| If you want to learn your chances of | | | | age of 40 and women under the age of 60.)If |
| suffering a heart attack, ask your doctor to | | | | your C reactive protein is high, you may need |
| draw blood for C-Reactive Protein (CRP), the | | | | to take Zithromax, Dynabec, or Biaxin for 9 |
| good HDL and the bad LDL cholesterol, small | | | | days.If your good HDL is low or your |
| low-density lipoprotein, Lp(a), homocysteine. | | | | triglycerides are high, you need to restrict |
| He will also check your blood pressure.We | | | | calories and any foods that cause a high rise |
| used to think that heart attacks were caused | | | | in blood sugar, such as bakery products, |
| primarily by plaques accumulating in arteries | | | | pastas and sugar-added foods; and eat root |
| because of high cholesterol levels. Now we | | | | vegetables and fruits only with other foods, |
| know that the inner lining of an artery must | | | | not alone as snacks. You may also need to |
| first be roughed up before plaques form, and | | | | take medications.If your bad LDL cholesterol |
| infections are the most common cause of | | | | is high, you need to restrict saturated fats, |
| damaged inner linings of arteries. C-Reactive | | | | partially hydrogenated fats and calories, and |
| Protein is a blood test that measures | | | | you may need to take medication.If your Lp(a) |
| inflammation or the swelling that occurs in | | | | is greater than 40, you need to take the |
| arteries before plaques form. So C-reactive | | | | vitamin niacin after every meal in |
| protein is one of the best indicators that a | | | | continually raising doses until your Lp(a) is |
| person is headed for a heart attack.Blood | | | | below 40. Diet will not lower Lp(a).If your |
| cholesterol levels are still good predictors | | | | homocysteine is high, you need to avoid meat |
| of heart attacks. Your bad LDL cholesterol | | | | and poultry, and eat plenty of whole grains, |
| should be under 100. If you have had a heart | | | | leafy green vegetables. You can meet your |
| attack, your LDL should be under 70. Having | | | | needs for vitamin B12 with seafood and skim |
| high blood levels of a subfraction of the bad | | | | milk dairy products, or with B 12 pills. If |
| LDL cholesterol called small LDL increases | | | | homocysteine remains above 100, you should |
| your risk for a heart attack.Another test | | | | take folic acid, pyridoxine and B12 (readily |
| called homocysteine also predicts heart | | | | available in combination pills such as Foltex |
| attacks. When your diet does not provide you | | | | or Fol-B.)A heart-healthy diet and lifestyle |
| with adequate amounts of the vitamins B12, | | | | makes it possible for most people to control |
| pyridoxine and folic acid, blood levels of | | | | cholesterol and blood pressure without |
| homocysteine rise, damaging the walls of the | | | | drugs.Dr. Gabe Mirkin has been a radio talk |
| arteries and causing plaques to form.Lp(a) is | | | | show host for 25 years and practicing |
| a genetic disorder that causes clots to form | | | | physician for more than 40 years; he is board |
| and so is a cause of heart attacks, | | | | certified in four specialties, including |
| particularly in younger people (men under the | | | | sports medicine. |