Participants: Paula and Curtis Eakins
Series Code: AL
Program Code: AL00165A
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00:01 As far as cardiovascular risk is concerned,
00:04 I understand that it's important 00:05 to know your cholesterol. 00:07 It's also important to know your blood pressure, 00:09 but now I understand it's also important to 00:11 know what is called CRP. 00:14 Is that a risk factor for cardiovascular 00:16 disease as well? Well, 00:18 we will answer that question entitled CRP 00:21 before CPR. We will be right back. 00:55 Hi, welcome to Abundant Living. 00:57 My name is Curtis Eakins. I would like to introduce 00:59 my bride of 13 wonderful years, Paula Eakins. 01:03 How you doing today? I'm doing wonderful. 01:06 You're looking mighty good too. Thank you. 01:07 You always look good by the way. Thank you. 01:09 I just need to keep saying it everyday. 01:11 Keep it up. Alright, I'll plan on. 01:13 Gets you lot's of brownie points. 01:15 Okay, I love brownie points. 01:16 Vegetarian value that is. 01:17 Okay. And moving on. 01:19 Sucanat not refined sugar. 01:21 Ok, I don't know, why we are kind of drifting off this topic. 01:24 Okay, you got these letters going on here, 01:26 okay, CRP and all that so, 01:29 I know that the audience is trying to 01:31 figure out what in a world, 01:32 we are going to be talking about when you talk 01:34 about this CRP. So what exactly is it? 01:36 Well, you know, we've done other programs 01:39 here in Abundant Living dealing with cholesterol 01:42 and then with blood pressure, knowing your 01:44 cardiovascular risk factors and now 01:46 as of late medical journal, New England 01:50 Journal of Medicine has published a study 01:52 several years ago and now CRP has now 01:55 reached center stage as far as one of the risk 01:57 factors to determine cardiovascular disease. 02:00 So, the question is what in the world is CRP. 02:05 Well it stand for C- Reactive Protein. 02:10 Now this is a molecule that is produced by the liver 02:13 and it's in response to any type of inflammatory signal, 02:18 so therefore now inflammation is necessary, 02:21 alright we cut off finger. 02:22 The finger becomes red and inflamed 02:25 that's the healing process. 02:27 So again when this injury in the body, the liver 02:31 produces this molecule and goes to the injured 02:34 portion and has the healing process. 02:36 So it's a molecule from the liver in signal 02:39 for the inflammatory response. 02:41 Does this inflammation cause a problem 02:43 for heart attack or stroke? 02:45 Well, now, yes it does. And it really depends on 02:49 where the inflammation is located. Umm! Umm! 02:51 Now, let's go to our first graph this is 02:54 a very profound statement. 02:55 This is coming from the New England Journal 02:57 of Medicine very profound. 02:59 Here's the trigger; 03:00 "Inflammation in the artery wall is the most 03:03 powerful trigger of heart attacks and strokes, 03:08 worse than cholesterol." 03:11 And this came from the New England 03:13 Journal of Medicine, 2005. 03:15 This is based on 28,000 individuals now watching 03:19 for the next 8 years. 03:22 So again we talked about cholesterol 03:24 is very important, but we are not neglecting that. 03:26 We are not neglecting high blood pressure, 03:29 but again the most powerful trigger 03:31 for our heart attacks and strokes is that 03:34 inflammation in artery wall can trigger that. 03:38 Walk us through the process 03:40 and also the causes of this then. 03:43 Okay, as I mentioned before may not mentioned before, 03:46 I will mention it right now 03:47 that when we do cut off our finger, 03:49 of course it produces inflammation, sure, 03:51 the redness that means the healing process 03:53 has commenced. Okay. 03:54 Now, the process when we eat a lot of foods that 03:58 is high in saturated fat and of course we talked 04:02 about this before that there are three foods 04:05 head and shoulders above all other foods as to 04:07 most artery clogging saturated fat. 04:10 Number 1 is cheese; number 2 is ground beef; 04:13 number 3 whole milk. Now, when this happens 04:16 those foods also converts into cholesterol 04:20 those saturated fatty foods. 04:21 Okay. Two, when we eat foods that contain 04:25 trans fatty acids or trans fats. 04:29 Those foods when eaten and ingested converts 04:33 into cholesterol and force plaque on the artery 04:37 wall that's an injury. 04:39 Hence, the inflammatory signal goes out. 04:43 Inflammation goes into that plaque 04:45 and before long it can form a cap break off, 04:49 form a blood clot if it's in coronary arteries, 04:53 heart attack. Carotid artery is stroke 04:56 that's how the process commences itself 05:01 when inflammation is very high 05:02 due to a plaque buildup. 05:05 The most prolific research on this inflammation 05:09 process is Dr. Paul Ricker; 05:12 he is a director of center for disease 05:14 and control, Cardiovascular Center 05:16 there in Harvard School of Medicine. 05:18 He has done a lot of research on this 05:20 very same issue, so again that's why a several 05:23 studies were published in New England Journal 05:25 of Medicine as far as knowing that inflammation 05:28 process and how it can impact cardiovascular 05:31 disease and cardiovascular risk factors. 05:33 Well, I guess then how we able to measure that? 05:36 Well, now there are several tests to measure 05:39 one's inflammation and folks it only costs about 05:42 less than 40 bucks and, excuse me, 05:46 this is so prevalent that now lot of your lab 05:48 reports are now including CRP 05:53 on the lab report because it's very important 05:55 in knowing what is our overall risk for 05:57 cardiovascular risk disease. 05:59 And now, now when you do have the test, 06:02 there are some parameters and some numbers 06:04 we need to know. Let's go to our next graphic 06:06 and look at the numbers because these are the 06:08 numbers that would be on your score. 06:11 Now the CRP measures inflammation in the body 06:14 you don't want that you want the hs-CRP, 06:19 hs stand for high sensitivity. 06:22 That measures inflammation in the artery wall, 06:27 it is different from inflammation 06:28 just as CRP test. Now here is your score, 06:31 if it is below 1 that means that you are at 06:33 low risk as far as the CRP is concerned 06:36 inflammation, 1-3 in moderate risk 06:40 for cardiovascular disease, 06:41 and if it is above 3 that means you are at a high risk 06:46 for cardiovascular disease, heart attack or stroke, 06:50 and this is also done on your lab report. 06:52 A lot of people asking for this because it needs 06:55 to be said that CRP is part of the overall package 06:59 in determining one's cardiovascular risk. 07:01 Now, sometimes you can have some false positives, 07:06 if it is over 10 the center for disease control 07:10 says actually doctor they throw it out, 07:12 and it look for any type of infection or cold. 07:17 So if you have infection or cold, if you are sick, 07:19 do not even bother to get a CRP test because 07:23 it will give you a false positive. 07:25 Wait till you are well and then go 07:28 and take the test, also if it's high 07:31 then the doctor needs to look for any sign of infection 07:34 and cold etc, and ask that you have it done 07:37 at least twice three week span and then get 07:41 average of that and those who are at 07:44 a high risk are those, who should have the CRP, 07:47 which are the smokers. 07:49 The smoking can increase your inflammation. 07:51 Okay. Also those who are diabetic 07:53 and also those who have high blood pressure 07:55 is recommended by the center for disease in 07:58 control to have those CRP tests done. 08:01 Which one that is more important; 08:03 high cholesterol or the CRP. 08:06 Well, both are important to underscore one's 08:10 overall cardiovascular risk factor, 08:12 but now it has been said that if a person has 08:16 high inflammation and low cholesterol 08:20 that there survival rate is very poor 08:25 compared to a person has high cholesterol 08:28 and low inflammation. So, therefore, 08:31 if we have to pick one above the other 08:33 then the CRP high sensitivity 08:37 CRP is very critical in underscoring 08:40 one's cardiovascular risk. So, both are important. 08:43 We are not neglecting the other one, 08:44 but this is now an added factor 08:46 in determining one's overall score 08:49 as far as the inflammation is concerned. 08:51 Does nutrition play a part in that as far as 08:54 helping to reduce that inflammation? 08:56 Yes, it can and we've talked about this before 08:58 because if one has high cholesterol we did this 09:01 one in our previous program. 09:02 The same foods that will lower your cholesterol 09:06 are the same foods that will lower 09:08 your inflammation, the CRP. 09:11 And let's go to our next graphic, 09:13 our last graphic. Let's look at these foods. 09:16 To CRP reducers; we talk about the Plant Sterols 09:20 and now these are not steroids, 09:22 but sterols and plant sterols are your Avocado, 09:27 your sesame seeds, sunflower seeds 09:30 and your navel oranges, the citrus fruits. 09:33 These are your plant sterols. 09:35 That will reduce an inflammation 09:36 and also reduce your CRP. 09:38 Second one is the soluble fibers. 09:41 Now not insoluble, but soluble fiber that will 09:45 also reduce your inflammation. 09:46 The soluble fibers are your both oats 09:50 and your legumes and also your apples 09:53 as well soluble fibers. And then the third one 09:55 you have is the soy or soy protein. 09:59 Soy protein can also lower the inflammation, 10:02 which will give you a lower CRP score as well. 10:06 The last one is of the nut kingdom is the walnuts. 10:10 Now walnuts have the highest amount of Arginine, 10:13 which will help to dilate the coronary arteries, 10:15 so that will also reduce the inflammation 10:18 in the artery wall. So those are some of the 10:20 things that we can do to reduce that CRP 10:23 or that inflammation, give us a lower 10:26 risk factor for cardiovascular disease. 10:29 Now, I know individual say things like okay 10:31 we've got the nutritional therapy and 10:33 it dealing between the cholesterol 10:35 and the CRP. What about lifestyle. 10:38 Well, now there are other lifestyle factors other 10:41 than the diet that can drop the CRP as well. 10:44 One is walking as we exercise preferably 10:49 in the outdoors in the fresh air will also reduce 10:53 inflammation also in the artery wall 10:55 thereby the CRP is reduced just by walking. 10:59 We mentioned of course smoking, 11:00 now cigarette smoke will create inflammation. 11:05 Thereby the stop smoking program there's many 11:08 out there all over the nation, 11:10 Engage in that and that will also reduce your CRP as well. 11:13 Stress will raise your CRP, your inflammation, 11:16 so again some anti-stress measures 11:19 listen to soft music, fresh air, the walking, 11:24 exercise, reading spiritual things 11:26 that will also reduce the stress factor as well. 11:29 One last thing is when those who have 11:32 over weight issues 11:34 particularly around the belly. 11:37 So it's not so much fat on the body, 11:40 but fat on the belly will also raise inflammation 11:45 and also your CRP score as well. 11:47 So those are some other lifestyle factors 11:50 that will drop that CRP and have a nice 11:54 low cardiovascular risk factor. 11:57 So, my understanding is that when we are going 11:59 to a doctor and you are having your cholesterol 12:01 checked, yes, then you need to ask also about 12:03 this particular test because I am wondering 12:05 is it already listed on that sheet 12:07 of testing to be done. Yes. It depends on 12:10 the laboratory because remember now some labs 12:13 are now including the CRP score. 12:16 Okay. Remember now if you just going 12:18 get this by itself it's critical to ask for the 12:21 high sensitivity hs-CRP, otherwise, 12:27 it will just measure inflammation in you body. 12:29 It doesn't zeros in on the artery wall itself. 12:33 So the high sensitivity CRP and again 12:36 you need to be done at least twice three weeks 12:40 as labs elapse time before the next one done 12:43 and then have average of that 12:45 then that will have a score on your lab report. 12:47 You know in Abundant Living we've done several 12:49 shows that talk about heart disease, 12:51 umm! umm! and here up-to-date is a brand 12:53 new term we learn and that's a CRP. 12:56 That's right. And so it's very interesting 12:59 that as we move on through the sciences 13:02 and move on through the times period 13:05 there are more and more things become available 13:07 to us and we just have to know a lot of time 13:09 we go to a doctor and we just kind of allow them 13:12 just to say anything when we've got these 13:14 important terms that we could actually bring up 13:16 and become proactive, yes, in taking care of ourselves 13:20 and reading upon this type of inflammation, 13:23 which is very, very good for us okay. 13:24 Yes. So, I think again now folks we are not just 13:28 saying the CRP by itself, right, the cholesterol 13:33 is still critical, absolutely, because 13:34 they have discovered in one last note that 13:37 there are people, lot's of people who have 13:39 had a heart attack and a stroke whose cholesterol 13:43 is in the, not put this in quotes, normal range 13:46 or in the low range yet had a stroke 13:49 or a heart attack and their CRP was very high. 13:54 So therefore, this is just a added factor 13:57 in knowing one's overall cardiovascular risk. 13:59 Just being in the know. Yes. Knowing 14:01 what's going on. One more score 14:02 we need to have in our memory bank, one more, 14:04 one more, one more, we talk about that 14:05 as we learn different things and we get out 14:07 there we bring the information to you also 14:09 on Abundant Living and you know, 14:11 today, of course, I know you are saying 14:12 aren't we gonna do any cooking 14:14 and the answer is yes. 14:15 And speaking about that cholesterol. 14:17 I'm actually, we are doing a recipe that does not 14:18 have cholesterol in it, Oh! That's good, 14:20 alright, and it is gonna be very, very surprise. 14:22 Okay. It is actually a Mock chicken Cacciatore. 14:26 Get your paper and pencil and meet us in the kitchen. |
Revised 2014-12-17