When we met Amy at age 52, she was at the height of her
career.
She had started a small business with her husband seven years earlier,
and they were now enjoying enormous success. She and her husband, Tim,
decided it was time to devote less time to their flourishing business
and more time to travel, health, and just sitting back and enjoying
life.
Both got heart scans. While Tim’s heart scan score was a modest 21,
Amy’s was higher at 117. For a woman, this put Amy in the 90th
percentile (worst 10% for her age group). The score came as a surprise
to her, despite the fact that her brother had his first heart attack at
age 48, her mother had a heart attack at age 50. As an entrepreneur with
a big success under her belt, perhaps she felt invincible.
A severe lipoprotein (a) pattern, Lp(a), proved to be the crucial cause
behind Amy’s coronary plaque, along with a marked excess of small LDL.
(Seasoned Track Your Plaque followers will tell you that this
combination is an especially potent trigger for coronary plaque.) We
advised Amy to embark on a program of fish oil, vitamin D, and niacin
for Lp(a). We advised Amy on how to use diet to correct the small LDL
pattern.
Amy promptly lost 10 lbs with these changes and was well on her way.
However, Amy and Tim’s daughter unexpectedly suffered a fatal injury in
a work-related accident.
The parents were devastated. Amy returned to us after a few months,
shaken but bolstered by the support of her husband, her family that came
back together after the tragedy, and friends. We picked up where she
left off.
A second heart scan 15 months after her first revealed a score of 43—a
63% drop.
Dr. Davis:
In the Track Your Plaque program, we’ve come to respect the profound
effects of stressful events, particularly one as exceptionally difficult
as the loss of a loved one.
It is powerful testimony to this woman’s strength that she maintained
her health program after picking up the pieces of her life. Thankfully,
she had the support of a loving husband and family.
I believe that the lesson we need to learn from Amy’s important story is
that, while great stress like the death of someone close to you,
divorce, financial ruin, etc., can have enormous effects on health—drop
in HDL, increased inflammatory measures, increased cancer risk, loss of
control over heart disease, even profound reductions in heart muscle
strength (a phenomenon that was validated by studies performed in New
York City immediately post September 11)—it does not necessarily have to
overwhelm you and undo all the good still achievable. In fact, despite
the odds, Amy achieved the largest percentage decrease in score of
anyone ever participating in this process.
Perhaps other people experiencing the same severity of stress that Amy
experienced would not have had the same level of success that she did.
But I do believe that this is yet another example of what is possible in
the big picture of heart disease reversal.
Nothing can replace the loss of a loved person in our lives. But if the
Track Your Plaque approach allows real people like Amy to continue their
lives uninterrupted by the devastation of heart disease, I believe that
we’ve added something positive to the human experience.
Neal, a 40-year old school principal, went to his
doctor because of chest pain. Slender and physically active, at first he
refused to believe that it could have represented heart disease. He
started to really worry when he had to stop mid-step while coaching
basketball. The pain passed within 30 seconds, but Neal mentioned it to
his wife, who promptly insisted that he discuss it with his physician.
His primary care physician, skeptical of heart disease, had Neal undergo
a simple stress EKG, i.e., a stress test without nuclear or ultrasound
imaging. While it was normal, Neal did experience some of his chest
discomfort. To help clarify the issue, Neal’s primary care physician
asked him to undergo a CT heart scan. His score: 339, in the 99th
percentile for men in his age group. Even worse, 200 of the 339 points
of plaque scoring were in the left main stem artery, the shared trunk of
the left anterior descending and circumflex coronary arteries. Heart
attack here is fatal immediately.
Neal ended up with a heart catheterization because of the crucial
location of his plaque, as well as the equivocal symptoms and stress
results. Thankfully, only mild plaque of no more than 30% severity in
the left main stem artery was identified. Thus, it was unlikely to
account for Neal’s symptoms and there would be no benefit from a
procedure like bypass surgery. So we were free to pursue his program of
prevention.
Through lipoprotein testing, Neal proved to have high LDL cholesterol
comprised almost entirely of small LDL particles, along with a moderate
to severe deficiency of vitamin D.
One year of effort to correct his patterns included fish oil, niacin for
small LDL, and changes in food choices. A repeat heart scan 15 months
later showed a score of 161―a 51% reduction!
Dr. Davis Comments:
Neal now holds the Track Your Plaque record for the
biggest drop in heart scan score, the largest degree of plaque reversal
we’ve ever seen. After the initial gut-wrenching scare to Neal and his
family on first learning of his high heart scan score at age 40, the
enormous drop in his score brought a big sigh of relief.
We tell critics that, not only is reversal possible, but huge amounts of
reversal can be achieved in many people.
Now, I wish I could tell you that everybody who engages in our program
drops their score like Neal. But that’s not true. After all, Neal is our
current record-holder. All we can do is help you tip the odds heavily in
your favor. But, if recent trends are any indication, I predict that
we’re going to be seeing hordes of people following in Neal’s footsteps.
Just a few short years ago, even we didn’t believe this much reversal
was possible. The proof is in the pudding.
Grady Y. [18% Reduction]
I almost didn’t believe Grady when I met him.
Despite his heart scan score of 1151, he had a big smile on his face and
a firm handshake. He was eager to hear what I had to say. It was not
what I expected when I heard that Grady was a trial attorney.
Perhaps it helped his outlook to know that retirement was just 9 months
away at age 65.
Accompanied by his wife, who was clearly supportive of helping Grady
make any necessary change in food choices or lifestyle, we started with
lipoproteins and lab testing. Grady proved to have the usual panel of
lipoprotein suspects: small LDL with high LDL particle number, a
borderline low HDL of 42 mg/dl with lack of healthy large HDL, and
marginally elevated triglycerides accompanied by triglyceride-rich
lipoproteins.
Grady also proved to be profoundly deficient in vitamin D with a blood
level of 7 ng/ml (!!). This in particular surprised him, since he’d
spent the spring outdoors on some undeveloped land he owned, clearing it
several days per week, often working shirtless for hours in the sun.
Because Grady also showed a borderline high blood sugar of 122 mg/dl, he
set out on a weight loss program, principally focusing on reduction of
wheat products and other processed foods. He promptly lost 24 lbs.
17 months into the Track Your Plaque program, Grady’s cholesterol and
lipoprotein values were looking spectacular. Vitamin D blood level was
58 ng/ml. Repeat CT heart scan score: 944, an 18% drop! A competitive
sort of guy, Grady asked what the record drop in heart scan score was.
When I told him that the current record holder was 63% drop (though
starting with a lower score), he boldly declared, “I’m going to make it
drop to 500. You wait and see!”
Dr. Davis:
Despite his line of work, Grady had all the essential ingredients for
reduction of his heart scan score.
He achieved our 60-60-60 targets for conventional lipids, he eliminated
his pre-diabetic tendencies, he corrected all hidden lipoprotein
abnormalities, normalized his vitamin D level, and he maintained a sense
of optimism in life.
As a result, Grady overcame what was surely going to result in a major
heart attack, 2, 3, or 4 stents, or a bypass operation within the next
four years. Recall that the cardiovascular “event” rate of anyone with a
heart scan score >1000 is a deplorable 25% per year—a 1 in 4 chance of
heart attack, procedures, or death every year.
With a nearly 200 point drop in heart scan score, Grady will now enjoy
(provided he sticks to the program) a nearly zero risk of any of these
heart catastrophes. (I say nearly zero because, statistically, nobody’s
risk for heart attack is truly zero. But Grady is as close to zero risk
as anyone can humanly obtain.)
Yes, attorneys do have a tougher time of it, given the level and kind of
stress they must deal with. But it can be done and it can be done in a
big way, just as Grady showed us.
Ron P. [28% Reduction]
When Ron first received the result of his heart scan, he started having pain in
his chest. He became aware of pounding when he sat still. In fact, he became
acutely aware of every little blip or flip of his heart. In short, it kind of
made him nuts.
After all, Ron knew for years that he had several substantial abnormalities in
his cholesterol panel. Ron’s triglycerides ran as high as 700 mg/dl, HDL as low
as 26 mg/dl. So when he had his first heart scan at age 53 and it showed a score
of 135, neither Ron nor his doctor were surprised.
Nonetheless, such concrete evidence of potential for heart attack really shook
him up. Ron’s dad had experienced his first heart attack at age 52; his second
proved fatal. Ron was no stranger to the dangers of heart disease.
I met Ron because of the chest pains. Although the statistical likelihood that a
heart scan score of 135 was the culprit for his chest pain was rather small
(5%), we had Ron undergo a stress test. It proved normal with no evidence of
poor blood flow in any area of the heart. Curiously, just knowing this provided
Ron with relief of his symptoms.
We proceeded to study Ron’s lipoprotein patterns more deeply. Not surprisingly,
a number of important hidden factors were identified beyond the high
triglycerides and low HDL, including a flagrant excess of IDL (the after-meal
persistence of dietary fats), small LDL particles, zero large healthy HDL, and
lipoprotein(a).
Ron initially took our advice and added high dose fish oil, sharply reduced
processed carbohydrates and saturated fats, lost a few pounds, added niacin. But
he progressively began to doubt that he would ever change the course of his
future and became obsessed with the notion that he was destined to follow the
footsteps of his father. He ended up stopping many of the strategies we started,
regained the lost weight and more. I urged Ron to get another heart scan. Score:
350, representing a 159% increase over two years, a much greater rate of plaque
growth than average. Now we’re starting to get worried.
But then something happened. I’m not sure what internal dialogue Ron had, but he
really started to apply himself. He resumed all the changes in lifestyle we
discussed, exercised, added vitamin D, took his fish oil, reduced his weight 15
of the 25 lbs we advised, etc. One year later, yet another heart scan. This
time, the score: 253, a 28% decrease.
Dr. Davis Comments:
There may be a number of important lessons Ron’s experience might teach us.
One, attitude is everything. Just as we discussed in last month’s newsletter,
being optimistic can spell the difference between dropping your score hugely and
watching it rise while you watch helplessly. Ron’s change in attitude was
undoubtedly a crucial factor.
Two, coronary disease is, for many or perhaps most of us, a very controllable
process. Once you have the right tools combined with the proper attitude,
dramatic results are possible. For Ron, it was the difference between an
extraordinary rate of plaque growth vs. a precipitous amount of reversal.
You can’t argue with success.
Tim T. [23% Reduction]
Tim’s diabetes hit him like a truck. At age 62, Tim’s weight dropped
unintentionally 25 lbs. over two months. Although he liked the weight loss, he
felt awful: exhausted, even when he first got out of bed; lightheaded; and
urinating large volumes. He was barely able to function in his job as CEO of a
small manufacturing company.
Tim’s primary physician diagnosed diabetes and put him on two medications, one
of which was Actos® (pioglitazone) . Within days, Tim felt normal again, though
a good deal thinner. But his doctor warned him that the episode he suffered
could have become very dangerous, sometimes even resulting in a condition called
“hyperosmolar coma”, a state of profound dehydration so severe it results in
coma.
Tim took the advice to heart. He got himself a heart scan to see if hidden heart
disease was also lurking. His score: 318, in the 80th percentile compared to
other men in his age group (approximately 3% annual risk for heart attack).
Tim’s primary physician put him on a statin cholesterol drug (Vytorin®). LDL
cholesterol was reduced by the drug to a favorable level of 66 mg/dl, verified
by a LDL particle number of 813 nmol/l (Track Your Plaque target <700 nmol/l).
His lipoprotein analysis (NMR, Liposcience) on both Vytorin® and Actos® (an
unusual diabetes agent in that it partially corrects lipoprotein patterns) also
revealed:
• HDL 43 mg/dl, with only 3 mg/dl of effective large HDL
• Small LDL representing 80% of all LDL particles, a severe pattern.
Vitamin D supplementation increased 25-OH vitamin D3 from 22 ng/ml to 54 ng/ml.
We also counseled Tim on reducing processed carbohydrates, wheat products, and
increasing reliance on lean proteins, especially raw nuts, and oat products to
improve his profile, particularly small LDL.
One year later, Tim’s heart scan was repeated. His score: 244, a 23% reduction.
Dr. Davis Comments
Last month, we profiled another Track Your Plaque participant who also had adult
diabetes yet dropped his heart scan score. Tim is another diabetic who beat the
odds.
Conventional medical wisdom is that diabetes represents a profound risk for
heart disease. Rates of plaque growth of 50% per year are not uncommon when
causes remain uncorrected. These two Track Your Plaque participants are examples
of how this is not necessarily true if the proper steps are taken. Not only did
they diminish risk, they reversed coronary atherosclerotic plaque―dramatically.
Tim’s case is somewhat more complicated in that he was taking a diabetes
medication that may have influenced lipoprotein patterns. This is, of course,
not a strategy that should be used by non-diabetics.
But the lesson learned from Tim’s case is that diabetes is not necessarily a
death sentence from heart disease, as conventional medicine dictates. Tim’s
substantial reduction in heart scan score will translate into a profound
reduction in his risk for heart attack, as well as dramatically slashing
likelihood of ever needing a heart procedure.
Dr. Sam L. [18% Reduction]
Dr. Sam L. is a 61-year old physician. Sam’s father had a heart attack at age
55, so Sam had tracked his own cholesterol panel religiously, up to several
times a year. His LDL ranged between 130–170 mg/dl, HDL 41–48 mg/dl. Sam prided
himself on remaining slender—certainly more slender than many of his
colleagues—and fit. He felt wonderful during his three time-per-week exercise
efforts. He’d also asked a cardiology colleague to perform a nuclear stress test
every year, and he’d consistently passed all of them.
Sam was therefore pretty shaken, even shocked, to learn of his CT heart scan
score of 617. He immediately put himself on Lipitor® to reduce LDL cholesterol.
On the drug, his LDL ranged from 85–100 mg/dl.
After a year and a half, Sam got himself another heart scan score: 744, a 20%
increase. His cardiologist colleague dismissed the result. “What difference does
it make? Your stress test is still normal. I don’t think that you don’t need a
cath yet [heart catheterization]. We could do one if it would help settle your
mind.”
Sam wasn’t sure what to make of all this. So he took the easy way out: he pushed
it out of his mind and went about his busy schedule. One year later and another
heart scan: score 880, another 18% increase.
Sam sought an opinion from another cardiologist. This cardiologist reassured him
and suggested another nuclear stress test. “We want to catch it in time!” he
declared. That’s when Sam realized that his cardiologist friends had no insight
whatsoever into how to manage his escalating score and heart attack risk. They
only knew how to watch and wait for the time when procedures were justified. So
Sam enrolled in the Track Your Plaque program.
Among the patterns Sam showed on his enrollment lipid/lipoprotein analysis
(partially corrected on Lipitor®):
• HDL cholesterol 47 mg/dl (TYP target ≤60 mg/dl)
• Small LDL particles 65% of total LDL (TYP target <10% of total) LDL)
• Triglycerides 96 mg/dl (TYP target ≤60 mg/dl)
• Excess VLDL (TYP target: 0 mg/dl)
• Vitamin D 30 ng/ml (TYP target >50 ng/ml)
We showed Sam how to raise HDL and reduce small LDL particles using diet and
niacin, drop triglycerides and VLDL using omega-3 fatty acids, and raise vitamin
D with vitamin D supplements. He also brought his blood pressure into normal
range using a combination of nutrition, modest weight loss of 7 lbs, and one
medication.
Another year later, Sam’s heart scan score: 719.9, an 18% decrease!
Dr. Davis Comments
Since then, Dr. L. has become a vocal advocate for the Track Your Plaque
approach. I suspect that he came within months of a heart attack or truly
requiring a heart catheterization (that is, a procedure necessary for real
reasons, not for the financial enrichment of his cardiologist friend, nor just
for peace of mind).
Dr. L. is living proof of the limited effectiveness of conventional answers to
heart disease prevention. Taking Lipitor® and following a “heart healthy diet”
yielded 18–20% yearly increases in his score. If that were your bank account or
mutual fund, you’d be hob-nobbing with Bill Gates within a few years. But it’s
coronary plaque. That rate of growth is simply not sustainable for any length of
time without catastrophe.
The majority of physicians regard prevention of heart disease as “fluff” and not
worth their effort. Procedures yield quick answers and lots of financial
incentive. But that approach makes no sense, particularly when heart disease
prevention can truly be powerful.
Only when he was introduced to the Track Your Plaque concepts did Sam manage to
put a halt to his rapidly growing plaque and dramatically turn it around.
Merrill C. [6.5% Reduction]
I seriously
underestimated Merrill from the moment I met her. At 73 years old, standing a
grandmotherly 5 feet tall, but weighing 230 lbs., I immediately judged Merrill
to be an undisciplined woman, not the least bit interested in health. Boy, was I
wrong.
But Merrill did strike me with her big smile stretching from ear to ear. She
was, after all, here to talk about heart disease, a subject that makes most
people anxious, nauseated, even angry. Yet here was this wonderfully upbeat
woman, eager to hear what I had to say about her high heart scan score of 822.
This was in contrast to Merrill’s husband, John. I met John just two days after
his wife, for the same reason. John’s heart scan score:1392.
But John’s reaction was entirely different from his wife’s. He was trembling,
sweating, so nervous that he was barely able to comprehend our conversation.
Both underwent the same process: stress tests (due to their high scores).
Merrill’s was normal; John’s showed a small area of poor flow but insufficient
to prompt any further action such as heart catheterization. Husband and wife
both had lipoproteins analyzed and, predictably, both had extensive
abnormalities. (John’s pattern was principally characterized by low HDL and
small LDL, while Merrill had small LDL and lipoprotein (a). Track Your Plaque
followers will immediately recognize that Merrill’s pattern was a more difficult
one. )
Fast-forward one year. On this meeting, Merrill and John came to the office
together to discuss the results of their 2nd heart scans. John
characteristically sat nervously, anticipating bad news. Merrill sat undaunted
and unaffected by her husband’s jitteriness.
“Give me the bad news, doc,” John spat, barely able to look me in the eye.
Merrill’s smile faded for just a second. She said, “Come on, John. Don’t be so
glum.” She then looked me straight in the eye and bravely declared, “If the
doctor says it’s bad, he’s going to tell us what we should do next.”
As it turned out, John’s 2nd heart scan score was 1533, a 10% increase.
Merrill’s score: 768, 6.5% decrease.
Granted, Merrill tried harder over the course of the year. She’d lost 20 lbs. to
John’s 3 lb gain. She managed to maintain a modest walking program, while John
watched football. Merrill, though she indulged during the holidays, for the most
part made healthy food choices but watched while John refused to change old
unhealthy eating habits.
I believe that I could have predicted—right from the start—which of the two,
Merrill or John, was likely to succeed in gaining control and reversing coronary
plaque. While John struggled with the internal demons in his head that prevented
him from adopting new healthy habits, seeing them as interfering with “his way”,
Merrill openly embraced any reasonable new idea that held promise for improving
health. John’s resentful, frightened attitude made it tough for him to get up
and be active, or to resist food temptations. Merrill’s smiling, can-do attitude
allowed her to accept change.
Dr. Davis Comments:
The results speak for themselves. After 45 years of marriage, I
suppose that even an incurable optimist like Merrill would quit hoping that her
pessimistic husband would learn from his mistakes.
I tell the story of this interesting couple to help you see what a difference
attitude makes. Is it Merrill’s willingness to change, her energy for adopting
new eating and exercise habits, or her optimism that made the difference? After
all, both Merrill and John achieved similar values in lipoproteins after their
year on the program, though Merrill did have the tougher-to-control
lipoprotein(a). Yet Merrill achieved what previously had been thought to be
impossible: she reversed her coronary atherosclerotic plaque, while John simply
managed to slow growth.
I won’t pretend to have the final answer, but I think that this couple provides
an example of how an optimistic attitude, for whatever reason, yields distinct
advantages in conquering heart disease that may not be fully reproducible just
by taking medication or supplements. Optimism may dissolve the hurdles of
resistance, provide more energy to overcome obstacles, or there may simply be
something “magical” about being happy. I don’t know which aspect of optimism
makes it distinctly advantageous, but I have no doubt that it does indeed help
you succeed.
Joe K. [5% Reduction]
Joe fidgeted during our entire first meeting. As we talked, I
began to understand why he was so anxious.
Life had recently thrown Joe several curve-balls: First, a series of new
responsibilities were thrust on him as plant manager at his workplace, changes
that doubled his stress level which had been high to begin with. Second, his
heart scan score of 278, which shocked him, since three stress tests over the
past seven years had all been normal. Third, once he learned of his heart scan
score, he stopped smoking the pack and a half of cigarettes he’d smoked for 30
years since age 27. He was now in the midst of unbearable nicotine cravings.
On the bright side, the added stress at work caused Joe to consider finally
taking his retirement, something he’d been contemplating for the past two years.
At 5 foot 8 inches and 197 lbs., Joe was by no means obese. But he did have a
prominent abdomen. His primary doctor had diagnosed adult diabetes two years
earlier and prescribed oral diabetes medication. On learning of Joe’s heart scan
score, his doctor immediately added a cholesterol drug.
When I met Joe, he was clearly prepared for either more of the same, i.e.,
several prescriptions, or a trip to the hospital. But, instead, we began with a
lipoprotein analysis (NMR). This showed (while on Vytorin, a combination
cholesterol drug):
Small LDL: comprising 90% of all LDL particles.
HDL 49 mg/dl: While not terrible and even above average for a male (42 mg/dl),
still below the Track Your Plaque target of 60 mg/dl.
Lipoprotein(a) 103.5 nmol/l: Moderately high.
C-reactive protein 1.7 mg/l: Reflecting hidden inflammation.
Despite Joe’s diabetes, his triglycerides were just slightly
above our target (≤60 mg/dl) at 88 mg/dl, likely due to the
triglyceride-reducing effect of his diabetes medications.
Note that Joe showed the dreaded combination of lipoprotein(a), or Lp(a), and
small LDL. This is probably the highest risk combination possible. And, of
course, Joe’s a guy who smoked for 30 years, making it even worse, and now had
diabetes. That’s a really bad profile of risk.
I reassured Joe that the smartest move he could have possibly have made was to
stop smoking altogether, once and for all. We discussed some ways to deal with
the anxiety and nicotine cravings.
It was clear that, despite being just a few pounds over his ideal weight, it was
enough to generate diabetes, small LDL, and a borderline low HDL. So I urged Joe
to drop from 197 lbs to 165–170 lbs. He would best accomplish this by reducing,
even temporarily eliminating, the amount of processed carbohydrates he ate,
particularly wheat products. He also added 45 minutes of walking every day,
along with dance lessons with his wife.
I asked Joe to add niacin, fish oil, and vitamin D sufficient to raise his blood
level to 50 ng/ml.
Twelve months later, Joe returned to the office. He was barely recognizable: his
face glowed with pride over the 22 lbs of weight loss he’d accomplished. His
enthusiasm was barely containable, stumbling over his words as he recited all
the new projects he’d undertaken in the months since he’d taken his retirement.
His basic lipids were spectacular, all at the Track Your Plaque goal of
60:60:60. His blood sugar was normal with only one diabetes medication
remaining, and his primary doctor was considering discontinuing this, as well.
It was a perfect time for another heart scan.
Joe’s score: 264, a 5% decrease.
Dr. Davis Comments:
I’ve seen it too many times: Someone works for 30 or 40 years,
retires, and then the “big one” hits: a heart attack that disrupts life just as
you’re about to begin enjoying all the things you’ve worked for. Next come
hospitals stays, heart procedures, and an uncertain future. Add the numerous
medications necessary after heart attack, the incapacity that stems from any
heart damage incurred, and the emotional trauma of a potential near-death
experience. That’s no way to begin a retirement.
Instead, Joe seized control of his heart disease and diabetes. He transformed a
disastrous profile of risk for heart attack to a benign pattern essentially
devoid of risk. By reducing his heart scan score and minimizing, even
eliminating, his diabetic patterns, Joe’s prognosis for future health is
immeasurably better than it might have been.
Richard N. [8% Reduction]
I’ve always been nervous about my heart because my father had a heart attack
at age 53 and died at 64. Here I was at age 54 and I really wanted to know if I
was going to follow in my dad’s footsteps. My father was a smoker with
hypertension and one hell of a temper.
My first heart scan showed a score of 392. I was taking Zocor® for my high LDL
cholesterol. I have always been very active and exercised regularly. I was
trained as a dancer growing up and have always been very careful about my eating
habits for as long as I can remember. I exercised at the YMCA almost every day.
I smoked for a very short time my senior year in high school and in college.
After my father’s open heart surgery he showed me his scar and I immediately
quit. I’ve always taken a handful of vitamins and supplements. I was among
the first people to enroll in the Track Your Plaque program back in 2001.
Despite Zocor®, several other abnormalities were identified including small LDL
cholesterol particles and a borderline low HDL. They showed me how to correct
these patterns and added fish oil, l-arginine, and other nutritional strategies
to correct the causes of my plaque.
The second scan I had showed a 19% increase. I was disappointed but not
defeated. We further improved my program to the point, for instance, that my HDL
was around 80 mg! However, two additional scans in as many years showed anywhere
from 18–22% per year plaque growth. My heart scan score peaked at a high of 832.
To say the least, I was demoralized, frightened, and close to giving up.
However, based on some new data, I was asked to add vitamin D and some other
strategies to my program. Another scan six months later finally showed success:
an 8% drop!
The Track Your Plaque staff have told me that my case is among the toughest
they’ve ever seen. I’m glad I stuck with it. My best advice to anyone
would be to know your family history, and understand that if you do not take
care of your self nobody else will. You have to exercise, listen to your body
and follow your instincts. If you suspect that you may have a problem, you
probably do. I will be 59 years old in February and look forward to many more
quality years in my life. There's still lots left to do.
Richard N., age 58
Lisa's Story
My name is Lisa. I'm a 43-year old mother and wife. Because I work in a health care
field, I've been attentive to health and fitness ever since I was a teenager.
I'd always assumed that my health was perfect.
Then my father died unexpectedly of a heart attack at age 59. A
little after my father's death, my older brother (47 years old) developed severe
pains in his chest and had to urgently get two stents in his coronary arteries.
I saw the handwriting on the wall. But when my doctor saw my cholesterol
numbers—LDL cholesterol 64, HDL cholesterol 74—he said that I'd escaped the
genetics of my father and brother and that I had nothing to worry about. He said
that, as long as I didn't smoke and continued to pay attention to health, I'd
have nothing to worry about from heart attack.
So I bought myself a heart scan. My score: 447, in the worst 1% of women my age.
In fact, the cardiologist at the heart scan center said my score was among the
highest he'd ever seen in a pre-menopausal female. At first, I thought my heart
scan was a death sentence and that a future like my family was inevitable and
unavoidable. Not true! That's where the Track Your Plaque program comes in. They
showed me how to use my heart scan to begin a powerful program of heart attack
prevention. Without getting a heart scan and without the help from the Track
Your Plaque program, I would have followed in the footsteps of my Dad and
brother. Instead, I continue to feel great and carry on my life without heart
attack and without needing major heart procedures.
Peter Carpenter with his wife Dr. Jane Shaw
I am the former Executive Director of the Stanford University Medical Center
and painfully aware of what it takes to change patterns of practice. Most
physicians are not aware of the value of heart scans or how to interpret the
resulting calcium scores so, as is often the case,
the responsibility for health care devolves to the patient. Your book (Track Your Plaque) is an
absolutely essential tool for anybody who wants to take charge of their
cardiovascular health—THANK YOU. I have dramatically altered my prevention
program based on your book.
I thought my health was perfect - until I got my heart scan!
I first became concerned about my health when my husband was diagnosed with
coronary disease in his mid-50s. I also didn’t know any details of the medical
history of my biological father. So getting a heart scan meant peace of mind for me.
I’m 5’ 5” and 118 pounds. I’m a jogger (12–15 miles a week) and have felt
wonderful. I love my job (I’m an executive for a local firm). My marriage is
wonderful. In short, my life is fine and has no more than the usual dose of
stress. The result of my first heart scan alarmed me. My score was 357 and I was told
that I was in the 99th percentile, meaning that my score was in the worst 1% of
women my age. My doctor initially told me to ignore it, since a nuclear stress
test was normal. My cholesterol panel was good with an LDL cholesterol of 86 and
HDL of 71.
I wasn’t happy with this approach. I was worried that I was already exercising
and ate healthy, yet I had plaque.
I’m grateful that I found out about Dr. Davis’ Track Your Plaque program. They
advised me to make a number of changes in lifestyle, many of which were natural
items like soy protein, oat bran, and fish oil.
After one year of treatment and another heart scan, I am happy to report that we
are on the right track as the scan showed no increase in score.
Judy H., age 55
HIPAA PRIVACY NOTICE: Track Your Plaque follows all federal HIPAA laws regarding patient information confidentiality.
Accordingly, certain personal identifying information has been changed to protect the privacy of our members.
All "Success Story" CT calcium score data has been validated by third-party, independent CT scan clinics and is on file at Track Your Plaque, LLC. SUCCESS STORY CRITERIA: Members wishing to tell their "Success Story" can contact Track Your Plaque via e-mail.
To be considered, you must be able to verify, via CT scan, either a reduction in CT calcium score, zero increase in score,
or a reduction in score rate of growth to at or below 10% per year. Track Your Plaque will not publish any personal identifying information without your express written permission.
Submission of a photograph is not required.
