Root Causes And Solutions For Heart Disease: Too Many Free Radicals, Low HDL, Low Nitric Oxide, High Blood Pressure, Homocysteine

Solution For The Free Radical Root Cause Of Heart Disease

The solution for preventing and reversing the plaque buildup of heart disease caused by free radicals is 1) Reducing excessive creation of free radicals. 2) Increasing antioxidants to further reduce free radicals because antioxidants neutralize free radicals 3) Increase HDL. If HDL is increased enough, it will remove enough oxidized LDL from the blood to prevent oxidized LDL from causing more plaque to build on artery walls, and remove plaque directly from artery walls. HDL is garbage pickup service in the body. HDL does not become oxidized by free radicals like LDL does because HDL contains an antioxidant (paraoxonase). Put another way the solution is to make this simple formula happen:
(antioxidants + HDL) > (free radicals)

1) Reduce Excessive Creation Of Free Radicals

Free radicals are atoms that are missing an electron causing it to easily attach to atoms of other molecules, which deteriorates the molecule. Most free radicals are free radicals of oxygen (ROS) and hydroxyl free radical (OH+).

Iron Creates Free Radicals

In the body, iron and hydrogen peroxide react creating oxidized iron and a potent free radical.
“…iron can lead to the catalytic production of the very reactive and dangerous hydroxyl [free] radical, which is exceptionally damaging, and a major cause of chronic inflammation.” The iron overload of one disease (thalassemia) causes much of the damage of the disease. Cancer cells even protect themselves from iron by binding iron to a protein. Men store more iron than they need and may want to consider eating less of a good source of iron – red meat.

Protein and Fat

The break down of protein into amino acids and saturated fat into fatty acids and glycerol creates a lot of free radicals, much more than carbohydrates (excluding sugar). Most people in the U.S. get much more protein and fat than the RDA. So reducing protein and fat intake will reduce free radicals. The RDA for protein is 50 grams. The RDA for saturated fat is 20 grams.

Irradiated Food

Many foods are irradiated to remove bacteria by subjecting the foods to radiation. Radiation creates free radicals. When someone dies of radiation exposure, they actually die of excessive free radical destruction of the body. A lot of food in the U.S. is irradiated, although consumers aren’t informed which foods are irradiated. Tobacco smoke contains a ton of free radicals and certain drugs lead to creation of free radicals.

2) Increase Antioxidants To Further Reduce Free Radicals

Antioxidants neutralize free radicals. The ability of an antioxidant to neutralize free radicals is the Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity of the antioxidant, usually abbreviated as ORAC. Antioxidants can be both water soluble (hydrophilic) and fat soluble (lipophilic). Some foods contain only fat soluble antioxidants, others contain only water soluble antioxidants, and some foods contain some of both. The ORAC of the water soluble antioxidants of a food + the ORAC of the fat soluble antioxidants of a food = the Total Antioxidant Capacity (TAC) of a food (or supplement). When a food has almost no water soluble or almost no fat soluble antioxidants, the TAC value of the food is considered the same as the ORAC value, and often an ORAC value is given instead of a TAC value.

Minerals

No mineral is an antioxidant. Zinc, selenium, and manganese are necessary for very powerful antioxidants enzymes made by the body to work. Selenium activates the antioxidant enzyme made by the body called glutathione peroxidase. Selenium is also involved in a selenium-dependent antioxidant called thioredoxin reductases. Manganese activates the antioxidant enzyme made by the body called manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD). Zinc is necessary for the antioxidant enzyme made by the body called zinc SOD (ZnSOD). The RDA for zinc for the average adult is 15mg, selenium 70mcg, and manganese 2mg. The amount of zinc by supplement should not exceed 25mg daily.

According to the National Institutes of Health, “Selenium is incorporated into proteins to make selenoproteins, which are important antioxidant enzymes. The antioxidant properties of selenoproteins help prevent cellular damage from free radicals. Free radicals are natural by-products of oxygen metabolism that may contribute to the development of chronic [degenerative] diseases such as cancer and heart disease.”

Catalytic Antioxidants

“Catalytic antioxidants, Euk-8 and Euk-134, strongly mimic the catalytic activities of both superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase, and are convincingly more effective than non-catalytic antioxidants such as vitamin C or E…” Catalase is another antioxidant made by the body. “Cardiovascular, neurodegenerative and inflammatory lung disorders are all potentially important targets for catalytic antioxidant therapy.”

Astaxanthin and Lycopene

Astaxanthin and Lycopene are natural chemicals in certain plants called phytochemicals, not herbs, but single chemicals. Astaxanthin and lycopene are two of the most powerful antioxidants. They’re both fat soluble, so be sure to take them with food that contains fat to be able to absorb as much of them as possible, preferably salad oils but also animal fat you would normally eat, like beef or other animal food. (Oils are liquid fats.) Don’t waste these phytochemicals by taking them on an empty stomach.

Beta Carotene is also a phytochemical and is taken by many in place of vitamin A. Using zinc, the body will convert as much beta carotene to vitamin A as it needs. Beta carotene is an antioxidant but not as powerful as other phytochemical antioxidants. The numerous chemicals in tobacco and or tobacco processed for cigarettes and cigars causes adverse chemical reactions with beta carotene, and increases the risk of cancer. If you smoke, don’t take beta carotene take vitamin A.

Food Sources of Phytochemicals

There are a number of plant foods that have very high ORAC values.

Red Kidney beans – 2/3cup: 15,000
Blueberries – 2/3cup: 6300
Cranberries – 2/3cup: 6000
Black Plums – 1plum: 4800
Russet Potato -1potato: 4650
Blackberries – 2/3cup: 4450
Plums – 1plum: 4100
Strawberries – 2/3cup: 3960
Apples (all types average) – 1 apple: 3700
Granny Smith – 1 apple: 5380
Red Delicious – 1 apple
with peel: 5900
without peel: 3750
Raspberries – 2/3cup: 3500
Raisins – 1/2 cup: 2490
Walnuts – 1oz: 3800
Pecans – 1oz: 5100
Pistachios – 1oz: 2250
Cinnamon, ground – 1 gram: 2675
Cloves, ground – 1 gram: =3140
Wolfberry Juice (Goji) – 8oz: 20,000
Pomegranate Juice: ORAC= ?
100mg ascorbic acid (Vitamin C):Only 560

The two most convenient foods to eat that are delicious and have great ORAC values are plums and apples. Other than orange juice, it’s hard to find bottled fruit juices without high fructose corn syrup. Wyman’s makes a Wild Blueberry fruit juice that has no high fructose corn syrup and has plenty of antioxidants. Northland makes several dark-fruit fruit juice products with no added sugar.

The antioxidant value of a food is wasted when smothered in corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, and sugar in general, because the large amount of carbohydrates of these sugars creates a large amount of free radicals, so it’s best to read fruit juice labels looking for sugar before buying. If you’re going to have apple pie, blueberry pie etc., make your own filling from scratch because it won’t have high fructose corn syrup and will have less sugar, and taste better than store bought pie. Some of the foods listed above may be in your local health food store instead of your local grocery store.

Vitamins

Some vitamins are antioxidants but all vitamins that are antioxidants are very weak antioxidants. It’s a big secret in the nutrition world, especially with nutritional supplements. Many vitamin supplements are advertised as great antioxidants but the ORAC value for the different vitamins are not given in the advertising nor on the label – because the ORAC for vitamins is very low. Of course, vitamins are needed by the body in order to stay healthy and alive for many reasons unrelated to their antioxidant value. If a product advertised as an antioxidant supplement doesn’t list the ORAC or TAC value (which is the antioxidant strength of a substance) of their product, then don’t buy it for its antioxidant value. Write companies that advertise their vitamin products as antioxidants and ask what the ORAC value of their product is. Some nutritional supplement companies add high ORAC value phytochemicals to their nutritional supplements to hide the low ORAC value of vitamins.

Almost No Heart Disease

The French have very low rate of heart disease. It’s believed the phytochemical resveratrol (trans-resveratrol) found in the red wine they often drink is what protects the French from heart disease. (Resveratrol is also found in the Chinese herb Hu-Chang and in lower amounts in grape juice and peanuts.)

Some scientists say it’s the antioxidant quercetin in red wine that prevents heart disease. Others resveratrol and quercetin influence cell signaling pathways and gene expression in the body which increases maintenance of the body. The fact remains, something in red wine prevents plaque buildup. Taking a supplement of resveratrol and quercetin certainly can’t hurt.

3) Solution For The Low HDL Root Cause Of Heart Disease: Niacin, Pantethine, Carnitine, Policosanol