Joseph F. McWherter, MD FACOG

As we end February, let me summarize a “Matrix Way of Life” to heart health. Stabilize the extracellular matrix (ECM) surrounding the endothelial cells lining your coronary arteries by reducing chronic inflammation.

1)  Minimize risk factors such as bad eating habits, insufficient exercise, not enough sleep, and chronic exposure to stress. (Remember that when the world pulls at your strings, the mind can wield a mighty pair of scissors). Family history is one of the strongest indicators, which translates into determining the intensity level that a person must follow in a heart healthy program.

2)  Monitor and correct chronic hypertension (persistent high blood pressure).

3)  Determine your individualize heart status – your Coronary Calcium Artery Score, fasting cholesterol levels (consider subparticle scores such as NMR testing), Echocardiogram, and a stress test, to name a few. Traditional medicine is fixated on numbers which practitioners believe reflect our health status; therefore, monitor your lipids, triglycerides, hemoglobin A1C/fasting blood sugar, hs CRP, homocysteine, and PLAC testing.

4)  Balance your hormones, which include, but are not limited to:  insulin, estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, DHEA, thyroid, cortisol, and Vitamin D.

5)  Follow an intermittent low carb diet with no refined sugar – watch simple carb ingestion and avoid hypoglycemia.

6)  Practice moderate persistent supplementation with anti-inflammatory herbals and ultra-refined krill oil. Always include daily Vitamin K2 (unless using blood thinners) at approximately 100 mcg.

7)  Periodically detoxify (depending upon lifestyle but approximately every 3 to 4 months) using a hypoallergenic elimination diet along with detox baths (previously described), infrared saunas, and even colonic therapy. Chelation of heavy metals has also been shown to be important in reducing plaque formation.

8)  In certain appropriate cases, such as an excessive Coronary Artery Calcium Score with abnormal levels of LDL, statins can be helpful. Following the regimen above seems to reduce statin side effects, possibly because of reducing the overall amount required.

Make a change for life by following the “Matrix Way of Life” for your heart. Stabilization of the extracellular matrix (ECM) also protects other body organ systems such as brain, breasts, bone, gastro intestinal system, and skin.

My next two blogs will address the possibility of lowering cholesterol without the use of statins.

JMcW, MD