Lessons For The Heart We Can Learn From Both Sides of the Aisle: Dick Cheney and Bill Clinton

Dick Cheney got what he called, "years of the absolute best possible medical and cardiac care in the world". Now he has a heart pump implanted in his chest to keep his blood flowing and he is facing the final stage of heart disease, with all of the intensive medical care a heart transplant requires, until the end of his life.

In glaring contrast, Bill Clinton, who left office over weight, exhausted and a cardiac invalid on multiple medications, looks "simply maaaarvelous!" Why? Bill Clinton's new doctor is Mark Hyman, MD, one of my teachers and a functional medicine doc. Former president Clinton and Dr. Hyman have made several appearances together to say that a whole foods diet trumps all medical treatments for heart disease combined. It can actually reverse heart disease, something never before said in western medical circles in this country.

So these two men, one chose medical orthodoxy and the other a whole foods diet, have very different outcomes and quality of life. One spent millions of tax payers dollars to try to undo years of bad life style choices and the other very inexpensively got off of all of his medications, exercises, and eats well. He is still in the public eye traveling to countries that need humanitarian and diplomatic assistance and living a life filled with purpose. We never hear anything of Mr. Cheney because he is quite literally tied to his hospital on a very short leash. The message from these two men is simple. In order to get better from heart and blood vessel disease you must treat the underlying cause of the problem. Everything else will fail and is temporary, symptom relief at best.

What to do?

• Get a micro-nutrient test to see what your body is absorbing in terms of nutrients.
• Find your food allergies with the ALCAT to reduce inflammation.
• Get an EXPANDED lipid panel, which includes insulin resistance scores and inflammatory markers to see how you heart is right now.
• Get a body composition analysis done to determine how your body is doing in terms of fat, muscle, toxicity, stress, and hydration.
• Lost weight if you need to. Start First Line Therapy with Erin or Ideal Protein weight loss with Lorraine. Keesha can help you know which is right for you.
• Start on Catalyn, a multi-nutritional food concentrate product that's made from whole foods and has been around since 1929...which makes it inexpensive and it's far more efficacious than most multi-vitamins.
• Use Calcium Lactate, again it takes less to get what you need, and it's been around since 1947. It's not made from ground up shells and rocks. It's made from whole foods.
• You get what you pay for in terms of probiotics and fish oils. These are two essential nutrients your body needs to keep a healthy heart.
• Co-Q-10 is one of the heart's master enzymes...so easy to take, inexpensive and essential.
• Reduce insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome if you have it.

This is how former President Bill Clinton reversed his heart disease and continues to live the life he has always wanted. We should take a page from his book.

All of these supplements are on special at Fern Life Center because February is heart health month!

Here's to your health! ~ Dr. Keesha

Dr. Sarah Skolout, ND

Dr. Sarah's Corner

Vitamin B-12 is the most complex and largest of all the vitamins. Food sources of B-12 are animal products and milk. Many packaged foods are also fortified with vitamin B-12. Vegans and vegetarians who consume little milk need supplemental B-12 to meet their requirements.

Vitamin B-12 is essential in the biochemical reaction that produces energy from fats and proteins. B-12 is needed for DNA synthesis and blood cell formation. It is also important in breaking down homocysteine. A high level of homocysteine is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

Many people are functionally deficient in vitamin B-12. Causes of deficiency include lack of sufficient dietary intake, decreased stomach acid, reduced intestinal absorption, intestinal dysbiosis (imbalance of gut bacteria), many chronic diseases, certain drugs, and tobacco use. As we get older, our ability to absorb vitamin B-12 through our stomachs significantly decreases and B-12 deficiency is very common in the elderly.

Symptoms of vitamin B-12 deficiency include fatigue, numbness and tingling in the arms and legs, mood changes, and constipation. Supplemental B-12 has been shown to improve menopausal symptoms, such as hot flashes, fatigue and mood swings.

Many vitamin supplements contain vitamin B-12. However, since many people do not absorb B-12 well through their digestive tract, sublingual or injected forms may be needed. Sublingual B-12 is absorbed directly into the blood stream from under the tongue. Injected vitamin B-12 is the most effective way in delivering high doses of B-12, and is often the best way to correct deficiency and improve symptoms rapidly.