Heart Health Program

Heart disease can refer to any condition that physically and structurally impacts the heart or the blood supply of the body.

A large component of preventing and treating heart health is lifestyle and diet – the Heart and Stroke foundation states that 8 out of 10 cardiovascular cases are preventable through simple lifestyle and diet changes.

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Although men and women both experience similar symptoms and risk factors for heart disease, men experience high risk rates earlier in their life (<50 years), and women later in life (>50 years).

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This is mostly due to the hormone levels that change after menopause for women. That being said, it is an epidemic that can be drastically be changed through proper nutritional and lifestyle counseling for both genders and is equally important to address for each person.

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The hallmarks of cardiovascular disease and diabetes are:

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Inflammation – just like any disease or injury, inflammation plays a role in heart health. By targeting inflammation, you can reduce the harmful impacts of cholesterol and high blood sugar on the blood vessels and reduce the build-up of plaque, ultimately reducing the chances of strokes and heart attacks.

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Reactive Oxygen Species – reactive oxygen species are now recognized as a major hallmark of heart disease as they cause the progression of plaque build-up, increase blood vessel injury, and decrease our body’s ability to fight back. It is important to incorporate an anti-oxidant strategy when getting to the root cause of heart disease.

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Immune System Activation – Our immune system is designed to protect us from dangerous conditions in the body, and heart disease is no exception. With the increased inflammation and reactive oxygen species which accompanies cardiovascular disease and diabetes, the immune system starts running on overdrive. Leukocytes, which are a type of immune cell, are increased in times of bodily stress and further drive the inflammation in our body which may result in increased plaque build-up and complications driven by diabetes.

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It is important to assess each hallmark in your body and reduce all of the factors which may be resulting in your increased risk for heart disease. Managing stress, improving diet, and making changes in lifestyle will help reverse the course of the disease.

 

 

Who is this program for?

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• Anyone who is experiencing high blood pressure, high blood sugar levels, high cholesterol.

• Anyone who is recovering from a previous heart attack or stroke

• Anyone with a personal or family history of heart disease or diabetes

• Anyone on medications for heart health and anyone experiencing side effects from the medications.

 

What the program entails:

Four appointments Heart Health Appointments with Dr. Shreya Batra, Naturopathic Doctor.

First appointment – A thorough intake of your history, medications, diet, and lifestyle. If you have recent lab/blood work, please bring to your appointment or provide it to the clinic in advance to your appointment. During this appointment, if further lab testing is required, it may be requisitioned to help guide your treatment.

A detailed and personalized treatment plan will be provided regarding nutrition, lifestyle, and supplementation (where necessary).

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Each follow up will address further diet and lifestyle changes to reduce inflammation in your body and make your changes sustainable. Supplementation with vitamins, minerals, herbs…etc, may be warranted if your body requires a bit of extra support. If you are already on pharmaceutical medication, there will be a discussion around side effect and how to support your body optimally.

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After the initial four appointments, there will be a follow up every three to four months until health is optimized for the long-term.
With your consent, contact with other health care providers (such as your family doctor), may be necessary to help support your body in the best possible way.

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