Lower Your Risk of Heart Attack and Cancer
# 181

Recent studies find that an easy to test protein in your blood can predict both heart disease and cancer. You can find your risk and more importantly, lower your risk by lowering this protein. The protein is called CRP or C-reactive protein. I also believe maintaining low CRP levels will improve your overall health and risk of other chronic disease.

Before you rely on your doctor or HMO to solve the problem, you should know that drug companies are already in the process of positioning dangerous drugs to lower CRP. Statin drugs for lowering cholesterol are quickly surfacing as the solution to high CRP. Yet the FDA's own Adverse Reporting System has recorded 81 deaths from a direct side effect of statin drugs.

Today, you'll learn about how monitoring your CRP can predict your risk for heart attacks and cancer. You will also learn safe non-toxic ways to lower your C-reactive protein.

* Big Pharma is leading us in the wrong direction *

Heart disease and cancer are the number one and number two killers in the United States. In 2002, over 900,000 people died of heart disease. An additional 25 million Americans are at risk for heart disease and don't know it. Colorectal cancer—cancer of the colon or rectum—is one of the most common cause of cancer-related deaths. Over 57,000 Americans will die of colorectal cancer this year. Prevention and early detection are the key life saving strategies for this type of cancer. CRP is now shown to predict colorectal cancer as well as heart disease.

C-reactive protein (CRP) increases when there is inflammation of the blood vessels. Inflammation results when there has been an injury or the body is fighting an infection. Knowing your CRP levels is one way to tell your risk for heart attacks and cancer. Your C-reactive protein levels can be measured with an easy blood test which your doctor can order.

Drug companies are busy with their campaign to market statin drugs as the miracle drug to lower your C-reactive protein levels. Statin drugs include Lipitor, Lescol, Zocor, Pravachol and Mevacor. The side effects associated with statin drugs, however, are terribly painful and in some cases, deadly. They include muscle pain, kidney failure, liver failure and even death. Thirty one deaths have been linked with the statin drug Baycol, which has since been pulled off the market. The remaining 51 deaths are linked with drugs still on the market today.

* Safe alternatives for lowering your CRP *

The best way to lower CRP is not a drug at all. It's exercise. Several studies have found that just about any physical activity can significant lower your CRP levels. It appears even a little exercise goes a long way when it comes to CRP. A recent study found that men who went from not exercising at all to exercising a small amount 5 times a week cut their levels of CRP by up to 30%.

I have also observed what appears to be a CRP lowering effect from fish and fish oils. Although we don't yet have strong data that shows Omega-3 fats will lower CRP levels, we do know that these oils reduce your risk of a heart attack. Omega-3 oils are found mostly in fish and fish oils. Eating fatty fish like mackerel, lake trout, herring, sardines, albacore tuna and salmon, at least twice a week can lower your risk of a heart attack. It may turn out that at least part of this reduction is due to lowering CRP levels.

Nutrition supplements are another non-toxic way to lower your CRP levels. L-arginine, Folic Acid, Taurine, Vitamin E and Vitamin C supplements can help reduce damage to the heart's lining and prevent inflammation associated with high CRP levels.

Find out if you are at risk for heart disease and cancer. Ask your doctor for CRP blood test at your next appointment. You can then apply these natural solutions and track your CRP with your yearly physical.

Al Sears MD

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Church T., et al. Associations between cardiorespiratory fitness and C-reactive protein in men. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2002 Nov 1; 22(11): 1869-1879