Cardiovascular Health
High cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes are conditions that negatively impact the cardiovascular system.
These are some of the most common diseases in the United States and are conditions that are frequently diagnosed and treated at NaturoMedica. It is estimated that nearly 65 million adults (one in three) has high blood pressure and around 10 percent of the US population has diabetes. Heart disease in the number one killer of both men and women and recent research reveals that 50 percent of men and 64 percent of women who die suddenly of heart disease had no previous symptoms of the disease. Alarmingly, two-thirds of teenagers already have at least one risk factor for heart disease. The good news is that cardiovascular disease is largely preventable.
The first step toward achieving optimal heart health is becoming aware of personal risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Our NaturoMedica physicians sit down with patients and discuss important risk factors, which are often controllable such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, elevated blood sugar, cigarette smoking, physical inactivity, and obesity. The vast majority of those who die from heart disease have at least one of these major risk factors. More and more evidence suggests a correlation between the risk of heart disease and lifestyle factors such as stress, alcohol, diet and nutrition.
General screening and blood tests can help evaluate risk for hypertension, diabetes and heart disease. Traditional lab testing is often insufficient. It has been shown that up to 50 percent of those who suffered heart attacks had “normal” cholesterol numbers. NaturoMedica offers newer, state-of-the-art cholesterol testing and genetic testing that can provide a more complete picture of each person’s individual risks for heart disease. Patients that are identified as high risk can then consider additional testing or imaging studies.
NaturoMedica doctors make individualized recommendations to improve each patient’s cardiovascular health based upon family history, genetic testing and personal lab results. Treatment recommendations may include diet and lifestyle changes, supplements and medications. Many herbal medicines and targeted nutritional therapies have been shown to be effective for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease. NaturoMedica patients typically see a great reduction in risk factors and an improvement in overall heart health.
