Unclogging Your Arteries
Atherosclerosis
is a word you probably hear a lot more than you care to. It refers to
the hardening of your arteries due to a buildup of plaque, which is
essentially a combination of “cholesterol, fatty substances, cellular waste products, calcium and fibrin (a clotting material in the blood).” (1).
When this happens, you are at risk for having a heart attack or stroke. According to the American Heart Association’s 2016 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics Update, in 2013, 1 of every 3 deaths in the US was a result of heart disease, stroke, and other cardiovascular diseases. Plus, heart disease and stroke were listed as the number one (and two) killers worldwide, according to the report (2).
While your doctor will probably recommend living a healthy lifestyle that includes eating according to the national dietary recommendations and getting exercise, if you show any signs of atherosclerosis you will likely be given a prescription for a statin (cholesterol lowering medication) or a fibrate to lower your triglyceride levels, along with a slew of other medications (3).
Ultimately, while your doctor will tell you these drugs can help control or treat atherosclerosis, many studies also show they are inherently dangerous and can even worsen the situation or lead to other diseases, including cancer (4).
Atherosclerosis
is a word you probably hear a lot more than you care to. It refers to
the hardening of your arteries due to a buildup of plaque, which is
essentially a combination of “cholesterol, fatty substances, cellular waste products, calcium and fibrin (a clotting material in the blood).” (1).When this happens, you are at risk for having a heart attack or stroke. According to the American Heart Association’s 2016 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics Update, in 2013, 1 of every 3 deaths in the US was a result of heart disease, stroke, and other cardiovascular diseases. Plus, heart disease and stroke were listed as the number one (and two) killers worldwide, according to the report (2).
While your doctor will probably recommend living a healthy lifestyle that includes eating according to the national dietary recommendations and getting exercise, if you show any signs of atherosclerosis you will likely be given a prescription for a statin (cholesterol lowering medication) or a fibrate to lower your triglyceride levels, along with a slew of other medications (3).
Ultimately, while your doctor will tell you these drugs can help control or treat atherosclerosis, many studies also show they are inherently dangerous and can even worsen the situation or lead to other diseases, including cancer (4).
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