Healing the Heart - How Functional Medicine can Improve ASCVD
Are you living with a heart condition or suspect you may have heart health issues like atherosclerosis? The underlying cause may surprise you. Read on to learn more.
Cardiovascular health is a highly important health topic. According to the CDC, 1 in 5 deaths are due to cardiovascular disease, and “heart disease is the leading cause of death for men, women, and people of most racial and ethnic groups in the United States”. With such high numbers, it is crucial to examine what causes heart disease and how it can be prevented.
Many of us tend to view our bodies as a bunch of separate parts. While it’s true that different areas of our bodies carry out individual functions, it’s very important to recognize that every part of our body must work together in harmony. This means that what affects one area can impact a totally different area. For example, experiencing chronic gingivitis (gum inflammation) could lead to accelerated cardiovascular disease. This is why it’s so critical to embrace a total sense of balance and well-being, and this is accomplished through functional medicine.
Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease (ASCVD) At-a-Glance
ASCVD is a progressive disease characterized by the buildup of plaque within the inner artery. From here, the arteries thicken, leading to a number of heart problems and adverse health outcomes. There isn’t a single known cause for ASCVD, but we know there are many risk factors, including:
Advanced age
Sex
Cholesterol levels
High blood pressure
Metabolic syndrome
Diabetes
Smoking history
Family history
While these are the commonly known risk factors, some factors are more subtle and beneath the radar of routine examinations and lab work. These include:
Inflammatory markers
Advanced lipid measurements
Certain individual genetic mutations
Hormonal imbalances
Nutritional deficiencies
Lifestyle complications like stress, abuse, anxiety, depression, lack of sleep, etc.
Using Functional Medicine to Identify Problems
Because it can be so easy to overlook lesser-known risk factors, many people don’t discover heart health problems until it is too late. Integrative or functional medicine looks at the whole of a person’s health to get a better sense of what’s going on. When a doctor can recognize that chronic inflammation, stress, being overweight, etc. could be working together to cause chest pain, lethargy, high sugar levels, etc., they can then pursue further testing for ASCVD and assess those risk factors much earlier. This can prevent the development of full-blown heart disease.
Using Functional Medicine to Treat the Root Cause
Once the risk factors for or diagnosis of ASCVD have been identified, it is optimal to treat the root cause. Fortunately, there are plenty of safe and minimally invasive ways to treat heart health issues like ASCVD earlier in the game to avoid long-term medication or surgery! At Medical Acucare, we look at our patients holistically and enjoy helping them regain health and sense of well-being. Dr. Geng works alongside her clients to assess their lifestyles and to help them identify risk factors that could lead to poor cardiovascular health.
Some of the most effective methods of reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease include:
Healthy Lifestyle Changes: This is the cornerstone of heart health. We’ll get to know every aspect of your daily routine, such as sleep patterns, stress levels, exercise and relaxation habits, and your social support system, etc. From here, we can make healthy modifications to fit your lifestyle. These modifications can be easily implemented for a better, happier life in the long run.
Weight Management: Weight gain after midlife or menopause is associated with increased risk for heart disease. We know weight loss can be challenging, and that’s why we don’t expect you to do it alone. Dr. Geng is passionate about getting to know her patients well to develop individual plans for achieving a healthy weight. We also partner with coaches and nutritionists to help you along the way.
Optimal Nutrition: Beyond simply losing weight, we evaluate your nutritional status, including vitamin and mineral levels, to make sure you have balanced nutrients for achieving better organ-system functions. We also recommend individualized food plans to fit your metabolic type. This will enhance your metabolism and help you maintain a healthy biochemical profile.
Detoxification: There's no doubt that we are surrounded by toxins on a daily basis, from mold to dust to man-made chemicals and heavy metals. These increase our toxic burden and oxidative stress levels in our bodies and lead to accelerated ASCVD. At Medical Acucare, we use different specialty tests to gain insights into your toxicity levels and offer guidance to help you eliminate the accumulated toxins while avoiding further exposure.
Acupuncture: Acupuncture is a spectacular tool for fighting chronic pain, chronic inflammation, insomnia, anxiety, depression, indigestion, and other conditions contributing to ASCVD. Acupuncture can also help with weight loss, which will improve your heart health.