Again I took all of this information from Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBrides’ book “Put your heart in your mouth” – get the book and learn a huge amount more.
In this book she states that the metabolic syndrome is one of the major causes heart disease. Let me briefly explain what that means. Metabolic syndrome is caused when your blood is full of sugar (glucose) and full of the hormone insulin. It is an extremely common condition due to our modern diets, full of pre-processed foods.
Blood glucose i.e. blood sugar is normally kept within certain strict limits by the body, because too high or too low will lead to hundreds of health complications.
Our bodies have a very smart system to control the blood sugar level via a hormone called insulin, which is produced by our pancreas.
After any meal, carbohydrates absorb as molecules of glucose and raise your blood sugar level. Glucose cannot leave your bloodstream and enter your cells without the help of insulin. Insulin could be described as the key that opens the door to your cells. However, once all the cells walls have let in enough glucose and are replete, the surplus insulin along with the rest of the glucose is looking for a place to settle down.
Guess what – they are going round and round trying to find some cells that will let the insulin open the ‘door’ – however they can’t find any more cells that are not replete. So they just go and find a place to settle, usually around your midriff then on to your butt – on to thighs and so on……
This is the story of the metabolic syndrome – you get fatter and therefore increase your risk of heart disease, which is a very simply way of putting it!
When glucose keeps pouring into the body in huge amounts due to a high carbs diet, the person ends up with permanently high levels of insulin in their blood (hyperinsulinemia). Once again, insulin is supposed to ‘open’ the doors to the cells, however they can only take a certain amount of glucose in.
So when the cells then protect themselves from the incessant onslaught of the insuline/glucose – this is called insulin resistant. As a result, the pancreas produces even more insulin and hyperinsulinemia becomes chronic. Insulin is our master fat-storage hormone, the person with permanently high levels of insulin in their blood can never loose weight – they just store most of their food as fat.
Let me explain this condition called atherosclerosis, where white blood cells invading damaged endolethium, which in turn is leading to inflammation and ultimately the formation of atherosclerotic plaque. The deadly consequences of this condition result in heart attacks and strokes. Hyperinsulinemia creates a pro-inflammatory environment in the body. It alters the biochemistry in such a way that inflammation is encouraged and cannot be terminated.
When we injure our endothelium, which is a thin layer of cells inside the walls of all our blood vessels, arteries, veins and capillaries as well as our heart. This sets of inflammation beginning in the vascular walls and because of hyperinsulinemia it cannot stop. This damage is taking place silently in a kind of quiet and insidious way. It sets off the whole process of the initiation and growth of atherosclerotic plaque, all the way to its fatal third stage, leading to a heart attack or a stroke.
Dr. Campbell-McBride then also goes on to explain what excessive blood sugar level can do to you with regards to the free glucose molecules, which are very reactive. They attach themselves to proteins in the blood making those proteins very sticky (AGEs – Advanced Glycosylated End products). These proteins stick to the walls of your blood vessels, damaging them and starting the atherosclerosis process. Forming AGEs also are another major contributor to heart disease, high blood pressure and many other health problems.
She then goes on to list many more issues that can damage your heart
.Man made chemicals in personal care products
.Man made chemicals in household chemicals such as laundry detergent
.Man made chemicals such as prescription drugs or over the counter drugs are all toxins (read Dr. Samuel Epsteins book “Unreasonable risk)
.Pesticides other agricultural chemicals that end up in our food
.Chlorine, Fluoride, Nitrates i.e. only drink reverse osmosis water
.Processed foods full of chemically altered proteins and carbs and trans fats – they do not feed our bodies, they pollute and damage our bodies
.Various infectious microbes
.Abnormalities in gut flora
The list goes on and on. However, do not be overwhelmed – it is very easy to avoid any of the above by
Getting your gut into the best possible condition you can. Get rid of Candida Albicans (see Borax) – follow a good, yet delicious nutritional plan (see nutrition) eat plenty of fermented produce (see fermentation) and get moving.
Also check out the products you are using to wash your hair/body and to clean your house – most of them have very harmful toxic substances, which over time can do serious damage to ones body.
Most importantly, we were made to move – not be sedentary. So let’s get this action plan going and start getting our health back. It is not necessary to run a marathon or going to the gym for hours – short bursts of high intensity training will do the trick – so no excuses that you don’t have the time (see exercise)
Watch what you put in your mouth and on your body and Start MOVING.