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New Angina Guidelines
by Dr. Bruce West
Health Alert, November 1999
From our book
Bypassing Bypass, published in 2002 |
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Angina affects more than 10
million Americans. It occurs when there is decreased blood supply
to the heart. In effect, it is a muscle cramp. The heart muscle
begins to cramp when deprived of oxygen due to plaque in the
coronary arteries, high blood pressure, disease of the heart valves,
or nutritional deficiency. These cramps can be induced by exercise,
stress, or severe cold.
While most of the pain of angina
is usually in the chest, it is not unusual for pain to occur in the
jaw, back, shoulder, or arm. Most angina is stable — it occurs
during the stresses mentioned. Stable angina is therefore
predictable, while unstable angina is not. This condition can occur
at any time, even while resting. Angina can predictably lead to
high-tech medical procedures, including cardiac catheterization,
which can then lead to angioplasty (widening of the coronary
arteries), and bypass surgery, both of which carry the risk of
death, stroke, and heart attack.
New Medical Guidelines
In an effort to clear up some of
the treatment approaches to angina, the American College of
Cardiology, the American Heart Association, and the American College
of Physicians (whew!) published new guidelines for this treatment in
June 1999. The new guidelines state that the odds of having a heart
attack for those with angina can be reduced 25% by taking daily
aspirin. Everyone with angina should take nitroglycerin tablets.
All beta-blocker drugs act about the same and are the preferred
initial treatment. Drugs to lower cholesterol and diabetes should
be prescribed where appropriate. Physicians are discouraged from
using vitamins C and E, chelation therapy, or acupuncture because
the committee found they had no scientific value.
None of the new medical
guidelines correct the underlying causes of 75% of all angina
cases. For these 7.5 million people, angina can be controlled in
the beginning by using some of the recommended medical procedures.
Once under control, angina can be reversed conservatively by adding
supplements, the correct diet, and exercise. This less invasive
process is not happening because the American public has been duped
into believing that angina is basically a plumbing problem.
There are some cases of angina
that are indeed a plumbing problem. A diseased heart valve that
absolutely needs to be replaced would be one of these cases. But
for the vast majority of cases, the cause of angina is nutritional.
And until the nutritional problem is resolved, all the new medical
guidelines and synthetic vitamins in the world are not going to
permanently eliminate angina chest pain.
Enhanced Guidelines
In the very beginning, some of
the medical guidelines should be used until you gain some control
over your condition. These treatments can be prescribed by your
cardiologist and may include aspirin, nitroglycerin, and even blood
pressure drugs. But remember, medical treatments carry all kinds of
risks and side effects, some worse than the original condition.
Aspirin can induce internal bleeding and facilitate strokes. Beta
blockers can cause heart arrhythmias, and when combined with
diabetes medication, can induce hypoglycemia — which can take you by
surprise, causing blackouts, falls, and possibly severe damage from
falls if you are unlucky. Cholesterol-lowering drugs have been
implicated in liver disease and other serious side effects.
Nonetheless, if you suffer with
severe angina from years of dietary or medical abuse, you may need
to take aspirin, nitroglycerin, and blood pressure drugs until you
begin to reverse the condition. And the very first thing you need
to do to reverse this condition is to supplement with the major
missing nutrient — real, whole vitamin E complex. In this case,
only the whole nutritional complex made from food will work. Since
all store-bought ‘vitamin E’ is simply the small antioxidant portion
of the whole nutritional complex, it is not surprising that vitamin
E was found to be of little value in the treatment of severe angina.
So do not try to solve this
deficiency with the antioxidant portion (tocopherols of any type).
Rather, you need Cataplex E2 from Standard Process Labs (at a dose
of two to five, taken three times daily with food) until your heart
cramps begin to subside. Cataplex E2 is the live essence of vitamin
E — rich plants and proteins like pea plants, beet roots, liver,
adrenal, and more. These include the naturally occurring
nutritional counterparts — trace mineral activators, enzymes, etc. —
all preserved in a patented process designed to retain the live
integrity of the plant and animal nutrition. In contrast,
tocopherols are synthetically produced from tar or industrially
stripped away from corn oil. Cataplex E2 is the treatment of choice
for people with angina. And it should be employed in all cases of
circulation blockages, including blood clots, claudication, etc.
In addition, like all muscle
cramps, angina may also be aggravated by a calcium deficiency and a
vitamin F deficiency. Vitamin F is known as the ‘middleman’ or the
delivery mechanism for calcium, allowing it to be infused into the
cells of the heart muscle. Cataplex E2 will naturally contain some
vitamin F (isn’t nature wonderful?). But in some cases, you will
need to also take Cataplex F (also from Standard Process Labs) at a
dose of one to two, three times daily with meals.
All people with angina need to
be supplementing with products that will help them reverse the
underlying condition of poor heart muscle tone, fatty arteries, high
blood pressure, and abnormal fat levels (LDL cholesterol and
triglycerides) in the blood. For all angina sufferers, Cardio-Plus
is a must (if you suffer from low blood pressure, substitute
Vasculin), both from Standard Process Labs. Cardio-Plus contains
heart tissue extract, Cataplex E2, real, whole, vitamin C (not just
the antioxidant portion which is called ascorbic acid), and
calcium. A dose of two to three, three times daily is good to
start.
If you suffer from cholesterol
problems with high LDL and low HDL, or if you suffer from diabetes,
you will need additional supplements, at least temporarily. I use
two products from Standard Process Labs with great success —
Cholaplex for cholesterol sufferers (two to three, three times
daily) and Diaplex for diabetes sufferers (at the same dose). With
all angina sufferers, a tablespoon of raw flax oil daily for one to
two years is a must. It is not unusual for this supplement alone to
reduce cholesterol by 50 points when necessary.
Always Treat the Cause
Let’s say you are now using
modern medical treatments, and you have also started an initial
nutritional protocol as outlined in this article. Amazingly,
Cataplex E2 alone will dramatically help almost all angina sufferers
after only a short time. And as your symptoms are relieved, you can
discuss drug weaning with your physician. But you still have work
to do. To fully regain your health, you must clean up your diet and
eat foods that are compatible with your particular metabolism.
For angina and heart disease
sufferers, the best way to eat is a Mediterranean diet with an
overlay of the blood-type diet. You can get the data on this system
of eating by dropping me a line with a self-addressed, stamped
envelope (SASE) and say MEDITERRANEAN DIET. Or you can order the
book Low Fat Lies by sending $15.95 (Californians add 7.25%
tax) [write to Health Alert, 100 Wilson Rd #110,
Monterey CA 93940 or call 800-231-8063]. I’ll rush you the book (20% off retail) and all
the other information you need. Once you begin eating properly and
taking supplements to reverse the damage done throughout your life,
you are on your way to eliminating the cause of angina. And now is
the time to begin exercise.
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A Note on Angina
Everything we’ve
talked about up to this point will end your angina.
If you start Dr
Rath’s Cellular Medicine program, or Dr Schulze’s
program or Dr Garry Gordon’s or Dr Bruce West’s...it
makes no difference, your angina pains will begin to
improve. Just as long as you start a program of
nutrition and exercise.
And listen to Dr
West here when he tells you that you might have to do
some conventional medicines if you’ve spent years
abusing your body.
One study we
found at Medline showed that 150 mg per day of Coenzyme
Q10 reduced the frequency of angina attacks by up to 46%
while improving the capacity for physical activity in
patients with angina. |
 | Super QNol® CoQ10 100 mg - $ 46.95
First ever water-soluble Ubiquinol CoQ10 offering unparalleled absorption. This Coenzyme Q10 supplement is a powerful antioxidant compound that infuses cells with energy and protects them from oxidative stress and damage. *
This is the brand your author
uses, that is, until I find one better.
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If your angina has been severe,
exercise has been out of the question. But as your symptoms clear,
and your wind and endurance increase without pain, you must begin to
exercise. Your heart is a big muscle. And just like any other
muscle that has been subject to poor function, cramps, and weakness,
you must exercise it. The blood flow to your heart will increase
from your protocol and dietary changes. Exercise will infuse vitamin
E, C and F, calcium and other minerals, and omega-3 fatty acids into
your heart cells. And these nutrients are like high octane fuel to
a race car.
As you get better, and your
doctors give you the OK, start some light walking or aerobic
exercise. After a period of time, get to a gym and begin weight
training. Lifting weights is the fountain of youth for those with a
weak heart. After combining exercise, weight lifting, and the
necessary dietary changes to regenerate a swollen, flaccid heart
muscle for at least six to 18 months, you will feel 20 years
younger. And this is what treating the cause of the problem is all
about.
The other option? Become a
medical statistic. The routine goes like this. You develop angina
and see your doctor. He starts you on drugs and you probably will
develop side effects ranging from erratic heart beats to impotence.
Your angina will remain but be controlled to some degree. If it
worsens, you will be referred for cardiac catheterization which
carries a 1.2 to 7% death rate just from the procedure. If your
cardiologist is an interventional cardiologist (one who feels
compelled to intervene), you may be subjected to angioplasty or
bypass. And with five-year medical fees running around $55,000,
what hospital wouldn’t want to intervene?
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