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Cardiovascular Disease

Arterial Disease & Inflammation

Alpha Health Education

 

Topics from the

 Book of Heart and Arterial Disease

 

Atherosclerosis

Coronary Artery Disease

Strokes

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Food allergy

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The mechanisms of arterial disease appear to be multiple. Immune responses to food proteins may important contributors. Delayed pattern food allergy may occur within blood vessels causing inflammation in vessel walls and triggering the clotting mechanism. 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 proteins as antigens and this mechanism is important in causing a wide spectrum of food allergic disease. Since proteins derived from meat, milk, eggs and wheat have the highest risk of appearing in the blood as immune complexes, these foods are reduced or eliminated in the Alpha Nutrition Program.

We ask a simple question  - If there is any possibility that chronic symptoms such as attacks of migraine, heart rhythm abnormalities, digestive disturbances, breathing difficulties or brain dysfunction are linked to food ingestion, would it not be prudent to investigate and remove food -causes using diet revision as an inexpensive, safe, effective strategy?

 Keaney et al  [i] reported that:” background Inflammation within vulnerable coronary plaques may cause unstable angina by promoting rupture and erosion. In unstable angina, activated leukocytes may be found in peripheral and coronary-sinus blood. “

A non-specific indicator of inflammation is the C-reactive protein levels in the blood. Elevated levels are associated with increased risk of heart attacks and strokes.  For example, Ridker et al [ii] studied 27,939 apparently healthy American women, who were followed for eight years for the occurrence of myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke, coronary revascularization, or death from cardiovascular causes. Elevated C-reactive protein levels were a better predictor of vascular events than low LDL cholesterol levels. The researchers reported that: ” 77 percent of all events occurred among women with LDL cholesterol levels below 160 mg per deciliter (4.14 mmol per liter), and 46 percent occurred among those with LDL cholesterol levels below 130 mg per deciliter (3.36 mmol per liter)… C-reactive protein and LDL cholesterol measurements tended to identify different high-risk groups, screening for both biologic markers provided better prognostic information than screening for either alone.”

Myeloperoxidase is another serum marker of inflammation that may be Myeloperoxidase is an enzyme that generates reactive oxygen species, is released from white blood cells. In one study, plasma myeloperoxidase levels were predictive of subsequent coronary events in patients with chest pain. The author’s concluded that: “A single initial measurement of plasma myeloperoxidase independently predicts the early risk of myocardial infarction, as well as the risk of major adverse cardiac events in the ensuing 30-day and 6-month periods. Myeloperoxidase levels, in contrast to troponin T, creatine kinase MB isoform, and C-reactive protein levels, identified patients at risk for cardiac events in the absence of myocardial necrosis, highlighting its potential usefulness for risk stratification among patients who present with chest pain. “ [iii]

Inflammation can be treated by removing the causes of inflammation, treating infection and using anti-inflammatory medication such as ASA. The role of food proteins and immune complexes as agents of inflammation is rarely investigated and may turn out to be the hidden agent behind many heart attacks and strokes.


[i]  Keaney, J. F. Jr., Vita, J. A. (2002). The Value of Inflammation for Predicting Unstable Angina. N Engl J Med 347: 55-57   

[ii] Paul M. Ridker, M.D., Nader Rifai, Ph.D., Lynda Rose, M.S., Julie E. Buring, Sc.D., and Nancy R. Cook, Sc.D. Comparison of C-Reactive Protein and Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Levels in the Prediction of First Cardiovascular Events. NEJM Volume 347:1557-1565 November 14, 2002 Number 20

[iii] Marie-Luise Brennan, Ph.D., Marc S. Penn, M.D., Ph.D., Frederick Van Lente, Ph.D., et al Prognostic Value of Myeloperoxidase in Patients with Chest Pain NEJM Volume 349:1595-1604 October 23, 2003 Number 17

 

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Artery Center

This discussion of arterial disease is continued in the Book of  Heart and Arterial Disease You can order an eBook or printed text version separately or as part of a Nutritional Rescue Starter Pack Order Artery Rescue Starter Pack
 

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