The Four Horsemen (of the heart)

As I stated in my first blog post,  for nearly 25 years my patients are those injured in the work place. Another facet of my work involves numerous pre-employment physicals which I perform daily.  I see a cross-section of the American
working class and like America in general ,70% of this population is obese, de-conditioned,
hypertensive , and borderline diabetic. I have only a few moments during the physical to give my “elevator” speech,  about weight loss and other general health issues. Because some of these
patients are approaching the dangerous precipice of stroke or heart attack I
make sure that they walk away with a list of  what Dr. Stephen Sinatra,MD, a cardiologist, calls The Four Horsemen of the  Heart, a list of the vitamins essential to energize and protect the heart and vascular system. Here they are- start and stay on them if you are not already!

Fish Oil, also known as Omega 3 fatty acids (a combination of DHA and EPA)  2-4 grams daily in divided doses. ( you read that right- grams, not milligrams)  Depending on when you were born, you might remember Grandma giving you cod liver oil for just about any ailment?  She was right,  and for the last 60 years scientists have proven her so. What does fish oil do?

• Fish oil is quite literally the lubrication for your body; without exception the most important anti-inflammatory you swallow
• It is half of what your brain is made of
• Improves your ability to think
• Decreases clotting
• Helps prevent arthritis, Alzhiemer’s

CoQ 10: Coenzyme Q10 (50 to 100 mg  twice daily).  When purchasing CoQ 10 it is important to read the label.  Look for ubiquinol as opposed to ubiquinol- ubiquinol is a smaller molecule and more readily absorbed by the body. CoQ10 is an important antioxidant that works in the mitochondria to facilitate energy production. It is effective in treating a host of medical issues including:

• Heart disease
• High blood pressure
• Alzheimer’s disease
• Diabetes
• Periodontal disease
• Weight loss
• Migraine
• Chronic fatigue/fibromyalgia- need I say more?

L-Carnitine- 500 mg/ day.  L-carnitine is an amino acid made in the liver, kidney, and brain from lysine and methionine. L-Carnitine facilitates the beta oxidation of fatty acids as energy which is to say it helps convert stored fat into energy. Among it’s functions:

• energizes the heart
• lowers LDL (lousy) cholesterol and raises HDL (healthy) cholesterol
• helps repair DNA and slow degeneration
• helps with all aspects of memory
• enhances muscle building

Magnesium: 500 mg daily, minimum. Magnesium is called the anti-arrhythmic mineral. Over half of the American population is deficient in this important mineral, particularly diabetics and post menopausal women.  Among it’s functions:

• magnesium is involved in over 300  enzimatic functions in the body
• helps regulate the heart and open vessels
• critical to heart, brain, and nerve function
• necessary for sound sleep
• bone building and steroid hormone production

The four horsemen will help reduce the ravages of aging . If you know someone with high blood pressure, someone who is deteriorating physically or mentally- give them the horsemen- you just might save a life.

As always, check with  your doctor to determine if there are contraindications due to  medications you may be taking