Do you have problems with your performance in the boardroom or the bedroom?
Do you have irregular menstrual cycles or infertility concerns?
Are your hands and feet often cold?
Pay attention, as these could be signs of early cardiovascular disease (CVD).
Many people think of CVD in those who have had a heart attack, stroke, high blood pressure or cholesterol problems. And while these are major diseases of the cardiovascular system, it is important to broaden your understanding as YOU may be at risk and need to intervene early.
For example, if you have been diagnosed with erectile dysfunction you have vascular disease in your penis. This is actually an early sign that you likely have blood vessel problems in other organs throughout your body. Memory problems could also be a sign that you have brain vascular disease. Alzheimers is, in fact, considered type 3 diabetes.
For women, irregular menstrual cycles may be the result of a condition called polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) which can contribute to infertility. The pathophysiology of PCOS is insulin resistance which is a major risk factor for CVD.
Your body is brilliant at trying to give you clues that something is going on with your vascular system. It is up to you to pay attention to these early signs to ultimately prevent severe disease from happening.
PREVENTION
The good news is that most of CVD is not genetically determined. So, if your mother or father have high cholesterol and diabetes, you are not doomed to this fate. Whether YOU develop CVD is mostly driven by how you live your life.
TESTING & TREATMENT of HEART DISEASE with FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE
Addressing Cardiovascular Disease goes far beyond taking a pill for your hypertension and a statin for your cholesterol. Yes, you may need to be on these temporarily as you address the underlying causes(s) of your disease. But if 50% of patients who are having heart attacks have normal cholesterol, it would seem that these pills aren’t enough.
The first thing that you want to do is know your “true health” status. Unfortunately, many “normal” labs are not considered at optimal levels and you may leave your doctor’s office thinking you are healthier then you really are. The reason for this is that you didn’t get comprehensive laboratory testing thorough enough to make this claim.
Your true health answers more challenging questions such as…
Taking a deeper dive means doing advanced testing -beyond your basic panels.
Condition Being Evaluated |
Conventional Medicine |
Functional Medicine |
Hyperlipidemia |
Cholesterol, HDL, LDL, TG |
Cholesterol, HDL, LDL, TG, Small LDL, LDL particle, Apo (B), CRP, ESR, Lp(a), homocysteine, Mg |
Blood glucose status |
Glucose (serum) |
Glucose (serum), HbAic, fasting insulin, C-peptide (if indicated) |
Hypertension |
EKG |
EKG, Stress ECHO, coronary calcium score |
This alphabet soup of testing gives functional medicine doctors a more accurate picture of your health, and how your biological systems are functioning, in order to create a personalized treatment plan tailored to your physiology.
Testing goes well beyond these labs however. There are many factors that contribute to increasing your risk for CVD. For example, high blood pressure may be related to certain vitamin deficiencies, as well as toxins - like heavy metals found in your dental amalgams. Replacing these vitamins and supporting your body’s own detoxification pathways may be all that is needed to lower your readings and avoid the need to start medications.
Most chronic diseases are due to underlying inflammation that can be assessed in advanced lab testing. But what exactly is inflammation and where could it be coming from?
Poor DIetary Choices
Stress and High Cortisol
Lack of Quality Sleep
Gut and other Chronic Infections
Autoimmune Diseases
Vitamin and Nutritional Deficiencies
Hormonal Imbalances
Toxins
Most of these factors can be managed with dietary and lifestyle interventions to minimize the need for pharmaceutical interventions. The next step in treatment is to determine which factors are (1) contributing to your established CVD or (2) increasing your chances of developing disease in the future.
HOW IS A FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE APPROACH DIFFERENT?
CONCLUSION
Cardiovascular disease is not an old person’s disease. All adults need to pay attention to early signs and symptoms and talk with their doctor about what these could mean. In addition, working with a Functional Medicine Practitioner gives you the opportunity to undergo a comprehensive evaluation of your current health status. And although CVD results from complex biological processes, much of the treatment revolves around natural, dietary and lifestyle driven interventions best provided by an integrated multi-disciplinary team in order to optimize health, wellness, and vitality.
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