For generations, we’ve been told that eating a low-fat diet and eliminating cholesterol was the be-all and end-all of heart health. The American Heart Association has preached this claim as a gospel since 1957.
But here’s what they’re not telling you…
America’s obesity rates have tripled since the AHA made these recommendations.
And by 2035, more than 130 million adults, or 45% of the U.S. population, are projected to have some form of cardiovascular disease.1
It’s no coincidence – everything they’ve been telling us to do is wrong.
And another thing they’re telling you is that the best way to fix your “broken heart” is with their dangerous statin drugs.
But you know that these drugs aren’t safe. They can cause kidney failure and liver damage. They could even kill you. And they don’t help your heart…
They do the opposite.
Statins damage your heart by doing what they were designed to do – lower cholesterol.
You know how strongly I feel about the myth that cholesterol causes heart disease. And that Big Pharma’s drugs are the only way to rid your body of this “dangerous” cholesterol.
It’s a Big Lie that has taken us in the wrong direction as we watch heart disease continue to skyrocket in this country – and the world.
You see, your cholesterol levels are supposed to be high — in spite of what Big Pharma, Big Agra, and mainstream medicine have to say about it.
In fact, the more cholesterol you have, the better your life will be. It is the mother of your most important hormones — the ones that keep you smart, sexy, happy, strong, and mobile.
Yet, modern medicine has declared war on cholesterol. And it’s a very bad idea to declare war on a natural part of your own body.
The way modern medicine
treats cholesterol is the same as saying, “You have Alzheimer’s disease; let’s cut off your head.”This bad advice has damaged hundreds of thousands of hearts…
Fortunately, you can take back your natural, native heart health by reintroducing the missing nutrients that made your ancestors’ hearts healthy.
Including the often-overlooked vitamin K2…
Block plaque build-up with K2
This nutrient is even more important if you were ever prescribed a statin.
You see, one of the ways statins damage your heart is by blocking K2. And that’s dangerous since K2 activates MGP, a protein that helps prevent the hardening of the arteries.
Without K2, plaque levels in your body worsen, increasing the risk of atherosclerosis and heart failure.
And now, a brand-new study reveals K2 helps supercharge your heart by blocking dangerous plaque build-up.2
In one of the longest studies looking into the connection between heart disease and K2, Danish researchers examined 50,000 people over 23 years.
They found that those who ate a diet rich in vitamin K had profoundly healthier hearts.
In fact, they had a 34% lower risk of atherosclerosis-related cardiovascular disease.
This backs up earlier research.
A 2018 study followed 4,600 men aged 53 and older for up to 11 years. The researchers revealed a 57% drop in coronary artery disease and a 52% lower risk of aorta calcification – calcium blockage in the heart.
And in a separate study of 16,057 women, those who consumed high doses of vitamin K2 lived 9% longer than everyone else in the study.3
It’s clear that our hearts are not getting the support they need from modern diets and medicine.
If you want to keep your heart free and healthy, you must take matters into your own hands.
You can get vitamin K2 directly from some foods. Our primal ancestors got plenty from eating organ meats like liver. Other rich sources are meat, full-fat milk, cottage cheese, butter, and cheese. But these foods MUST come from grass-fed animals.
You can also supplement. Look for vitamin K2 in the form of “menaquinone-7.” It’s much more bioactive than other forms. Take 45 to 90 mcg a day with a meal to improve absorption.
2 more nutrients to keep blood vessels clear
I help my patients keep their blood vessels clear and flexible with a combination of supplements. Taken together, these nutrients will help your heart function the way it was meant to.
While what we eat has changed immeasurably over the millennia, our bodies haven’t. There is still time to put your heart health on the right course.
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- CoQ10. This is my favorite nutritional supplement, bar none. And one that I recommend every person take, especially if you have heart disease or are taking a statin. In a study of patients having heart surgery, one group was pre-treated with CoQ10. After the operation, the CoQ10 group had much stronger heartbeats and pumped blood more powerfully. And their recovery time was short and free of complications. The placebo group took six times as long to recover, and most had complications.4 I recommend everyone take the ubiquinol form of CoQ10. It’s eight times more powerful than the old form, ubiquinone. Take at least 50 mg every day. If you have high blood pressure or heart disease, increase your dose to 100 mg per day.
- Lycopene. This hugely overlooked nutrient can keep your heart strong and protected. Lycopene is a compound that activates the cells in your heart to defend against threats. It does this by increasing levels of superoxide dismutase, or SOD – the strongest antioxidant enzymes your cells use. In a 10-year study, scientists found that diets rich in this nutrient resulted in a 17-26% lower risk of heart disease.5 Lycopene is primarily found in tomatoes and tomato products but can also be found in watermelon, pink grapefruit, and papaya. Or you can supplement with 20 mg daily.
To Your Good Health,
Al Sears, MD, CNS
References:
1. https://www.heart.org/en/news/2019/01/31/cardiovascular-diseases-affect-nearly-half-of-american-adults-statistics-show
2. Bellinge J, et al. “Vitamin K intake and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease in the Danish diet cancer and health study. JAMA. 2021. 2021 Aug 17;10(16):e020551.
3. Gifford-Jones. “Common Sense Health: It’s Dangerous to Ignore Vitamin K2.” The Bakersfield Californian. 15 Mar. 2021, www.bakersfield.com/news/common-sense-health-it-s-dangerous-to-ignore-vitamin-k2/article_8b754b80-9e1b-11eb-b622-fb9434e6d0c5.html. Accessed june 30, 2022.
4. Judy W, et al. “Myocardial preservation by therapy with coenzyme Q10 during heart surgery.” Clin. Investig. 993;71(8 Suppl):S155-61. doi: 10.1007/BF00226859.
5. Jacques PF, et al. “Relationship of lycopene intake and consumption of tomato products to incident CVD.” Br J Nutr. 2013 Aug 28;110(3):545-51. doi: 10.1017.