Matters of the Heart: A Naturopathic Perspective

Over our lifetime, our hearts beat an average of 2.5 billion times to ensure adequate circulation throughout our entire body. Sending fresh oxygen and nutrients carried by our blood through the arteries to all vital organs and systems, while our veins recirculate blood back to the heart to become re-oxygenated. A life sustaining cycle that our heart maintains autonomically without conscious control. In this perfect design, our hearts are one of the hardest working organs and as said in Traditional Chinese Medicine, “the governor of our health”.

Matters of heart health in our Country are complex. For example, according to the CDC in 2023, 919,032 people died from cardiovascular disease. That's the equivalent of 1 in every 3 deaths. And the cost of health care services and medications from heart disease amounted to more than $168 billion between 2021 and 2022. In 2023, about 1 out of every 6 deaths from cardiovascular diseases (heart disease) was among adults younger than 65 years old.

Additionally, every year 805, 000 people have a heart attack with about 1 in 5 heart attacks being silent; meaning that permanent cardiovascular damage of the skeletal muscle of the heart has occurred and the person is not aware of it. Therefore, as a people, we must understand that uncontrolled high blood pressure and cholesterol are insidious diseases that cause asymptomatic damage to our heart and circulation until our cardiovascular system becomes so overwhelmed that symptomatic diseases begin to develop such as coronary artery disease, peripheral artery disease, edema, cardiomyopathy, and chronic kidney disease. Or a significant cardiovascular event occurs such as stroke and/or myocardial infarction (heart attack).

So, how do we protect our heart and work preventatively to sustain optimal cardiovascular health? Naturopathically, I would advise that you evaluate all common risk factors first, such as genetic and family history, tobacco use, sedentary lifestyle, weight, eating habits, difficulties with sleep, excessive alcohol intake, and stress status. Second, I would advise that you talk with your primary care physician about your LDL/HDL ratio, ASCVD Risk Score, lipoprotein (a) and Apolipoprotein A/B (ApoB) levels, cardiac inflammatory markers, blood pressure readings, pre-diabetic or diabetic status, and kidney function tests. Thirdly, if statin therapy, hypertension medications, and/or diabetic medications are indicated; I would strongly suggest that you consult with a naturopathic physician on how to work with your PCP using an integrative approach to improve your cardiovascular health, glucose metabolism, and kidney function.

As we move forward in 2026, we should lead this year from our hearts. In health, wellness, and

longevity.

Citations:

1) https://www.cdc.gov/heart-disease/data-research/facts-stats/index.html