Dr Graham Duncombe writes:
It is hard to believe that we are already well into 2016 and that most of our New Year's resolutions have faded with the festive season, however one resolution that should stay with us throughout the year is to always actively improve our cardiac health.
February is the month of matters of the heart, and as such we will focus on heart health this month. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the Western world, accounting for an annual toll of close to 800 000 people in the United States alone, where one person suffers a heart attack every 34 seconds. More people succumb to cardiovascular disease each year than from all forms of cancer combined!
Cardiovascular disease can be difficult to identify in its early stages and is often referred to as the 'silent killer'. The fact is, long before any symptoms of heart disease become clinically evident, vascular disease has been smouldering on due to a malfunction of specialized cells that line our arteries. These cells, called endothelial cells, are the key to atherosclerosis and underlying endothelial dysfunction is the central feature of this dreaded disease.
Ageing humans are faced with an onslaught of artery clogging risk factors that, over time, contribute to endothelial dysfunction and the development of clogged arteries that ultimately lead to heart disease and stroke.
Maturing individuals must address all of the underlying factors that contribute to endothelial dysfunction including Obstructive Sleep Apnea if they are striving to protect themselves from the ravages of this disease. Regrettably, mainstream medicine fails to identify and correct all of the cardiovascular disease risk factors. Conventional doctors usually only recommend cholesterol-lowering drugs aka statins which unfortunately only target a few of the numerous factors that contribute to cardiovascular disease. More importantly, Obstructive Sleep Apnea is not even considered as an accelerator of heart disease or stroke.
People wishing to stave off atherosclerosis /clogged arteries should consult with our functional doctors at Health Renewal to ensure that all twenty underlying factors that affect endothelial dysfunction are effectively neutralized. If all underlying additional factors are not timely addressed they will cause considerable and life-threatening damage to our arteries.
We continue to place great importance on a holistic approach to heart-related problems at Health Renewal and we encourage you all to take full advantage of our knowledge and advice this month. Please read this month’s main article which explains all underlying factors which lead to endothelial dysfunction / clogged arteries and ultimately cardiovascular disease or stroke.
Yours in great heart health,
Dr Graham Duncombe