Of all the chronic conditions we face in the modern world, nothing frustrates me more than the establishment’s response to heart health.
It’s far too common, and Big Pharma continues to make record profits off it.
According to the CDC, heart disease costs the United States about $363 billion each year. And what do we have to show for it…
Well, heart disease remains the leading cause of death for both men and women. One person dies every 36 seconds in America from some cardiovascular complication. The only winner here is Big Pharma.1
When I published my book The Doctor’s Heart Cure, I talked about how nearly all heart health challenges are man-made – and how simple changes to our diets and exercise routines can mitigate our risks.
As expected, the medical establishment was quick to write this off. So, it’s not surprising that a revolutionary procedure that helps restore blood flow to the heart gets the same treatment.
Not only is it non-invasive, but it doesn’t cost nearly as much as the expensive solutions Big Pharma pushes for.
I’m talking about Enhanced External Counterpulsation or EECP.
Even though it’s been FDA approved since 1995 as a treatment for heart health problems, it’s been largely ignored by the medical establishment. But with study after study affirming its potential, patients are starting to realize its benefits.2
EECP consists of a series of one-hour treatments designed to boost oxygen and blood flow throughout the body. With increased output from the heart, all your body’s organs can perform their functions more effectively.
During these one-hour sessions, blood pressure cuffs are placed around the legs that squeeze in sync with
your heartbeat. This promotes stronger action from the heart and increases blood flow throughout your circulatory system.And you don’t need to be living with heart disease to see a benefit – because bad blood flow affects everybody. Weaker blood flow means a drop in energy, stamina, mental clarity, and even negative mood changes.
But with EECP, all of this damage can be reversed.
Researchers put this procedure to the test in a study involving 30 patients with coronary artery disease. The participants were divided into two groups, with one receiving a “sham” version of EECP therapy and the other receiving active treatment. Each patient underwent 35 one-hour sessions.
When the study concluded, scientists noted a significant reduction in stiffness and carotid vascular resistance in the active group – meaning blood flow dramatically improved!3
The most exciting benefit of EECP therapy is the release of nitric oxide (NO). For years, I’ve recommended that my patients supplement with a nitric oxide booster to increase blood flow to all body parts.
I call NO nature’s “hydraulic pump” because it gets everything going. You release NO from the inner layer of the cells lining your blood vessels.
This gas relaxes and widens the lining of your blood vessels and allows blood to flow freely.
I’ve been so impressed with the decades of research and scores of clinical papers I read on EECP that I now offer the treatment to patients at my clinic.
Unlike bypasses, stents, and angioplasty surgeries, EECP is done as an outpatient procedure. Patients simply undergo treatment for about an hour a day, five days a week, for seven weeks. About halfway through, most patients feel their angina improving.
After the seventh week, most patients rarely need many of the meds they were taking previously to dilate their blood vessels.
One recent study on EECP’s use as a first-line treatment backs up the positive experience of many patients in my clinic. The study noted that when used as a primary treatment, 89% of patients reported fewer angina attacks.
If you’re interested in trying EECP, call my clinic at 561-784-7852.
Boost Blood Flow at Home
If you can’t make it to my clinic, there are still easy, natural, and effective ways to get the most out of your heart at home.
Add magnesium to your diet. Magnesium is a powerful nutrient for supporting healthy blood pressure and regular heart rhythms. It also supports strong and flexible arteries and is a must-have for anyone wanting to improve their overall heart health.
You can easily add magnesium to your diet by eating green, leafy vegetables like spinach as well as nuts like pumpkin seeds, almonds, and cashews. You can also take magnesium as a supplement. I recommend taking up to 420 mg for men and up to 320 mg for women.
Boost nitric oxide with these amino acids. You can’t supplement with NO. But some nutrients can convert to NO in your body. Two of the best are L-arginine and citrulline.
L-arginine is an amino acid that causes a biochemical reaction that creates nitric oxide and dilates blood vessels. Some of the best arginine-rich foods are lobster, spinach, and spirulina. You can also supplement. But make sure you buy either arginine or L-arginine. You can find it in capsules or powders. Avoid synthetic L-arginine.
Then add in L-citrulline. There’s another amino acid you should take along with your L-arginine. After you’ve been using L-arginine for a while, an enzyme starts blocking the NO conversion. That’s why you need citrulline. It blocks the enzyme, so L-arginine continues to make NO.
Take L-arginine and citrulline in a 6-to-1 ratio. I recommend daily doses of 6,000 mg of L-arginine and 1,000 mg of citrulline.
To Your Good Health,
Al Sears, MD, CNS
References:
1. CDC. “Heart Disease Facts | Cdc.gov.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 22 June 2020, www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/facts.htm#:~:text=Heart%20disease%20costs%20the%20United.
2. Moore, T. J. “EECP.” DrHartMD, drhartmd.com/powerhouse-healing-therapies/eecp/. Accessed 5 July 2022.
3. Levenson J, et al. “Effects of enhanced external counterpulsation on carotid circulation in patients with coronary artery disease.” Cardiology. 2007;108(2):104-110.