even worse than that are excess Animals proteins from a diet high in meat, chicken, fish, and processed dairy. Why? because these proteins are stored in the artery walls, causing inflammation and damage to the artery walls. These wounds left open could create a dangerous blood clot situation. To prevent this the body moves plaque and LDL cholesterol to the area. Both serve to temporarily plug up the wounds but this build up along the artery walls leads to poor circulation.
If these blood clots break up- BANG a Heart Attack.
Andreas Moritz also notes that animal proteins bring up insulin levels much much faster than refined or sugary foods.
So being on a keto or low carb diet puts you at risk for heart disease much more than a diet high in carbs and refined foods. It's amazing.
Additionally, diets lacking in fiber and bio-available essential nutrients from wholegrains may further exacerbate the problem.
The First Sign of Vascular Disease in Men
Erectile dysfunction is one of the first sign in men of vascular disease. The reproductive organs need proper blood flow to function well. Without proper blood flow, hello ED.
Best Diet for Heart Health
LDL cholesterol has a bad reputation for years. But what if this cholesterol is actually a lifesaver?
Now I'm not saying to eat what you want and let it rise, not at all, what I'm saying is that this cholesterol might actually be saving your life, and lowering it without first taking care of the core problem could actually do more harm than good.
So what causes high LDL to begin with?
Diets high in Animal Proteins such as meat chicken fish and processed dairy (especially cheese) can cause a build up of proteins along the capillary and artery walls.
When the basal membranes of these blood vessel walls get filled to capacity, inflammation ensues and bleeding occurs along these walls. This is when a dangerous blood clot can form, and a heart attack or stroke can ensue.
To prevent the bleeding and blood clot formation, the body attempts to plug the wounds along the walls with the help of LDL and VLDL cholesterol.
At this point the LDL cholesterol acts tike a life saving bandage. The only problem is that the cholesterol building along the artery walls further restricts blood flow, this is called hardening of the arteries or coronary heart disease.
Due to an acidic diet, the body forms free radicals. Free radicals in the blood stream can then collide with LDL cholesterol, oxidizing them, just as butter oxidizes when left out too long. The rancid LDL promotes an immune response, and the body sends out microphages (immune cells) to gather up the LDL. Then the macrophages enter the artery walls triggering artery destruction.
And what causes the production of free radicals? EMF radiation, high sugar diet, diet high in saturated fats from animal protein, an overall bad diet, microwaving, trans fats, smoking, processed meats, alcohol, etc...
So when it comes to Heart health, artery health, and cholesterol levels, DIET IS EVERYTHING.
How do we prevent the creation of LDL cholesterol and its constricting of artery walls? Proper Diet high in fiber, Vitamin E, antioxidants. And by avoiding all animal proteins and processed dairy
How do we prevent the oxidation of LDL cholesterol? With A diet high in antioxidants, and by avoiding free radical formation.
PROPER DIET CAN REVERSE DAMAGE TO ARTERIES AT ALMOST ANY STAGE
How to raise HDL and lower LDL with Proper Diet
If we can manage to prevent LDL production in the first place through proper diet, we can effectively shrink the clumps of plaque along the artery walls and prevent further formation.
Plus if we raise HDL cholesterol, known as the "good" cholesterol we will go a long way towards achieving clean arteries and a healthy heart. HDL actually removes LDL cholesterol from the blood stream, so healthy levels are super important.
Discover our Blood Pressure and Heart Support Diet Program, specially designed around the amazing benefits of our Ancient Breads, herbal teas & Superfoods.
Diet plays a crucial role in maintaining healthy blood pressure levels, healthy cholesterol, and a healthy heart / circulatory system.
Our Blood Pressure and Heart Support Diet Plans are carefully designed around the powerful benefits of our herbal teas and nourishing breads, adhering to the principle of "Food is Medicine." This approach emphasizes the importance of a diet that not only supports your general health but actively works to cleanse and strengthen the blood and blood vessel walls.
Our diet revolves around a nourishing blend of high fiber, high nutrition superfoods, teas, and herbs to cleanse and strengthen the blood, while wisely avoiding detrimental acidic foods like complex animal proteins, trans fats & processed foods that obstruct proper circulation.
Diet to Achieve Healthy Cholesterol:
1) Olive Oil-
Studies have shown that a diet high in olive oil actually lowers LDL and raises HDL. In fact it was superior to a low fat diet in lowering LDL levels.
Its not about how much fat you eat , but the type of fat.
Avoid Canola oil, Soybean oil, Cottonseed oil, Corn oil, partially hydrogenated oils, and trans fats. To avoid these toxic oils you will have to avoid all processed foods.
A step further, olive oil thwarts toxic oxidation of LDL.
Always opt for extra virgin organic olive oil. For the highest quality olive oil from ancient trees 200-1000 years old click here. At Joseph's Organic Bakery our olive oil is made from ancient non-GMO trees and is rich in polyphenols.
2) Onions and garlic-
An onion and a few cloves of garlic per day could lower LDL. Quercetin found in onions lowers risk of LDL oxidation. A study published by CBS News found that feeding hamsters crushed red onions for eight weeks led to a 20% decrease in LDL cholesterol. PTSO, a nutrient found in onions, lowers LDL as well.
Enjoy red onions and chopped garlic in salads. They add flavor and nutrition. Opt for organic garlic at all times.
3) Avocadoes-
Israeli researches found that eating avocadoes and olive oil for 3 months straight reduced LDL by 12%. Australian researches found that eating 1/2- 1 1/2 avocadoes per day beat a low fat diet at reducing LDL cholesterol. Plus Low fat diets are actually harmful, study participants who on the low fat diet lowered their HDL levels by 12%. (HDL is the good cholesterol)
4) Diet high in natural Fiber-
Natural fiber found in whole grains, fruits, and vegetables is effective at lowering LDL. Soluble fiber, in particular, has the ability to bind to cholesterol in the digestive system, aiding in its removal from the body. This process helps lower LDL cholesterol levels.
Do not supplement with fiber, which irritates the digestive lining. Opt for food sources of fiber.
5) Wheat Germ-
Regular intake of Natural (not isolated) wheat germ, has been shown to significantly lower LDL cholesterol levels. In one study, participants who consumed wheat germ over a 14-week period saw a notable reduction of 15.4% in their LDL cholesterol.'
Best source of Wheat Germ? You guessed it, ancient wheat varieties. True wholegrain breads (most store bought whole grain breads contain white flour.) Plus most wholegrain wheat is actually white flour with a little bran thrown in , the wheat germ has been removed.
For a truly 100% wholegrain bread made with ancient non-GMO wheat discover our Einkorn Bread from Joseph's Organic Bakery. High in Fiber and nutrients like Vitamin. Our Bread Contains the bran, germ, and endosperm.
Check out our Heart Health Diet Above