Cardiovascular Health

Cardiovascular disease accounts for nearly half of all deaths in the United States. Heart disease, stroke, hypertension (high blood pressure) and vascular diseases (such as hardening of the arteries and varicose veins) all fall into this broad category.

Who can benefit from this program?

If you are over age 40, it is time to be screened for weaknesses in your cardiovascular system. Major risk factors for developing cardiovascular disease include: family history of cardiovascular disease, smoking, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, lack of exercise, lung disease, obesity, chronic (often undiagnosed) infections, immune dysfunction, physical injury, chemical exposure, high stress levels and poor nutritional status.

Why choose this program?

We determine and treat the underlying causes, as well as the symptoms of your health problems. By identifying your individual weaknesses, we can better focus our therapy. Our goal is to restore your health as either an alternative or complement to conventional medical care.

What kind of symptoms might I have?

Cardiovascular disease can be a silent killer. However, there are usually some symptoms that manifest before a heart attack or stroke occurs. These symptoms can include: fluid retention (swollen legs or ankles), disturbed sleep, anxiety, shortness of breath, heart rhythm disturbances (including heart palpitations), heart valve disorders, lack of energy, poor circulation, varicose veins, clotting problems, high or low blood pressure, chest pain, and more. Note: that many of these symptoms can be due to other problems, and our doctors can determine the cause.

Diagnostic Plan

We offer a comprehensive, noninvasive diagnostic procedure to really understand how much you are at risk for cardiovascular conditions, whether acute (e.g. heart attack or stroke) or chronic (e.g. hypertension, congestive heart failure). Detailed history, medical consultation and referral as needed, comprehensive physical exam, comprehensive blood testing, heart rate variability, nutritional evaluation, body composition analysis, exercise assessment, stress evaluation and allergy testing are some of the tools we use.

Treatment Plan

Good nutrition through diet and supplements, and healthy lifestyle choices will be the foundation for your treatment plan. If you have already had a heart attack or stroke, additional steps may be taken to prevent a recurrence. Our naturopathic doctors can work together with you to help you live a longer, healthier life.

Do these treatments "really" work?

There is a lot of research behind the therapies we employ, in addition to the "anecdotal" positive clinical outcomes that our patients enjoy. For instance, policosanol (a plant- derived compound) that we use to help lower cholesterol when diet and exercise aren't enough, is very well researched. It has been shown to be as effective as statin drugs, without the side effects, and to have other clinical benefits. EDTA chelation therapy has shown very beneficial results in calcification scores, vasodilation and improved patient well being. Antioxidants such as vitamins A, C, E and alpha lipoic acid have well-documented clinical benefits in both the prevention and treatment of hypertension, atherosclerosis and many other health problems.

Cholesterol Friend or Foe?

It is commonly believed that cholesterol causes problems with our health. We are made to believe that it is the cause of heart and blood vessel disease. With this idea, we try to keep cholesterol low to prevent problems. BUT, did you know that 50% of people who have "good" levels of cholesterol still have problems? This suggests that cholesterol is not much more than a 50:50 indicator of your cardiovascular health. Considering that these conditions cause 40% of the deaths in our society, this is important to know. There are numerous other ways to determine whether you are at risk.