My cardio-thoracic surgeon friend refers to himself as a “master plumber,” and it makes perfect sense when you look at the basics of what causes issues in your cardiovascular system.
The heart and vessels are like the plumbing in your house.
If a valve is leaky in your home, you get dripping water. If a valve is leaky in your heart, you get back flow of blood.
Both, if left untreated, cause problems.
When it comes to cardiovascular disease, the #1 killer of adults worldwide, it boils down to circulation.
Ancient medicine had this figured out, then we lost our way somewhere between the intersection of processed flour, sugar, and medications.
It’s no secret that after a certain age you start thinking about your heart.
And when it starts acting funny with palpitations and such in perimenopause into menopause, you start to panic.
I don’t blame you. I’ve been there.
My Dad’s Dad survived WWII and the beaches of Normandy only to come home and have a heart attack at 45.
My Dad’s brother had a heart attack at 35 and died.
Dad had a quadruple bypass in 2009 and had already been on statins for 20 years at that point, with multiple stents placed prior to the bypass surgery.
My cholesterol started to creep up as I entered perimenopause, and as soon as I micro-dosed tirzepatide, added a little estradiol, and dialed in my omegas, it went back down.
I’ve seen this happen over and over again with clients, and we’ve been able to get things back under control.
From weight loss, to balancing blood sugar, optimizing circulation with targeted herbs and exercise, along with adding low-dose naltrexone, thymosin a-1 and Tirzepatide or Retatrutide for those with heightened inflammation from autoimmune conditions, I’ve seen cholesterol come down.
All without the help of statins.
Have I used fiber? Yes.
What about medications that block cholesterol absorption? Yes.
I’ve even micro-dosed statins at 2.5–5 mg to get a little statin effect.
At the end of the day, what’s the best way to prevent cardiovascular disease?
Be on top of all the angles.
There is no magic pill or medicine for this, and it requires effort on your part.
I can’t promise a foolproof plan to prevent cardiovascular disease, statins can’t do that either.
What I can tell you is what moves cholesterol and blood sugar down while lowering weight and improving overall health markers at the same time.
Here’s where I start:
• Get your blood sugar in check: berberine or micro-dosed GLP-1s, walking after meals, and limiting processed sugar as much as possible
• Get moving: don’t become sedentary. Challenge your heart at least twice a week with sprint training, and move your lymph by bouncing or jumping — even in a pool where gravity is reduced
• Eat your fiber: fruit, veggies, ground flax, chia, pumpkin — whatever it takes, get it in
• Keep your bowels moving: magnesium, fiber, hydration
• Hydrate: dehydration = turbulent, sticky blood
• Dial in your omega-3s: I rarely see people with optimal omega levels. Do an Omega Quant finger poke test — it’s around $55. Omegas help keep your blood viscous
• Check estradiol levels in women, and men should double down on blood sugar control
• Know where your inflammation is hanging out and work to lower it
• Find practices that keep your heart rate down and heart rate variability up — meditation, sound baths, acupuncture, walking, breathing, yoga, whatever helps rewire your monkey brain
• Consider herbs like Dong Quai (Angelica) or Gingko for circulation support, or an enteric-coated baby aspirin (81 mg) daily to help keep blood thinner
• Do things that bring you joy. Have fun. Laugh. Plan adventures. Follow your dreams of to keep your heart happy
• Consider nutrients and herbs like magnesium, CoQ10, hawthorn berry, linden flower, and motherwort to support heart energy
That’s my master list, and every single one of you will have unique add-ons to it.
I believe circulation and lymphatic flow are vital for optimal health.
I dive deep into this topic in my podcast, and I hope you’ll join me for this one.
Life is too short to be afraid of cardiovascular disease.
Listen in to episode 612 of The Health Fix Podcast anywhere you get your podcasts.
Here’s to living your life in a way that helps prevent heart disease,
Dr. J
