3 replies to this topic

[Rosanna]

Hi everyone

 

Can anyone name an organisation that is researching heart disease, specifically the prevention or cure of atherosclerosis and / or the prevention of heart attacks (which due to clotting may actually still require research in it's own right aside from atherosclerosis).

 

What have they discovered and what progress have they made for prevention or treatment?

 

I'm just looking for the best place to raise funds for.  Thanks  :-)

[pamojja]

Since CVD is most profitable in treating with expensive invasive proceedures and polypharmacy, but not curing, there isn't any real progress been made from major institutions.

 

Meanwhile many grassroots efforts appear very effective - with simple lifestyle-changes and supplementation - which isn't seriously researched for its lack of profit to be made.

[Rosanna]

I agree pamojja, that's really why I asked the question.  I have met with one scientist who was actually researching certain factors in the blood that 'pull' or attract macrophages into the artery (extremely simplistic description on my part) and while it would be pharmaceutical, it was trying to answer the question of what intervention could stop that process of macrophage build up and therefore plaque (again very simple description from me and I'm not doing it justice really).

 

I'd support any research, even nutritional research, but just lifestyle changes isn't, in my view, finding the answer for why this process happens in some people.  My paternal family have a history of sudden heart attacks, many with a very active lifestyle and good nutrition and normal cholesterol and bp levels.  I'm totally behind the lifestyle aspect and am mainly vegan myself and active and have studied a lot of the nutritional work.  But with people dying year after year from this I feel there needs to be support for more research into the cause and therefore prevention and it's my hunch that lifestyle doesn't have all the answers needed.  My maternal family eat rubbish, pies, fish and chips, burgers, they smoke, they're not active, the opposite of my paternal family, and yet they all live into their 90's.  I'm not saying that's advisable, just that clearly there are other mechanisms at play also.  

 

Also women are protected from heart disease compared to men and it's thought to be due to oestrogen but I can't find any researchers that talk about mechanisms behind these things in any more depth.

Edited by Rosanna, 10 May 2020 - 12:30 PM.

[pamojja]

I'd support any research, even nutritional research, but just lifestyle changes isn't, in my view, finding the answer for why this process happens in some people.  My paternal family have a history of sudden heart attacks, many with a very active lifestyle and good nutrition and normal cholesterol and bp levels.  I'm totally behind the lifestyle aspect and am mainly vegan myself and active and have studied a lot of the nutritional work.  But with people dying year after year from this I feel there needs to be support for more research into the cause and therefore prevention and it's my hunch that lifestyle doesn't have all the answers needed.  My maternal family eat rubbish, pies, fish and chips, burgers, they smoke, they're not active, the opposite of my paternal family, and yet they all live into their 90's.  I'm not saying that's advisable, just that clearly there are other mechanisms at play also.  

 

I was low fat vegetarian since age 10, at age 40 got a 80% stenosis at my abdominal aorta bifurcation. I sure added eggs, fish and healthy fats back in. Even some occasional beef. And did get rid of my goverment-certified walking-disabilty due to PAD after 7 years of persistent life-style changes and heavy supplementation.
 

The problem gets compounted if one only addresses bystanders, like cholesterols, and not the actual disease process. Which can have so many different contributing factors. Good 'ole doc McKendrick tried to sum it up, I believe his blog posts run now 67 parts already. This one has a short summary, nethertheless about all its complexity: https://drmalcolmken...isease-part-59/

 

Ivor Cummins, an engineer, for example is promoting heavily life-style changes which might count: https://www.youtube....P15nudug9FDhluA