Heart Attack and How to Prevent Them
Definition. A heart attack is an interruption of the blood supply to the heart. It is also called a myocardial event or myocardial infarction. Heart attacks are one of the most common cause of death around the world. There are two main types: thrombotic and sympathetic types. The latter is more serious, and usually causes death. They are explained below.
THE HEART NEEDS A LOT OF BLOOD
The heart requires a lot of blood because the heart is a special muscle that operates all of the time, 24 hours per day. It is the only such muscle. All other muscles work at times, and then rest at times. Only the heart works all of the time, resting only in between beats.
If the heart’s blood supply is interrupted for even a few seconds, the heart muscle, which needs a lot of blood, starts to die. If the blood supply stops for more than a minute or two, irreversible damage tends to occur to the heart muscle. If the blood supply stops, even partially, for more than about 10 minutes, usually the heart is damaged beyond repair.
SYMPTOMS OF A HEART ATTACK
This depends a lot on the severity of the heart attack. If mild, there may be no symptoms at all, or just a little pain or fatigue.
If the heart attack is more severe, usually but not always there will be more symptoms. They may include sharp pain in the chest area, that may radiate to the left arm and down the arm, as well. at times, however, there is little pain or it radiates elsewhere.
Usually, one will feel weak, sweaty, nauseous and may collapse from impaired blood flow to the brain and other areas of the body. Sometimes one will feel a crushing pressure in the chest, as if someone is sitting on your chest or has a heavy weight on the chest.
The rhythm of the heart may be affected, as can blood pressure and pulse rate.
TWO CAUSES OF HEART ATTACKS
Two primary types or causes of heart attacks (or myocardial infarctions) occur. Let us correlate how these relate to the metabolic rate and metabolic type, as discovered using hair tissue mineral analysis research.
1. Coronary Thrombosis
This is the most common type of heart attack. It occurs when a small piece of arterial plaque breaks free from an artery and moves to the heart area.
There it lodges and blocks a coronary artery, which are the arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle. The area served by this artery is then deprived of blood, and therefore of oxygen and nutrients, and the muscle dies, or is damaged to some degree.
This type of heart attack usually occurs in slow oxidizers. These individuals tend to develop clogged arteries with a buildup of calcium, toxic metals or fatty plaques in the arteries. They also tend to have more sluggish circulation, which can also lead to plaque buildup.
Hair tissue mineral analyses on these individuals tend to show high levels of calcium and magnesium, and lower levels of sodium and potassium. Toxic metals may or may not be revealed on early tests because the energy level is low and the toxic metals may be hidden deep within body tissues, including the artery walls.
These individuals may also develop high blood pressure and other cardiovascular diseases for the same reasons explained in the paragraph above.
These heart attacks are often non-fatal because only one coronary artery is involved. Even if a portion of the heart muscle dies, the rest of the heart muscle can often sustain life.
If attended to early, and with lots of bed rest and excellent nutrition, the body can develop what is called collateral circulation. New blood vessels grow and surrounding blood circulation may also become enhanced.
This bypasses the blocked coronary artery so that the heart receives the nourishment it requires. One can live for years after a heart attack of this type, especially if one cares for the body correctly. No drugs are required, in most cases.
2. Sympathetic Nervous System Heart Attack
The arteries have muscles in their walls. In this type of heart attack, the arterial muscles contract or spasm to such a degree that they inhibit the flow of blood to the heart. A vicious cycle occurs, in which the shock of the coronary artery spasm causes an alarm reaction in the body that further stresses the body, causing even more spasm of the coronary artery.
If this cycle is not broken, death usually results. This type of heart attack is often fatal because it can affect most or all of the coronary arteries at the same time. Thus there is less chance for the heart to continue receiving enough oxygen and nourishment to continue beating.
This type of heart attack occurs more often in the metabolic type called the fast oxidizer, especially if the oxidation rate is extremely fast. In these individuals, the hair tissue levels of calcium and magnesium tend to be quite low, usually less than 30 mg% or 300 ppm of calcium and usually less than 3 mg% or 30 ppm of magnesium. The hair sodium and potassium levels are often quite elevated due to stress. The sodium/potassium ratio is almost always less than 2.5.
These individuals may or may not have somewhat clogged arteries secondarily that contribute to their cardiovascular problems. Also, these individuals may be quite young.
Blood pressure may be normal or even low at times. Labile hypertension is more common among them, as the pressure can rise and fall as the arterial muscles contract and relax. These are people for whom a shock can cause a sudden, massive and fatal heart attack with no warning. Emotions such as anger, resentment and other strong feelings may play a large role in the causation of this type of heart attack.
This type of heart attack can occur at any time, not just during exercise. However, it usually requires a trigger that upsets the nervous system. This could be running, but it could be exposure to a toxic chemical, or some other stress on the body. It could even occur due to getting angry or upset with a friend or a situation.
My neighbor, age about 65, died of a sympathetic heart attack. He had just installed new carpeting in his whole house that was extremely toxic. Soon afterwards, he had heart attack, which he miraculously survived. He went to the hospital, where they checked his arteries. They were not clogged, so they sent him home a day later. He promptly had a second sympathetic heart attack and died.
Two primary types or causes of heart attacks (or myocardial infarctions) occur. Let us correlate how these relate to the metabolic rate and metabolic type, as discovered using hair tissue mineral analysis research.
1. Coronary Thrombosis
This is the most common type of heart attack. It occurs when a small piece of arterial plaque breaks free from an artery and moves to the heart area.
There it lodges and blocks a coronary artery, which are the arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle. The area served by this artery is then deprived of blood, and therefore of oxygen and nutrients, and the muscle dies, or is damaged to some degree.
This type of heart attack usually occurs in slow oxidizers. These individuals tend to develop clogged arteries with a buildup of calcium, toxic metals or fatty plaques in the arteries. They also tend to have more sluggish circulation, which can also lead to plaque buildup.
Hair tissue mineral analyses on these individuals tend to show high levels of calcium and magnesium, and lower levels of sodium and potassium. Toxic metals may or may not be revealed on early tests because the energy level is low and the toxic metals may be hidden deep within body tissues, including the artery walls.
These individuals may also develop high blood pressure and other cardiovascular diseases for the same reasons explained in the paragraph above.
These heart attacks are often non-fatal because only one coronary artery is involved. Even if a portion of the heart muscle dies, the rest of the heart muscle can often sustain life.
If attended to early, and with lots of bed rest and excellent nutrition, the body can develop what is called collateral circulation. New blood vessels grow and surrounding blood circulation may also become enhanced.
This bypasses the blocked coronary artery so that the heart receives the nourishment it requires. One can live for years after a heart attack of this type, especially if one cares for the body correctly. No drugs are required, in most cases.
2. Sympathetic Nervous System Heart Attack
The arteries have muscles in their walls. In this type of heart attack, the arterial muscles contract or spasm to such a degree that they inhibit the flow of blood to the heart. A vicious cycle occurs, in which the shock of the coronary artery spasm causes an alarm reaction in the body that further stresses the body, causing even more spasm of the coronary artery.
If this cycle is not broken, death usually results. This type of heart attack is often fatal because it can affect most or all of the coronary arteries at the same time. Thus there is less chance for the heart to continue receiving enough oxygen and nourishment to continue beating.
This type of heart attack occurs more often in the metabolic type called the fast oxidizer, especially if the oxidation rate is extremely fast. In these individuals, the hair tissue levels of calcium and magnesium tend to be quite low, usually less than 30 mg% or 300 ppm of calcium and usually less than 3 mg% or 30 ppm of magnesium. The hair sodium and potassium levels are often quite elevated due to stress. The sodium/potassium ratio is almost always less than 2.5.
These individuals may or may not have somewhat clogged arteries secondarily that contribute to their cardiovascular problems. Also, these individuals may be quite young.
Blood pressure may be normal or even low at times. Labile hypertension is more common among them, as the pressure can rise and fall as the arterial muscles contract and relax. These are people for whom a shock can cause a sudden, massive and fatal heart attack with no warning. Emotions such as anger, resentment and other strong feelings may play a large role in the causation of this type of heart attack.
This type of heart attack can occur at any time, not just during exercise. However, it usually requires a trigger that upsets the nervous system. This could be running, but it could be exposure to a toxic chemical, or some other stress on the body. It could even occur due to getting angry or upset with a friend or a situation.
My neighbor, age about 65, died of a sympathetic heart attack. He had just installed new carpeting in his whole house that was extremely toxic. Soon afterwards, he had heart attack, which he miraculously survived. He went to the hospital, where they checked his arteries. They were not clogged, so they sent him home a day later. He promptly had a second sympathetic heart attack and died.
HAIR ANALYSIS INDICATORS FOR A POTENTIAL HEART ATTACK
1. A sodium/potassium ratio less than 2.5, combined with a fast oxidation rate.
The worst is a Step Up Pattern on a hair test. This is a fast oxidizer, with a sodium/potassium ratio less than 2.5 and a calcium/magnesium ratio less than about 4. Visually, the pattern looks like steps going up to the right on a calibrated chart from Analytical Research Labs. Hair must not be washed at the lab for accurate readings.
This is an impending heart attack or stroke pattern. We call it the quick death pattern. Most clients with the pattern die before we can help them.
It is easy to prevent this type of heart attack, but one must know the pattern is present. However, hair mineral testing is not used much in doctor’s offices or hospitals. Finding this indicator alone would save many lives.
The following are less reliable indicators:
2. High levels of cadmium, in particular, especially with a low zinc level.
This is associated with arteriosclerosis in many cases.
3. A calcium shell.
This is associated with calcification of the soft tissues, which may include the arteries, particularly if a person is older than 50.
4. Inflammation patterns.
Inflammation can affect the arteries and lead to plaque formation and arteriosclerosis or atherosclerosis.
These include an elevated sodium/potassium ratio, a four highs pattern, or a double high ratio pattern.
5. Four lows pattern.
This is a lower overall state of health that occasionally causes a heart attack.
HEART ATTACK PREVENTION
Doctors recommend many drugs and supplements to prevent heart attacks. All of them may work to some degree. With nutritional balancing, the key is to balance the sodium/potassium ratio, mainly, and take extra calcium and magnesium. The use of other supplements such as coenzyme q-10, vitamin E, gingko biloba, hawthorn berry and other remedies may be used, but are actually less helpful than balancing the sodium/potassium ratio.
HEALING THE HEART
Nutritional Balancing. A complete nutritional balancing program is excellent to:
1. Prevent most heart attacks.
I find that if the mineral levels on a hair mineral analysis are balanced, the chances of a heart attack are extremely low.
2. Predict some heart attacks.
This is explained above in the section on hair analysis indicators of heart problems.
3. Heal the heart after a heart attack.
It can often unblock clogged coronary arteries, enhance collateral circulation, and repair other damage to the heart without a need for surgery or drugs.
I wish this were better known, because it would save many lives.
Medical treatment.
The acute treatment of heart attacks by trauma centers is often very good. Trauma doctors know that time is of the essence, that magnesium infusions help restart and calm the heart, and that bed rest is critical for recovery.
However, the longer-term medical treatment of heart attacks is one of the worst examples of conventional medical care.
Bypass surgery.
Those who have had a heart attack are often pressured into having emergency surgery to replace clogged pieces of their coronary arteries with plastic tubes or veins that the doctor obtains from other parts of the body.
This surgery is very dangerous, very costly, and statistics indicate it does not extend life.
It has many other side effects, such as brain fogfrom the toxic effects of the anesthetics and other drugs used during and after the long surgery. Also, the patient is often told to take several drugs for the rest of his or her life.
Usually, no other options are offered to the patient, and the patient is told he or she must have the surgery immediately.
To read more about cardiovascular disease, read Cardiovascular Disease on this website.
Sources: Lawrence Wilson, MD