STROKES AND ARTERIOSCLEROSIS

by Lawrence Wilson, MD

© January 2010, The Center for Development

 

                  Nutritional balancing and hair mineral analysis can offer many insights into the causes, prevention and rehabilitation after a stroke and reversal of arteriosclerosis.

 

STROKES

 

                  A stroke means a sudden and severe attack.  Most commonly, the word in medicine refers to a paralytic event that damages the brain or spinal cord.  Symptoms may vary from mild to severe, depending on which areas of the brain are affected. 

                  Strokes are of two distinct types, which are both important and have different causes.

 

1. Thrombotic strokes. The most common type are caused by a blockage in a key artery in the neck or head.  This can have many causes.  For example, a blood clot can originate anywhere, and travel to the head where it lodges in an artery, cutting off the blood to the area the artery serves. 

                  In other cases, the blood vessels in the brain and nexk become narrowed for some reason.  This can enhance the possibility of a piece of plaque or other substance becoming stuck in a key artery in the head.

In other cases, extreme stress causes excessive muscular constriction of the arteries of the head.  This may be due to excessive adrenal activity or a calcium or magnesium deficiency, for example.

                  In other cases, a trauma or blow to the head, such as during a fall or a car accident, could either dislodge a piece of plaque that gets stuck in an artery, or it could damage an artery. 

                  Inflammation of the arteries is a common cause for weakness and sometimes the body will try to repair the area by covering the damaged part with cholesterol and fatty plaques that narrow the artery further.  This often contributes to strokes later in life.  Another possible cause is a genetic defect causing a narrowing of an artery in the brain.  Rarely, certain infections can also cause strokes, such as the presence of certain parasites in the brain.

 

2. Hemorrhagic strokes. The less common type is due to bleeding into the brain due to a broken artery or other blood vessel inside the head.  This type of stroke has a different set of causes, in part.  For example, it may be a direct result of high blood pressure.  One literally Òblows a gasketÓ, like bursting a pipe when the water pressure gets too high. 

Another cause is a hidden aneurysm.  This is a slightly weak area of an artery that is very hard to diagnose, even with a brain scan because it might be very small.  The weak artery often bulges out just a little when the heart beats, but otherwise one may have no idea that it exists.  It is like a weak spot in a hose or water pipe.  Stress of any kind, or high blood pressure, or overwork, for example, might cause it to rupture.  This is often fatal.

Other causes are inflammation or weakness due to nutrient deficiencies, or perhaps even a genetic birth defect that are not that uncommon causing a weakness in an artery in the brain or neck, perhaps.

 

ARTERIOSCLEROSIS

 

                  This is a general term to describe a thickening, narrowing and loss of elasticity of the arteries.  Often there is also inflammation of the arteries.  Arteriosclerosis can lead to high blood pressure, heart attacks, strokes, hemorrhages or bleeding, and aneurysms or rupture of an artery.

                  A later stage of arteriosclerosis is atherosclerosis in which yellowish, fatty plaques called atheromas build up on the inside of the arteries.

 

THE OXIDATION RATE AND STROKES

 

                  As a general principle, fast oxidizers are prone to strokes and heart attacks caused by a sudden constriction of the arteries.  Available calcium and magnesium are needed to relax the arteries.  Under stress, a fast oxidizer loses calcium and magnesium.  If a critical threshold is passed, the deficiency will cause vasoconstriction, which can cut off the blood supply to the heart or brain.  This may result in a massive, fatal stroke or heart attack.

                  Fast oxidizers may also experience inflammation of the arteries due to a zinc or copper deficiency, or a deficiency of other elements.  Chronic inflammation can lead to hardening and thickening of the arteries.

                  Slow oxidizers, as a general rule, are more prone to clogging of the arteries with fat or calcium plaques.  Slow oxidizers have more difficulty with fat and calcium metabolism.  Also, slow oxidizers have a reduced ability to eliminate toxic metals due to their sluggish metabolism.  Toxic metals may deposit in the artery walls, leading to hardened or inflamed arteries. 

 

OTHER HAIR ANALYSIS INDICATORS FOR ARTERIOSCLEROSIS

 

                  Hair mineral analysis offers a great deal of information about possible causes for arteriosclerosis.  Indicators include:

 

á           Elevated hair calcium and magnesium, especially in a person over 50 or so, is associated with calcium deposits in the arteries and kidneys, as well.  Calcium in the kidneys can raise blood pressure, for example.

á           An elevated calcium/magnesium ratio is sometimes associated with plaque formation, as well, since magnesium is needed to keep calcium in solution.  Most people are deficient in magnesium.

á           A high sodium-to-potassium ratio is associated with inflammation, in general, and usually a need for a lot of zinc and magnesium, too.

á           A low sodium-to-potassium ratio is associated with excessive tissue breakdown or catabolism.  This commonly affects the cardiovascular system and is a very important indicator.

á           Diabetes causes a severe form of arteriosclerosis.  Diabetic tendencies on a hair analysis include an imbalanced calcium-to-magnesium ratio or a sodium-to-potassium ratio less than about 2, or the presence of excessive toxic metals such as cadmium and lead.

á           High levels of lead, cadmium, arsenic, aluminum, copper and other metal imbalances are also possibly associated with arteriosclerosis.

 

CIGARETTE SMOKING AND ALCOHOL    

 

                  Cadmium found in cigarette paper replaces zinc in the arteries, causing inflammation, hardening and brittleness.  Zinc has an anti-inflammatory effect and is needed for the synthesis of arterial tissue.

                  A friend manufactured surgical gloves.  He told me they add zinc to the rubber to make the gloves more flexible, and cadmium to make the gloves stiffer.

                  Smoking increases the need for anti-oxidants such as vitamin C and E.  Vitamin C is essential for the health of connective tissue.  Cadmium in cigarettes also affects copper metabolism.  Available copper is required for connective tissue health.

                  In addition, cigarettes contain other toxins, including nicotine and pesticides sprayed on the tobacco.  Pesticides often contain lead, arsenic and other highly toxic substances.

                  Alcohol may be related to cardiovascular disease for the following reasons alcohol depletes zinc and magnesium and B-complex, and alcohol upsets blood sugar.

 

CHOLESTEROL AND HOMOCYSTEINE

 

                  Medical researchers now realize that cholesterol levels are not necessarily indicative of the degree of arteriosclerosis in one's body.  The ratio of HDL to LDL cholesterol has more value, but is still limited.  More important may be an elevation of homocysteine, an intermediary breakdown product in amino acid metabolism.  The most common causes of elevated homocysteine are deficiencies in vitamin B6 and folic acid.  It can be corrected through improved diet or supplements.

 

BYPASS SURGERY AND INTRAVENOUS CHELATION

 

                  Studies have shown minimal long-term benefits of bypass surgery.  Often the replacement arteries become clogged as well, especially if one's lifestyle and diet remain the same.

                  Intravenous chelation can remove calcium plaques and toxic metals from arteries.  Unless one's diet and lifestyle improve, the condition may return.  Note that IV chelation therapy is indiscriminate and removes many essential minerals along with the toxic metals.  This can cause other imbalances.

 

NUTRITIONAL BALANCING AND STROKES

 

             A nutritional balancing program based on hair analysis can help prevent strokes, and help with rehabilitation as well.  It helps speed the removal of cadmium, reduce inflammation and diabetic tendencies, improve calcium and fat metabolism, and halt excessive protein catabolism and other contributors to arterial disease.

                  In addition to an individualized program, L-proline and L-lysine, extra vitamin E, and herbs such as Ginkgo Biloba may also be very helpful.  Gentle exercise is helpful to stimulate circulation and keep a person relaxed.  The Roy Masters meditation exercise may also be very helpful for relaxation and for other reasons.  Near infrared sauna therapy, in particular, is also excellent for cardiovascular healing and rehabilitation after strokes.

 

OXYGEN THERAPIES FOR STROKES

 

                  Getting enough oxygen to the brain is always a challenge, as the brain uses a tremendous amount of it.  After a stroke, the problem is severe.  Doctors know today that nerves can regenerate to some degree, or that after a stroke, they may survive in a vegetative state and can be revived if they receive enough oxygen and nutrients.   As a result, research indicates that getting more oxygen to the brain is very helpful for stroke or heart attack rehabilitation.

                  Possible methods include the use of hyperbaric oxygen chambers, ozone baths, drinking ozonated water, breathing oxygen or ozone, baths with hydrogen peroxide, and even possibly intravenous ozone therapies.  Some of these are simple to do at home, such as placing an ozone generator in oneÕs bedroom or bathtub.  Others require special trained personnel and are more costly and delicate.  They can help, however. 

                  In summary, nutritional balancing science and other purely natural adjunctive methods such as the use of oxygen and sauna therapy can:

 

á           Identify biochemical risk factors for strokes and arteriosclerosis.

á           Reverse most of these risk factors and thus prevent many strokes, heart attacks and other cardiovascular disasters.

á           Greatly enhance rehabilitation after strokes and other cardiovascular accidents.

á           Reverse arteriosclerosis in almost all cases without the need for drugs, surgery or chelating agents that are less safe.

 

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