by Dr. Christina Captain, DAOM, MSAOM, MSHN, MA, AP

 

“What do women truly want?” If someone were to ask me this question, my response would be…everything—especially with regard to my own health or the health of my family members. The logical next thought would be, “Where can I find that valuable information?”

But that answer is daunting. From websites such as Mercola to Facebook advertisements to 3 a.m. infomercials, there is a plethora of information out there. Just look at the 411 on eggs, for example. On Monday, they are nutritious. On Tuesday, they are detrimental. Then on Wednesday, the cycle repeats.

What if you have a child with special needs or a medical issue like peanut allergy or reflux? Trying to accommodate this child’s health parameters can be an even more difficult task. How do you find the time to research and gather all the information, distill it into to what is valid, and then choose the right course of action?

Women are constantly searching for what is most beneficial for themselves and their families, so I decided that I would take a topic every month and present what I think is relevant information, along with how to find more data. This month, my topic will cover the risk factors for heart disease, how to test for them, and how to lower your risk.

Heart disease is the number one cause of death in the United States. The statistics are staggering—every 34 seconds, a human suffers a heart attack, 2,200 people die on a daily basis from heart disease, and it costs the nation more than $316 billion each year to care for those who have contracted heart disease or who have experienced a stroke.

The Cleveland Heart Lab has introduced a new test with cutting-edge technology in markers of inflammation. That is because 50% of people who suffer a heart attack have normal cholesterol or pharmaceutically suppressed cholesterol. So the Cleveland heart lab searched for another risk factor other than elevated cholesterol. They found that inflammation in the cardiovascular system was just as much of a risk factor than maintaining the cholesterol numbers in a normal range.

The positive news is there is a method to see where you fall in the range of inflammation, and with lifestyle changes, as well as targeted supplementation, you will reduce this inflammation and lower your risk for cardiovascular disease.

 

For more information, visit KnowYourRisk.com or obtain a test request form from the Sarasota Center for Acupuncture and Nutrition. Dr. Christina Captain, DAOM, MSAOM, MSHN, MA, AP, can be reached at 941-951-1119. Her practice is located at 2650 Bahia Vista St., Suite 101, Sarasota.