Heart Disease

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in America. Approximately 1 out of every 4 deaths in the United States is due to heart disease. In my practice, high lipid levels (total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, triglycerides) are almost always due to underlying inflammatory problems. These inflammatory problems can manifest in any organ of the human body (gut, liver, kidneys, brain, etc.) and may progress for years before a patient has any symptoms. This is why heart disease is called a “whole body disease” as well as the “silent killer”.

In order for patients to understand what functional medicine has to offer for heart disease, it is very important that they understand that high lipid levels are a downstream effect of more serious issues. The most common culprits to high lipid levels that I see in my practice include:

Once all of the above are identified (through comprehensive testing) and addressed (through dietary and lifestyle changes), the lipid levels can naturally return to normal and the risk for heart disease is drastically reduced and/or eliminated. In addition, the need for cholesterol lowering medication can be reduced or eliminated by the patient’s physician. This is the ideal outcome since cholesterol is required for many important functions in the human body including: nerve protection/signaling, proper endocrine function, bile production, and Vitamin D synthesis. In fact, every single cell in the human body is dependent on cholesterol.

If you or a loved one is suffering from heart disease, I encourage you to watch my educational videos on this page to obtain a better understanding of the development of this disease and how it is supported and managed in my practice.