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June 12, 2004 |
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Heart Health Assessing Your Heart Health A heart attack can be fatal when one or more arteries supplying blood and oxygen to the heart narrow. This narrowing is caused by plaquea thick, waxy, yellowish substance. Plaque formation begins in the teens and eventually can cause shortness of breath, pain, and finally heart attack. In addition to plaque formation, there are other factors that can significantly affect heart health. Homocysteine Homocysteine is an ugly amino acid that weakens artery walls through free radical damage. Increased levels of homocysteine in the blood can deplete the body of folic acid. Triglycerides Triglycerides are the form in which your body stores fat. If you have elevated triglycerides (a level of 190 mg/dL or greater), you run a greater risk of coronary artery disease. Cholesterol The liver is the primary producer of the fatty, yellowish, waxy substance known as cholesterol. Cholesterol also can be taken into the body through dairy products, meat, and fish. Cholesterol is not soluble in blood, so the body packages it with a protein that allows it to mix with blood. The levels of these cholesterol-protein mixtures are critical in maintaining a healthy heart. Low-density lipoproteins (LDLs) carry cholesterol in the blood, and high levels of them can build up, damage the inner lining of the blood vessel wall, and form plaque. For this reason, LDLs are known as bad cholesterol. High-density lipoproteins (HDL) or good cholesterol help transport excess cholesterol back to the liver, empty it into the intestinal tract, and excrete it from the body through bowel movements. I recommend you ask your doctor to do a blood test for HDL, LDL, and total cholesterol. Here’s what your results should show: Total cholesterol levels should be less than 180 mg/dL. LDL levels should be less than 130 mg/dL. HDL levels should be about 55 mg/dL; HDL levels less than 35 mg/dL are a risk factor for women. Also: The ratio of LDL to HDL is important and should be no higher than 4:1. If your HDL is 30 and your LDL is 150 then your ratio is 5:1, which puts you in the high-risk category. REMEMBER: You want your HDL level to be high and your LDL level to be low because they perform different tasks in the body. HDL is responsible for getting cholesterol to the liver where it can be broken down and excreted. High LDL levels mean more bad cholesterol in the blood that can’t be efficiently transported out.
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Nutritional Therapies Foods That Help Your Heart, Foods That Hurt It Mineral Deficiencies Lead to Heart Problems Complementary Therapies
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