Category: Health

要把這個清除動脈的plague，這篇說是可能的，不知道是真的假的。

Eat Unsaturated fat

1. Monounsaturated fats are found in high concentrations in:

• Olive, peanut, and canola oils
• Avocados
• Nuts such as almonds, hazelnuts, and pecans
• Seeds such as pumpkin and sesame seeds

2. Polyunsaturated fats are found in high concentrations in

• Sunflower, corn, soybean, and flaxseed oils
• Walnuts
• Flax seeds
• Fish
• Canola oil – though higher in monounsaturated fat, it’s also a good source of polyunsaturated fat.

Omega-3 fats are an important  type of polyunsaturated fat. The body can’t make these, so they must come from food.

• An excellent way to get omega-3 fats is by eating fish 2-3 times a week.
• Good plant sources of omega-3 fats include flax seeds, walnuts, and canola or soybean oil.

 699 total views,  2 views today

• Normal — Less than 150 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL), or less than 1.7 millimoles per liter (mmol/L)
• Borderline high — 150 to 199 mg/dL (1.8 to 2.2 mmol/L)
• High — 200 to 499 mg/dL (2.3 to 5.6 mmol/L)
• Very high — 500 mg/dL or above (5.7 mmol/L or above)

What’s the best way to lower triglycerides?

Healthy lifestyle choices are key:

• Exercise regularly. Aim for at least 30 minutes of physical activity on most or all days of the week. Regular exercise can lower triglycerides and boost “good” cholesterol. Try to incorporate more physical activity into your daily tasks — for example, climb the stairs at work or take a walk during breaks.
• Avoid sugar and refined carbohydrates. Simple carbohydrates, such as sugar and foods made with white flour or fructose, can increase triglycerides.
• Lose weight. If you have mild to moderate hypertriglyceridemia, focus on cutting calories. Extra calories are converted to triglycerides and stored as fat. Reducing your calories will reduce triglycerides.
• Choose healthier fats. Trade saturated fat found in meats for healthier fat found in plants, such as olive and canola oils. Instead of red meat, try fish high in omega-3 fatty acids — such as mackerel or salmon. Avoid trans fats or foods with hydrogenated oils or fats.
• Limit how much alcohol you drink. Alcohol is high in calories and sugar and has a particularly potent effect on triglycerides. If you have severe hypertriglyceridemia, avoid drinking any alcohol.

What about medication?

If healthy lifestyle changes aren’t enough to control high triglycerides, your doctor might recommend:

• Statins. These cholesterol-lowering medications may be recommended if you also have poor cholesterol numbers or a history of blocked arteries or diabetes. Examples of statins include atorvastatin calcium (Lipitor) and rosuvastatin calcium (Crestor).
• Fibrates. Fibrate medications, such as fenofibrate (TriCor, Fenoglide, others) and gemfibrozil (Lopid), can lower your triglyceride levels. Fibrates aren’t used if you have severe kidney or liver disease.
• Fish oil. Also known as omega-3 fatty acids, fish oil can help lower your triglycerides. Prescription fish oil preparations, such as Lovaza, contain more-active fatty acids than many nonprescription supplements. Fish oil taken at high levels can interfere with blood clotting, so talk to your doctor before taking any supplements.
• Niacin. Niacin, sometimes called nicotinic acid, can lower your triglycerides and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol — the “bad” cholesterol. Talk to your doctor before taking over-the-counter niacin because it can interact with other medications and cause significant side effects.

 266 total views,  1 views today

Wei介紹的：

Nevibolol is the blood pressure medication I recommend for Alan. 5 or 10 mg

 332 total views,  2 views today

*我不是醫生。這只是我的個人筆記。要做任何改變，先問問你的醫師。

拖了一年，終於去看心臟科醫師，他要我做CT Calcium Score。做了，結果是心臟動脈有微度(mild)的plague，其實快要到中度，到了中度，3-5年內有心臟病的風險。

心臟病？從來也沒想過這會發生在我身上。

於是去Google，有沒有可能把plague溶掉(dissolve)，當然主流的是說不可能，只能減緩。當然一定有非主流的醫生(**)說這是可以做到的, 像這一篇文章的作者。他在2015做了CMIT(Carotid Intima-Media Thickness), 發現他血管有沉積(plagues), 他的動脈像是73歲人, 而他當時年紀是57. 他說他做了以下的事，清除了血管的沉積物，一年後，再做一次CMIT, 把動脈年齡降到52.

1. 常吃Salmon，像一個星期三次。
2. 吃niacin, 2gm(2,000mg)
3. 控制高血壓，他改吃ACE inhibitor (Ramipril)
4. 吃statin. statin是降低壞膽固醇(LDL)的藥，他從5mg開始。

**我沒去查證他們是不是真的醫生。

 310 total views

From Three Reasons a heart loves garlic

Some research has also shown that aged garlic extract can help reduce the amount of “soft plaque” in the arteries. Soft plaque is more likely to break off and cause a blockage that leads to a heart attack. 

One small study, which involved 55 patients ages 40-75, tracked how the garlic supplement worked for a year. In the end, researchers found those who took the supplement saw an 80% reduction in soft plaque

From New study shows aged garlic extract can reduce dangerous plaque buildup in arteries

From Breakthrough Shows Unique Garlic May Reverse Heart Disease

“The results showed that aged garlic extract actually causes some regression, a little bit of less plaque,” Budhoff said. “Iit actually went away a little bit.”

“We have completed four randomized studies, and they have led us to conclude that aged garlic extract can help slow the progression of atherosclerosis and reverse the early stages of heart disease”

 282 total views,  2 views today

From PrevMed

What I did to reverse 20 years of arterial plaque

At that time, I followed the standard practices to address my plaque. By going with fasting and low-carb diets, I have been keeping my blood sugar, insulin, and HbA1c (hemoglobin A1c) at much better levels.

Moreover, I did extra changes to my lifestyle:

• I started eating salmon every day (like 3 days per week) to get omega 3 oil.
• I added niacin to improve my HDL, decrease my LDL, and decrease my triglycerides. Niacin is an over-the-counter supplement, and you get up to about 2 grams daily. So far, it’s the only thing that has a widespread effect on cholesterol values. While niacin is not believed to cause major changes, it did contribute something to my health.
• As for blood pressure medications, I switched from ARB to an ACE inhibitor (Ramipril). Apart from decreasing blood pressure, ACE inhibitors also reduce inflammation. (And we just discussed what inflammation can do to your plaque.)
• Most of my patients avoid statins due to side effects, but I “bit the bullet” and took a very low dose Crestor (rosuvastatin). I started with 5 mg. Once I got better control of my blood glucose with dietary carb control, I dropped my dosage to 2.5 mg Crestor two times per week. The lower dose also impacts inflammation by decreasing it; the lower dose doesn’t cause diabetes. 

 257 total views,  1 views today