Will you watch the Super Bowl? We even get the broadcast here in Africa. It’s such a huge event around the world now… almost as big as the World Cup for soccer, the rest of the world’s version of football.
But did you know that many of the more than one million Americans who will die from heart-related disease this year will have died of a heart attack while experiencing a sudden rise in excitement and tension – as happens when watching a dramatic sports event like the Super Bowl or World Cup?1
I’ve uncovered some rather unconventional ways to improve the health of your heart to help ensure you’re still alive when the final whistle blows at the end of each sports season.
Today I’ll show you how to get started by checking for high levels of something your doctor probably never told you about, but that is an unusually good predictor of a heart attack.
If you’ve been in for a heart checkup, your physician has probably checked your total cholesterol number and probably tried to make you lower it if it’s over what conventional medicine calls “too high.”
But research has proven that your total cholesterol number isn’t important. The size of cholesterol-carrying particles is more important than the amount of cholesterol in your blood.
Some of the most dangerous particles that carry cholesterol are a type of lipoprotein called Lp(a). They help determine whether cholesterol will stay soluble in your blood where it is harmless.
There is a strong statistical link between Lp(a) and heart attacks. Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh have reported that high levels increase heart attack risk by 330%.2
Interestingly, you need some Lp(a) for blood vessel repair and wound healing. The problem is that while your Lp(a) is running around trying to heal you, it also causes an inflammatory response that can act on cholesterol and create plaque that can narrow your arteries.
A study published in the American Heart Association’s journal Circulation showed that Lp(a) has an enormous impact on coronary artery disease. Researchers looked at 27 different studies of more than 5,200 people who had either survived a heart attack or been diagnosed with heart disease.
Over a 10-year follow-up period, the people who had highest Lp(a) levels had 70 percent more heart attacks than those with the lowest Lp(a) levels.3
The reason Lp(a) and other tiny lipoprotein particles are dangerous is that they are more dense, making them more likely to build up on blood vessel walls. In fact, the European Atherosclerosis Society recently called for widespread Lp(a) screening.
Fortunately, Lp(a) is easy to check for. All you need is a simple blood test.
If your Lp(a) is over 50 mg/dL, you’ll need to lower it. It’s best to take a two-pronged approach:
First, get some niacin. This B-vitamin will reduce the production of Lp(a) in your liver and helps to bring down Lp(a) in the blood. Beef liver, chicken, salmon and mushrooms are good food sources. But you’ll need at least 500 mg a day to lower Lp(a), so you’ll probably need a supplement.
I recommend the sustained release form. And depending on your situation you may need to take more therapeutic doses. I sometimes gradually increase the dose to up to 2 g per day.
Second, get more vitamin C. Vitamin C is the main component of collagen. Your blood vessels need to constantly replenish collagen to remain healthy and plaque-free over time. Good food sources include fruits, bell peppers, and broccoli.
For inflammation-fighting amounts of vitamin C, you’ll have to take additional amounts in supplement form. I recommend 1,500 mg twice a day. Take it with food to avoid an upset stomach.
1. Kloner R, McDonald S, Leeka J, Poole W. “Role of age, sex, and race on cardiac and total mortality associated with Super Bowl wins and losses.” Clin Cardiol. 2011 Feb;34(2):102-7.
2. Evans R, Shpilberg O, Shaten B, Ali S, Kamboh M, Kuller L. “Prospective association of lipoprotein(a) concentrations and apo(a) size with coronary heart disease…” J Clin Epidemiol. 2001 Jan;54(1):51-7.
3. Danesh J, et. al. “Lipoprotein(a) and Coronary Heart Disease.” Circulation, 2000; 102: 1082-1085.