October 2003 Issue, Published by Internal Health.

Heart disease and stroke are the principal components of cardiovascular disease they are the first and third leading causes of death in the United States, accounting for nearly 40% of all deaths. About 950,000 Americans die of cardiovascular disease each year, which amounts to one death every 33 seconds.

Cardiovascular disease is the leading health problem in the western world; each year nearly three hundred thousand-bypass surgeries and two hundred fifty thousand angioplasties are performed in the United States. Furthermore, nearly twenty thousand deaths occur each year as a result of these procedures. In 1992, Nortin Hadler, MD, Professor of Medicine at the University Of North Carolina School Of Medicine wrote that none of the two hundred-fifty thousand balloon angioplasties performed the previous year could be justified, and that only three to five percent of the three hundred thousand coronary artery bypass surgeries done the same year were actually indicated.  An estimated 50 million Americans are afflicted with heart and blood vessel disease; most do not know that they themselves are a heart attack just waiting to happen. Mainly because they have no symptoms.  

Many people believe that heart disease and stroke primarily affect men and older people. However, they are the leading causes of death for both men and women. Although these largely preventable conditions are more common among people aged 65 years or older, the number of sudden deaths from heart disease among people aged 15–34 has increased.

Moreover, deaths are only part of the picture. About 61 million Americans (almost one-fourth of the population) live with cardiovascular disease. Coronary heart disease is a leading cause of premature, permanent disability in the U.S. workforce. Stroke alone accounts for disability among more than 1 million Americans. Almost 6 million hospitalizations each year are due to cardiovascular disease.

The economic impact of cardiovascular disease on the U.S. health care system continues to grow as the population ages. The cost of heart disease and stroke in the United States is projected to be $351 billion in 2003, including health care expenditures and lost productivity from death and disability.

The cardiovascular system, simply stated, is comprised of the heart and blood vessels; the heart pumps the blood through every blood vessel within the body and nourishes every cell. When the cardiovascular system is in peak performance every bodily function breathes in life, but if it slows down just a bit, everything suffers.   

Risk Factors Must Be Addressed

Two of the major independent risk factors for cardiovascular disease are high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol. About 90% of middle-aged Americans will develop high blood pressure in their lifetime, and nearly 70% of people with high blood pressure do not have it under control.

A key strategy for addressing these risk factors is to educate the public and health care practitioners about the importance of prevention. For example, health care practitioners should be encouraged to follow the current guidelines for treating patients with or at risk for cardiovascular disease.

People also need to be educated about the signs and symptoms of heart attacks and stroke and the importance of calling 911 quickly. Nearly 70% of deaths from heart disease occur before a person can be admitted to a hospital, and about 48% of stroke victims die before emergency medical personnel arrive.

Some of the signs to be aware of are shortness of breath, dizziness, fainting, stress, rapid heartbeat, headaches, sweating and high blood pressure.  Hypertension is the leading cause of stroke, and also greatly increases the risk of heart attack, heart failure, and kidney failure.

Other important ways that people can reduce their risk for heart disease and stroke are to avoid using tobacco, adopt healthier diets, and be physically active. Using tobacco directly affects people’s risk for heart disease and stroke, and poor nutrition and physical inactivity increase risk by adversely affecting blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels.

 Now enough about the problems, how about some help!

Chelation (key-LAY-shun) comes from the Greek Word chele meaning "to claw" or "to bind." In Chelation therapy, the product used is EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid); EDTA rids the body of unnecessary and toxic metals, and is employed by a growing number of physicians to reverse the process of atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). This reversal is accomplished in part through the removal of the calcium content of plaque from the artery walls, through the administration of the chelating agents. By restoring good circulation to all the tissues of the body, chelation therapy can help to avoid bypass surgery, reverse gangrene, alleviate intermittent claudiction (cramps) of the legs, and restore memory. Due to its ability to remove toxic metal ions, chelation therapy reduces internal inflammation caused by free radicals (highly reactive destructive molecules), and as a result can ease the discomfort and disability from degenerative diseases such as arthritis, scleroderma (a hardening that occurs in skin and certain organs) and lupus.

"According to current drug safety standards, aspirin is about three and a half times more toxic than EDTA."

Chelation therapy has been used safely on more than five hundred thousand patients.

A PRODUCT WORTH LOOKING INTO IS ORAL CHELATORY-RX

CONTAINS THE FOLLOWING:

EDTA:
Used orally at home or intravenously under the supervision of a physician, EDTA is used to rid the body of excess toxins, particularly metals such as cadmium, lead, and mercury. These toxic metals enter the body through food, water, and other means.  EDTA draws out these toxic metals and excretes them via the kidneys. Oral chelation can often prevent problems from occurring by restoring circulation to the body’s tissues.

L-CARNITINE:
This amino acid is found abundantly in skeletal muscle. It functions primarily to regulate fat metabolism, and also acts as a carrier of fatty acids into the mitochondria, where they are oxidized and converted to energy. L-Carnitine also facilitates the removal of short and medium chain fatty acids from the mitochondria that accumulate during normal metabolic processes. L-Carnitine has the potential to improve fat metabolism, increase endurance, and enhance the normal functioning of the heart.

HAWTHORNE:
Used to support the heart's metabolic process and to increase oxygen utilization and blood supply enabling the body to maintain healthy blood pressure levels.  Provides nourishment to the body, which helps maintain healthy cholesterol levels and decreases the amount of existing arterial plaque.  Helps keep the arteries open supplying the heart with blood.  Also increases energy production in the heart so that the heart can contract more forcefully and maintain a steadier rhythm

L-ARGININE:
Reduces blood platelet aggregation, which reduces the build-up of cholesterol along arterial walls.  It stimulates lymphocyte (white blood cell) production to support the body's immune system.  Also supports blood circulation to the genitals.

MAGNESIUM ASPERTATE:
The body uses magnesium to maintain proper electrolyte levels, a regular heartbeat and healthy blood pressure. Magnesium works in conjunction with other minerals such as calcium and potassium to facilitate proper neurological, muscular and cardiovascular function. Magnesium and potassium in their aspertate forms are important for establishing the proper ionic equilibrium of the two minerals. These minerals form a fully reacted chelate.

COENZYME Q10:
A potent, fat-soluble antioxidant that helps protect cellular membranes.  Also offers protection against potent low-density lipoprotein (LDL) peroxidation, a process that causes LDL molecules to adhere to artery walls, causing cholesterol deposits.  Provides nourishment for the body's natural defense system and support for healthy cardiovascular function and blood pressure levels. It also supports healthy gum tissue.

GUGULIPIDS:
Specifically, gugulipid lowers VLDL and LDL cholesterol and triglycerides while simultaneously raising HDL cholesterol. This indicates Gugulipid's primary use for providing a protection effective against atherosclerosis. The thyroid is stimulated to increase the body's metabolic rate, and the liver is stimulated to metabolize LDL cholesterol, effectively lowering the amount in the bloodstream. In addition to protecting against the formation of atherosclerotic plaques, gugulipids provide regression of preexisting plaques, plus mildly inhibiting platelet aggregation and promoting fibrinolysis, (which are) factors involved in stroke and embolic events.  The guggulsterones presents an anti-inflammatory action comparable to one-fifth that of hydrocortisone, and equal to that of phenylbutazone and ibuprofen.

BROMELAIN:
It’s a mixture of sulfur-containing protein-digesting enzymes (proteases) from the stem of the pineapple plant. Bromelain has been shown to be effective in the reduction of inflammation and helpful in the reduction of swelling. Bromelain blocks the production of kinins, which are produced during inflammation.

MALIC ACID:
Is present in all living cells and is essential for converting sugars and fats into ATP (your body's energy source). It supports the energy production that is important for proper muscle function. Malic Acid acts as a catalyst to the Krebs cycle by producing energy from the burning of pyruvic acid. Malic Acid has traditionally been used for stress, tender points, pain, persistent fatigue, muscular pain, arthritic-like symptoms, and for recovery from exercise. Studies have shown that Malic Acid, when given with magnesium, resulted in a 41% reduction in tender points after four weeks and 76% after eight weeks. In some cases, noticeable improvement was evident in as little as forty-eight hours.

POTASSIUM ASPERTATE:
This mineral is important for a healthy nervous system and for regular heart rhythm.  It helps prevent stroke, aids in proper muscle contraction, and works together with magnesium to prevent calcium-oxalate kidney stones.

SELENIUM:
Selenium’s principal function is to inhibit the oxidation of lipids (fats) and used in the production of antibodies to help maintain a healthy heart and liver.  Selenium deficiency has been linked to cancer and heart disease.  

FOLIC ACID:
This vitamin is considered a brain food, and is needed for energy production and the formation of red blood cells.  Folic acid regulates homocysteine levels.  High levels of homocysteine have been found to be associated with an increased risk of atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries due to the accumulation of fatty plaque).

This advanced formulation is designed to offer a safe, convenient alternative for persons who are at risk for circulatory problems or problems caused by toxic metal accumulation, or just prevention. In addition to helping the cardiovascular system, many other disorders are improved such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and arthritis. This product also offers improvement with blood cholesterol levels, removal of calcium from hardened arteries, and is an effective cross-linking inhibitor. 

Recommended daily dosage:
3 capsules 2 times per day, on an empty stomach. For an annual cleansing, it is best to take one bottle for every 10 years of life.  For example, 40-year-old persons should use 4 bottles.  For therapeutic dosage seek guidance from your health care professional.