Beware: Millions of Americans with normal cholesterol levels are falsely given a clean bill of health by their doctors.


disease. Millions of Americans with normal cholesterol levels are falsely given a clean bill of health by their doctors. While knowing your cholesterol level is certainly a start, further testing is absolutely crucial because it often reveals a completely different picture regarding your true risk of cardiovascular disease.


Is your doctor doing enough? T


by Dr. Daniel Thomas, DO, MS


he ten words you won’t say on your deathbed are, “I shouldn’t have paid so much attention to my


health.” Most people are too busy living their life to stop and imagine the regrets they might have when they are about to die. Sadly, for many, by the time they realize that they should have taken better care of their health, it’s too late. Don’t let that happen to you! Ask any real estate agent to state the three most important things a property should have and you’ll likely hear, “Location, location, location.” When it comes to your health, the three most important things your body should have are “Circulation, circulation, circulation.” Circulation (heart and blood vessels) is what brings vital oxygen and nutrients to your cells and carries away waste products. About 1.5 million heart attacks and strokes occur each year in the United States, and one in every three deaths is due to cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular disease is the #1 cause of death worldwide. Think you’re too young to die of a heart attack or stroke? Think again! The face of heart disease used to be your father. It’s not just an old man’s disease anymore. Now it’s your adult children, too. A generation ago, heart disease affected mostly men in their 50s and 60s. Now it’s affecting more women and men in their 20s and 30s. Good cardiovascular health is a foundation for and a determinant of


overall health. Those with a healthy heart and blood vessels are not only at low risk for heart attacks and stroke, they are also at low risk for the other leading causes of suffering and death, namely cancer, diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease. That’s because the underlying pathologies that lead to cardiovascular disease are virtually the same ones that lead to cancer, diabetes and Alzheimer’s. In other words, if you are unlikely to suffer a heart attack or stroke, you are also unlikely to develop cancer, diabetes or Alzheimer’s. The obsession the medical professional has with cholesterol likely means that your own doctor looks only or mostly at your cholesterol level when assessing your risk for cardiovascular


Cholesterol is just one piece of the cardiovascular disease puzzle. Because of the high correlation between cardiovascular health and overall health, we take an aggressive approach to fi nding your risk factors and warning signs for cardiovascular disease. Most importantly, we provide effective and natural solutions to eliminate them and help reverse the existing damage to your cardiovascular system. Does your doctor do all that? If not, why not? Bottom line, is your doctor doing enough to keep you alive and well? If not, we can help.


Located in Central Florida, Dr. Thomas has over 30 years of experience and is a leading authority in metabolic and nutritional medicine. People throughout the country seek his medical


expertise in preventing and reversing disease, reducing the effects of aging, and increasing longevity. To learn more, visit HealthyAndStrong.com


Because your health is so important, below is a list of 20 risk factors and warning signs that you and your doctor need to know about when it comes to protecting your cardiovascular health. They are identifi ed by obtaining a detailed medical history, ordering the right lab tests, and performing a thorough physical examination. Any one of these risk factors and warning signs may indicate that you already have dangerous (rupture-prone) atherosclerotic plaques forming inside your blood vessels. Having more than one of these greatly increases the likelihood:


• Chronic infl ammation (elevated hs-CRP, homocysteine, fi brinogen)


• Defi ciency of cardioprotective nutrients (CoQ10, magnesium, vitamins D & E)


• Diabetes • Dyslipidemia (elevated oxidized LDL, small dense LDL, triglycerides, Lp(a), ApoB; low HDL, ApoA-1)


• Erectile dysfunction • Heavy metal toxicity (arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury)


• High ferritin (iron) • Hot fl ashes (especially in younger midlife: age 40-53)


• Hypertension • Insomnia • Insulin resistance (prediabetes)


• Low heart rate variability • Low testosterone • Low thyroid • Memory loss • Overweight or obesity • Oxidative stress (elevated 8-OHdG)


• Physical inactivity • Smoking or vaping • Snoring and sleep apnea


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