Arterial Disease: Nutritional Rescue
Other Pathogens
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High cholesterol theories of vascular disease were too simple. Cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events were thought of, simplistically, as just one disease. All factors which influence body function are considered in our whole-system's interactive model. No single dietary factor, such as an elevated cholesterol level, will be solely responsible for all the disease events that occur over a lifetime. Before a comprehensive model of diet-disease relationships will develop, we must consider the total impact of the food supply. Наша компания готова предложить бензогенератор по выгодным ценам.
For example we should ask: "What about the sugar and the protein content of foods? "
Other Arterial Pathogens:
- Glucose, fructose and sorbitol
- Proteins acting as antigens > immune events
- Homocysteine elevation
- Vitamin Deficiencies
- Prostaglandins and other Cytokines
- Clotting promoters
Sugars
Late onset diabetes or non-insulin dependent diabetes is associated with much increased atherosclerosis:
- Cardiovascular disease is 2 to 4 times more common in people with diabetes.
- Cardiovascular disease is present in 75 percent of diabetes-related deaths.
- Middle-aged people with diabetes have death rates twice as high and heart disease death rates about 2 to 4 times as high as middle-aged people without diabetes.
- The risk of stroke is 2.5 times higher in people with diabetes.
The mechanisms in diabetic patients appear to be multiple but increased levels of glucose and fructose seem to play havoc with blood vessel walls. A cascading series of adverse events follows the onset of high blood sugars and can only be controlled by strict elimination of free sugar from the diet and complete, comprehensive diet revision associated with increased exercise. The problems of diabetics can be generalized somewhat to all people with atherosclerosis and a prudent policy would be reduce the sugars, sucrose and fructose in the diet of all people at risk.
Proteins as Antigens
Other food-related problems, especially immune responses to food proteins (food allergies) may important contributors. Delayed Pattern Food Allergy may occur within blood vessels, damaging blood cells, vessel walls and triggering the clotting mechanism.
The Pritikin diet and other low fat diets may not work because of the high content of allergenic proteins in cereal grains, skim milk, and egg white. Skim milk is as allergenic as whole milk. Egg white is the allergenic protein avoided on hypoallergenic diets, but it may be permitted on low cholesterol diets.
Protein antigens, arriving in the blood through GIT, may trigger an immune response that inflames and damages the arterial wall. Many people with delayed pattern food allergy develop migraine, angina, heart rhythm abnormalities and may be more likely to develop blood clots and inflammation of blood vessel walls, all features of the life-threatening complex of vascular disease.
Dr. William Hollander of Boston University suggested that atherosclerosis was an autoimmune disorder with immune complexes injuring blood vessel walls. We think that circulating immune complexes often contain food antigens and this mechanism is important in causing a wide spectrum of food allergic disease. If there is any possibility that attacks of migraine, heart-symptoms, or brain dysfunction are linked to food ingestion, would it not be prudent to investigate food -causes, using diet revision?
Proteins, Vitamins and Homocysteine
The role of homocysteine in causing arterial disease was originally suggested by Dr. Kilmer McCully in the late 60's. McCully was a pathologist at the Massachusetts General Hospital. Apparently, his theory was not well-received by his colleagues and he was eventually asked to leave Mass. General. It has taken 30 years for his hypothesis to be well supported by research evidence. McCully joins a large and illustrious group of physicians who have been rejected if not villified by their collegues for having new and good ideas. McCully observed that high cysteine levels were associated with early deaths from arterial disease in patients with homocysteinuria.
Homocysteinuria is a rare autosomal recessive disease complicated by early and aggressive occlusive arterial disease associated with high levels of blood homocysteine. Milder hyperhomocysteinemia appears to be common and may be a risk factor for coronary artery disease. Homocysteine undergoes metabolism either by remethylation or transsulfuration, and deficiency or dysfunction of any of the substances that regulate these reactions may lead to hyperhomocysteinemia. Homocysteine may have adverse effects on platelets, clotting factors and endothelial cells. Studies have demonstrated significantly higher plasma homocysteine levels in patients with occlusive arterial disease than in controls.
Homocysteine (HCY) is derived from the intracellular metabolism of the amino acid, methionine and is exported into the blood where it circulates mostly in oxidized forms, bound to proteins. Concentrations of HCY are increased in 15-40% of patients with coronary, cerebral and peripheral arterial diseases. The increased concentrations of HCY are corrected by supplementation of the diet with folic acid, pyridoxine, and vitamin B12.
