Atherosclerosis is a widespread and chronic progressive arterial disease. Atherosclerotic cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases are among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. According to my cardiologist, it almost killed me. So alarmed was she that she told me to stop playing tennis and not even walk down the block. But, of course, she wanted to do immediate surgery to look around my vascular system and possibly place some stents.
Arteriosclerosis occurs when the blood vessels that carry oxygen and nutrients from the heart to the rest of the body (arteries) become thick and stiff — sometimes restricting blood flow to the organs and tissues. Whatever it was doing to me, it seems, in hindsight, that it was driving my blood pressure to unacceptable and dangerous levels.
Healthy arteries are flexible and elastic. But over time, the walls in the arteries can harden, a condition commonly called hardening of the arteries. Unfortunately, I never paid attention to this, and it almost ended up with me having to visit an emergency center just a month ago.
Atherosclerosis is a specific type of arteriosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is the buildup of fats, cholesterol, and other substances in and on the artery walls. This buildup is called plaque. The plaque can cause arteries to narrow, blocking blood flow. Well, for the tons of butter and cheese I have consumed in my 70 years on this Earth, it is no wonder it got out of hand.
The plaque can also burst, leading to a blood clot. Although atherosclerosis is often considered a heart problem, it can affect arteries anywhere in the body. Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the arteries and is the underlying cause of about 50% of all deaths in Westernized society. Atherosclerosis can be treated, but I would never treat it as a cardiologist would have me do. During one of the first exams, a doctor did a sonogram and said my Carotid was 30% blocked, typical for my age.
Mild atherosclerosis usually doesn’t have any symptoms. Atherosclerosis symptoms typically don’t happen until an artery is so narrowed or clogged that it can’t supply enough blood to organs and tissues. Sometimes a blood clot completely blocks blood flow. The clot may break apart and can trigger a heart attack or stroke.
Symptoms of moderate to severe atherosclerosis depend on which arteries are affected. For example:
- If you have atherosclerosis in your heart arteries,you may have chest pain or pressure (angina).
- If you have atherosclerosis in the arteries leading to your brain,you may have sudden numbness or weakness in your arms or legs, difficulty speaking or slurred speech, temporary loss of vision in one eye, or drooping facial muscles. These signal a transient ischemic attack (TIA). Untreated, a TIA can lead to a stroke.
- If you have atherosclerosis in the arteries in your arms and legs,you may have symptoms of peripheral artery disease, such as leg pain when walking (claudication) or decreased blood pressure in an affected limb.
- If you have atherosclerosis in the arteries leading to your kidneys,you may develop high blood pressure or kidney failure.
Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) results in heart attacks, stroke, and peripheral arterial disease. The most common risk factors include hypercholesterolemia (LDL-cholesterol), hypertension, diabetes mellitus, cigarette smoking, age (male older than 45 and female more senior than 55), male gender, and strong family history. Also, a sedentary lifestyle, obesity, diets high in saturated and trans-fatty acids, and specific genetic mutations contribute to risk. Guilty as charged!
While a low level of high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol is considered a risk factor, pharmacological therapy increasing HDL-cholesterol has yielded negative results raising concerns about the role of HDL in Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
In the United States, about 610,000 people die of heart disease yearly. That is 1 of every four deaths. Coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death in the Western world, killing over 370,000 people annually. On average, about 735,000 Americans have a heart attack every year. Of these, 525,000 have an initial attack, and 210,000 have a recurrent attack.
It has been reported that 75% of acute myocardial infarctions occur from plaque rupture. The highest incidence of plaque rupture was observed in men over 45 years, whereas, in women, the incidence increases beyond age 50. This higher prevalence of atherosclerosis in men compared to women is attributed to the protective function of female sex hormones but is lost after menopause.
Stroke from any cause represents the fifth leading cause of death and the primary cause of severe long-term disability in adults in the United States. It is reported that nearly 795,000 people suffer from stroke yearly in the US, resulting in about 140,323 deaths. The primary form of ischemic stroke is due to Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
Treatments Both Natural and Pharmaceutical
Though I am an almost fanatical supporter of natural medicine, even I had to break down and combine some pharmaceuticals with natural treatments, starting with typical blood pressure medicine. I waited to age 70 to break down and take the pills. I used to rely on medical marijuana and slow breathing to control my stress and tendency to too high blood pressure, but I had quit six months before this recent hypertensive crisis. Tina Turna just died of kidney failure, and she said it was because of her complete resistance to control her pressure with a pill though I wonder if she even tried to control it naturally.
Hydrogen as an Anti-Atherosclerotic Agent
That week coming out of the doctor’s office was hell. Unfortunately, she was correct; though I had played tennis the week before, I could not walk down the block those days after the doctor scared my wife and me. I was afraid enough to contemplate the minor surgery to see if I needed a stent. Still, I decided in my usual pigheaded fashion to treat myself naturally and see what I could do. So how did I do? It is precisely one month later, and I am back playing tennis, walking down blocks, and feeling much better.
Though I am employing a complete protocol, I believe the hydrogen inhalation, all night, every night, that pulled me from almost death’s door back to the tennis court in just one month. In addition, of course, I flood my body with magnesium every day, have been taking expensive Lumbrokinase, a potent enzyme, Cayenne, some chlorine dioxide to thin my blood, spirulina by the mouthful, and my daily blood pressure medication, which I just cut the dosage in half. Soon I will start a few months on EDTA. Also, and significantly, I am fasting each morning and losing weight!
Oxidative stress and inflammation are closely related to atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. It is well established that Hydrogen has significant protective effects on many conditions as a potential antioxidative and anti-inflammatory agent. It seems like it is doing the trick for me now that I finally have a powerful machine I love to use after years of trying other devices.
Atherosclerotic plaque vulnerability is a vital clinical problem as vulnerable plaques tend to rupture, which results in atherosclerosis complications—myocardial infarctions and subsequent cardiovascular deaths. Hydrogen has been shown to attenuate the development of atherosclerosis in mouse models. In addition, Hydrogen significantly enhanced plaque stability by increasing collagen levels and reducing macrophage and lipid levels in plaques.
The decreased numbers of dendritic cells and increased numbers of regulatory T cells in plaques further supported the stabilizing effect of Hydrogen. Moreover, hydrogen treatments decreased serum ox-LDL levels and apoptosis in plaques with concomitant inhibition of endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) and reduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation in the aorta.
Vulnerable plaques contain monocytes, macrophages, and T-cells. The inhibitory effects of Hydrogen on the apoptosis of macrophage-derived foam cells, which take effect by suppressing the activation of the ERS pathway and activating the Nrf2 antioxidant pathway, lead to an improvement in atherosclerotic plaque stability.
Given our current understanding of its role as a small-molecule antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent, Hydrogen seems vital in preventing and treating atherosclerotic cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease. In the past decade, more than 50 publications in the English language literature considered the role of Hydrogen as an anti-atherosclerotic agent.
Cayenne
Blood clots are blockages in your blood vessels that limit blood flow through your circulatory system. Cayenne encourages fibrinolytic activity and helps prevent blood clots. Studies indicate that the capsaicin in cayenne pepper helps to clear away artery-narrowing lipid deposits and dilates arteries and blood vessels to clear away clots. Dr. Richard Schulze, the medical herbalist, says, “If you master only one herb in your life, master Cayenne pepper. It is more potent than any other.” Cayenne pepper’s benefits include its ability to stimulate circulation and eliminate acidity.
According to research published in Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, cayenne pepper restores the circulatory system by opening the capillaries and regulating blood sugar; it also helps the digestive system that moves bacteria and toxins out of the body.
Research conducted in the Netherlands suggests that cayenne pepper also increases body temperature and boosts your metabolism. Cayenne pepper benefits also include its ability to regulate your metabolism, according to a review published in Open Heart. It has been found to suppress hunger and normalize glucose levels effectively. It also normalizes blood pressure levels and helps the body lower LDL cholesterol and triglycerides.
Lumbrokinase
Lumbrokinase is a thoroughly researched oral enzyme on the market supporting a healthier blood state, and it shows great promise in helping a healthy coagulation/fibrinolysis balance in the body. Lumbrokinase is a complex enzyme preparation extracted from earthworms. Lumbrokinase can also be referred to as earthworm powder enzymes (EPE) or earthworm fibrinolytic enzymes (e-PPA). Earthworms have been used in traditional Easter medicine for thousands of years in countries such as China, Japan, and Korea.
According to the ancient Chinese medical publication Ben Cao Gang Mu (Compendium of Chinese Botanical and Animal Products), earthworms or “Earth Dragons” possess the properties to “invigorate blood, resolve stasis, and unblock the body’s meridians and channels.” As a result, earthworms are commonly used in traditional herbal formulae that treat ischemic or thromboembolic conditions.
As of today, a simple PubMed keyword search of “lumbrokinase” would generate 46 results, with papers dating as far back as 1991 and as recent as April 2014. However, performing the exact keyword search (in Chinese) in the most prominent Chinese digital periodicals database (www.cnki.net) would generate over 1400 publications!
One of the most intensely researched areas is the use of lumbrokinase in the prevention and treatment of ischemic stroke patients. Lumbrokinase was safe and effective for treating acute ischemic stroke by lowering blood viscosity, preventing reperfusion damage, and reducing neural deficits. It was also shown to improve the efficacy of aspirin as secondary stroke prevention.
Lumbrokinase is equally impressive in treating coronary arterial diseases, including patients with unstable angina. Besides lowering whole blood viscosity, plasma viscosity, fibrinogen, and ESR, research data indicated that lumbrokinase could minimize angina attack frequency, minimize the need for nitroglycerine and improve ST-segment elevation on the EKG. Other potential applications of lumbrokinase include deep venous thrombosis—essential hypertension, vascular dementia, etc.
Unknown to most clinicians, lumbrokinase has now been investigated as a potential anti-tumor and anti-metastatic agent. There is various in-vitro and clinical evidence pointing towards the involvement of hyper-coagulation in stimulating tumor growth and metastasis. Evidence also shows the potential use of anti-coagulants in limiting cancer growth and metastasis. Though still early in the research stage, lumbrokinase has been shown to inhibit stomach cancer cell growth and liver cancer cell metastasis in vitro.
Niacin
Niacin is also known as vitamin B-3. It’s found in liver, chicken, tuna, and salmon. Your doctor might recommend niacin supplements to help with your cholesterol since they can increase your “good” cholesterol levels by more than 30 percent. It can also lower triglycerides, another type of fat that increases your heart disease risk.
Niacin supplements can make your skin flushed and prickly feeling, and they might cause nausea. The daily recommended amount of niacin is 16 mg for men. It’s 14 mg for most women, 17 mg for lactating women, and 18 mg for pregnant women.
Conclusion
Almost everyone today in modern civilization has some buildup of plaque in their arteries and veins, and I don’t trust cardiologists because they can’t or won’t open up their mouths about magnesium. Since magnesium is the ultimate heart medicine, cardiologists do their patients a great disservice by not recommending it.
This book makes me one of the leading experts on Hydrogen Medicine. I was recently recognized as such at the first international conference on Hydrogen as a medicine here in Brazil. Yet I am constantly learning new things about what Hydrogen can do. Of course, it is more than wonderful when its healing power gets personal meaning when the physician gets to heal himself.
For emergency rooms, ICU centers, ambulances, and even for sideline medical support for contact sports in case of concussions, here is a new price-breaking 3 liter a minute hydrogen/oxygen inhalation machine (Brown’s Gas 66% H2 & 33% O2) for 4,399,00, which is less expensive than some far less powerful machines.
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