Low cholesterol isn't always a good thing!

Low cholesterol doesn’t necessarily mean healthy veins and cardiovascular system.

Research done at the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine at Yale University found that those with low cholesterol didn’t have any better heart health than those with high cholesterol.1

One of the most well-known and publicized heart studies is the Framingham study. The findings are nearly identical to the Yale study. Half the people had no better heart health than those with higher cholesterol.2

Cholesterol on its own is harmless. It’s the oxidation of cholesterol that can impact overall cardiovascular health. When cholesterol mixes with oxygen, it causes free radical damage.

You can support the health of your blood vessels from oxidation and promote normal levels of inflammation naturally.

First, measure your homocysteine. I do this for all my patients. It’s not only a predictor of arterial health, it is also important to keep homocysteine down to keep your arteries healthy.

Homocysteine is a simple amino acid. It gets cycled with other amino acids to facilitate the exchange of atoms between your cells. But when this cycle breaks down, homocysteine has nowhere to go and gets backed up, just like a drain that gets clogged.

Keeping homocysteine levels down helps promote normal levels of inflammation, which helps promote the health of your blood vessels.

There are a number of studies supporting this connection:

Research from the Physician’s Health Study, which tracked 15,000 male physicians, found that those with low levels of it had overall better heart health than those with higher levels.3

A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine confirms these findings. They discovered that keeping lower levels of homocysteine is associated with better overall health. More so than any other measured factor – including cholesterol.4

I’ve seen at least 20 more studies like this, indicating a strong link between levels of homocysteine and heart health.

Lower your homocysteine – The irony is that you can easily manage your homocysteine. A simple blood test will tell you if you have high homocysteine levels. I like to keep my patients’ levels at 7 or below to maintain arterial health.

I have not had a single case of elevated homocysteine that couldn’t be corrected with the right combination of natural supplements. Here’s what I use with my patients (amounts are daily):

Vitamin B12 – 500 mcg

Folic acid – 800 mcg

Vitamin B6 – 25 mg

Riboflavin (B2) – 25 mg

TMG (Trimethylglycine) – 500 mg

You can find these at your local health food store.

Reduce oxidation – The other key is to protect your blood vessels with powerful antioxidants. The most heart healthy warrior is omega-3s. I also recommend resveratrol.

Resveratrol inhibits the oxidation of LDL cholesterol, promotes healthy, flexible arteries, and keeps your heartbeat steady. I recommend getting 200 mg of resveratrol daily. You can find resveratrol at your local health food store.

Get Omega-3s – Researchers found that the cell membranes of heart cells store omega-3 from fish oil. This storage promotes health heart rhythms, promotes healthy triglyceride levels, and raises HDL, your good cholesterol.

Women Have “Different” Heart Attacks

Dear Health Conscious Reader,

If you or someone you love was having a heart attack, would you be able to recognize the symptoms?

You may be surprised to learn there's more to a heart attack than chest pain. Especially in women. In fact, many women never realize they're having a heart attack – until it's too late.

Over the past several decades, modern medicine has improved its ability to rescue heart attack victims. But you must receive this life saving technology fast. The most common reason for death or serious heart damage is that patients simply don't recognize their symptoms in time.

The cells of your heart muscle require a constant supply of blood. If they don't get, they die. We had a saying in medical school, "Dead meat, don't beat." The number of cells that die during a heart attack determines if you live or die.

If you survive, the extent of this damage determines your future capacity or incapacity. Early detection and treatment makes the difference.

Here's a list of the common heart attack symptoms you've probably heard of:

Chest discomfort
Pain that radiates to the shoulders, neck, back or arms, especially the left arm
Dizziness
Sweating or breaking out in a cold sweat
Nausea
Shortness of breath
Pain that radiates to the jaw
Most people know to look out for those classic symptoms. What they don't know is that many heart attack victims don't experience any of the classic symptoms.

Many believed they strained a muscle. Some have no pain at all.

The signs considered typical of a heart attack—sharp chest pains, pains running down the left arm, and shortness of breath—are true in men. These are the "classic" symptoms we mentioned above.

But they're not common in women. A woman having a heart attack is more likely to experience:

Aches in the shoulders and both arms.
Abdominal discomfort that mimics indigestion.
Unusual fatigue.
Dizziness or lightheadedness.
A general feeling that something's wrong.
And often, no pain at all.
So what can you do? If you have one or more of the symptoms mentioned, get to an emergency room immediately! Don't put it off. Calling 911 is usually better than driving to the hospital. The EMS team can begin treatment immediately.

While you are waiting for EMS to arrive, chew and swallow a regular 325 mg aspirin. There's strong evidence that during a heart attack, a single aspirin could save your life.