CT heart scans are booming in popularity. With over 300 scanners nationwide, over one million Americans have now been scanned since the introduction of this technology 10 years ago.
In some cases, lives have been saved. People with high scores (e.g., over 1000) can end up with lifesaving procedures like bypass surgery or stents.
But what about the majority of people who don't have a life-threatening score?
Too often, people in this very large group are prescribed a cholesterol drug and patted on the back with advice to cut the fat in their diet. According to several recent studies, that's a recipe for failure. Do nothing, and you can expect your score to increase 30% per year. Take a cholesterol drug and cut your fat, and you can still expect your score to grow 30% per year!
Surely there's a lot more you could do to gain control over your score.
Here's our list of 5 easy yet crucial steps you can take that tip the odds in your favor that you will not just stop your score from increasing, but perhaps even reduce it.
1. Take fish oil
Fish oil is among the few breakthrough discoveries of the past 20 years that has altered the course of cardiovascular illness, slashing risk of death, heart attack, and stroke. The mis-guided advice of the 1980s that polyunsaturated oils were healthy has left us appallingly overloaded with omega-6 fatty acids, and omega-3 supplementation from fish oil has become increasingly important.
The 11,000-participant GISSI-Prevenzione trial brought any remaining naysayers to their knees. Participants taking fish oil experienced 30% reduction in cardiovascular death and an astounding 45% reduction in sudden death.
Fish oil provides anti-inflammatory benefits, plaque-stabilizing effects, and corrects many genetic and acquired causes for heart attack. Fish oil helps correct the triglyceride and small LDL abnormalities triggered by metabolic syndrome, the collection of pre-diabetic abnormalities now afflicting 59 million Americans. Fish oil also accelerates clearance of abnormal fat particles in the blood that persist after eating. All of this adds up to a dramatic reduction in cardiovascular "events" and greater control over coronary plaque. In our heart disease reversal program, we start with 4000 mg of standard fish oil capsules per day provide 1200 mg of omega-3 fatty acids, EPA + DHA.
2. Take vitamin D
Imagine over half the adults in the U.S. were toothless and had open skin sores covering their bodies from vitamin C deficiency, or "scurvy. Well, that's the situation, though less graphic, with vitamin D. Deficiency is rampant in the U.S., particularly in northern climates where sun exposure is in short supply for long periods. It's not uncommon even in southern climates, given indoor workplaces and lifestyles. Vitamin D deficiency has been implicated in osteoporosis, prostate and colon cancer, hypertension, multiple sclerosis, and heart disease.
The higher your heart scan score, the more likely you are deficient in vitamin D. Consider taking a minimum of vitamin D 1000 units per day. Even better, have your doctor check a blood level (25-OH-vitamin D3) and the dose can be adjusted accordingly. In our heart disease reversal program, most women require 2000 units per day, most men 3000 units per day to achieve the desirable blood level of >50 ng/ml.
3) Boost your HDL cholesterol to 60 mg/dl
Raise this simple value to 60 mg/dl or greater, and you will have accomplished a huge improvement in a whole constellation of health effects.
This is because HDL is a gauge of many things: body weight, your body's ability to respond to insulin, potential for hypertension, and the presence of hidden causes of heart disease, especially the dreaded small LDL. The higher your HDL, the less likely other undesirable phenomena are present. HDL is the blood particle that is responsible for regression, or shrinkage, of plaque. The more, the better.
Boost HDL by losing excess weight, reducing processed carbohydrates like breads and breakfast cereals, exercise, 4-8 oz of red wine per day, and fish oil. Raise it even further by considering niacin (vitamin B3), 500-1000 mg. (Discuss niacin use with your doctor.)
4) Have a colorful lifestyle
Deeply colored foods are rich in flavonoids, naturally-occurring substances that pack broad, powerful health effects and include blood pressure-reducing and anti-inflammatory benefits.
Add more deeply colored foods to your day, especially blueberries, pomegranates, plums, black grapes, spinach, green peppers, and red wine. Drink green tea whenever possible. Use cocoa powder (unsweetened) in your protein shakes or add a daily two-inch square of dark chocolate. Add capers, fresh basil and other herbs to your salads and dinner dishes. All are rich in naturally-occurring flavonoids, destined to become health champions of the 21st century. Among their myriad benefits, flavonoids are natural artery relaxing agents and add another healthy dimension to your heart scan control program.
5) Substitute raw nuts for unhealthy snacks
Dump the chips, pretzels, and crackers. Replace them with raw almonds, walnuts, and pecans. (Not "party mix", "honey-roasted", mixed nuts, etc., all no better than other unhealthy snacks.) Raw and whole (unshelled) are the keys, bought bulk in most supermarkets or health food stores. This simple substitution reduces LDL cholesterol 20 points, reduces blood sugar, reduces small LDL, raises HDL, and boosts your energy level. Don't sweat the fats--the monounsaturated fat in raw nuts are the source of much of the benefit. One-quarter to one-half cup per day provides maximum benefit.
Stopping your heart scan score from increasing may be among the most powerful ways to sharply reduce, perhaps even eliminate, risk for heart disease in your lifetime. There's no single strategy that guarantees you stop your heart scan score from increasing―it's all your efforts combined, followed consistently over time.
