Lowering Cholesterol with Herbs: Cardiovascular Disease

First of all, let me warn you that the next few paragraphs may be sort of a downer…   

Since we are going to talk about herbs and materials that lower cholesterol, we better spend a few minutes on why heart disease is so bad, and what the heck high cholesterol and elevated triglycerides have to do with it.  

So, here goes… 

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the single largest killer of Americans and is responsible for about 30% of all deaths worldwide.  Blockages of the blood vessels supplying the heart (heart attacks) and brain (stroke) are the major players.  In the United States, someone experiences a heart attack every 30 seconds, and someone dies from one each minute.  Both men and women are equally affected, but women are less prone to be correctly diagnosed.  

Saved from Death but Quality of Life Stinks

While modern medicine has worked miracles in resuscitating victims, they then often require continual costly care and experience permanently reduced quality of life.  They may not be able to rejoin the workforce, and tend to lose an average of fifteen years of lifespan.  This lost productivity, coupled with the need for expensive, long-term drug treatment, is a major strain on medical systems.  

Cardiovascular Disease is Preventable

The most amazing thing about this is that most cardiovascular disease is entirely preventable with changes in diet and lifestyle.  Stopping smoking, losing weight, and increasing physical activity are the main ways to reduce your risk of a heart attack or stroke.  

Next:  A mercifully brief look at cholesterol and triglycerides… 

Additional Resources

1. Deirdre Lane et al., “Mortality and Quality of Life 12 Months after Myocardial Infarction: Effects of Depression and Anxiety,” Psychosomatic Medicine 63, no. 2 (March 1, 2001): 221 -230.
2. Elena V. Kuklina, Paula W. Yoon, and Nora L. Keenan, “Prevalence of Coronary Heart Disease Risk Factors and Screening for High Cholesterol Levels Among Young Adults, United States, 1999-2006,” Ann Fam Med 8, no. 4 (July 1, 2010): 327-333.
3. CL de Visser et al., “The Influence of Cardiovascular Disease on Quality of Life in Type 2 Diabetics,” Quality of Life Research 11, no. 3 (May 1, 2002): 249-261.