***The following information is the result of what I’ve learned from customers as well as my personal experience.  It is not intended to diagnose nor is it intended to prod anybody into abandoning and/or avoiding a medication that they might be taking.  I would never do such a thing!  Rather, the purpose for sharing this information is to provide some relevant insight into the workings of your body in order to empower you to decide what course of action to take.

What do you have for high blood pressure and/or high cholesterol?

It appears as if people aren’t receiving satisfactory help/answers from the pharmaceutical medical establishment for their health issues and so they’re turning to the Natural Health arena for reprieve; or perhaps it’s because they don’t like the side effects associated with Pharmaceutical drugs.  I can’t say as i blame them; the side effects are often worse than the original health issue.  The sad part of it all is that our governments subsidize Pharmaceutical agents/protocols but not the natural… and so if you should choose to go natural then you’ll be paying for it out of your own pocket.  Hopefully, you can afford to do that; it can be costly.
Before we tackle your broken heart query, i need to clear the waters, so to speak.  Customers expect a Natural Health Store employee to provide them with answers… to guide them through the complicated maze of both; the pharmaceutical (synthetic) options as well as the natural ones.  I’d hear something to the tune of; “Is such or such supplement safe to take with my blood pressure medication?”

I’ll answer with this; no… a biggg no… although, if the truth be known; the question really should read the other way around; are pharmaceutical agents safe to take with the natural.  The Pharmaceutical companies train doctors and pharmacists to distribute their products; therefore, they are the ones that should be answering that question… if it was even possible to do.  I say that because; Pharmaceutical companies may test for some obvious agents that could interfere with their synthetic creation; this is known as a, ‘contraindication;‘ however, we’re talking about quite a vast menu here; not only natural agents; such as herbs, vitamin/mineral supplements, but also food.  Anyone of these could be reactive with the drug for a variety of reasons, when you consider how the body works.

It all boils down to the fact that it’s impossible to test each and every pharmaceutical agent for a reaction with absolutely every substance… or combination of substances that one might ingest… prior to… at the same time… or after… a pharmaceutical agent is ingested… including foods.

Perhaps, it might help to understand the principles/differences of both; Pharmaceutical agents/protocol… and Natural agents/protocol.  Pharmaceutical agents/protocol is designed to ‘alter’… meaning that it has the potential to create or suppress symptoms… most often, normal functions of the body.  Natural agents/protocol, on the other hand; enable/empower the body to establish and/or… to maintain balance, hence why they’re called natural.  And so; they really are opposing options to begin with.

My advice is this; if you’re presently indulging in a pharmaceutical agent and are desiring to ‘go natural,’ then you need to do your own homework…  and/or perhaps; consider consulting with a Pharmacist or a Naturopathic Practitioner before doing so.  This holds true especially if you’re pregnant and/or have known allergies.  Sorry, i didn’t mean to get loud there but it’s a bit of a pet peeve of mine… the natural health guy is always the fall guy; gets beat up bad if something should ever go wrong.

Nonetheless; i’ll always make myself available to share my personal observations/experiences regarding mixing the two types of health care, both; pharmaceuticals and natural agents/protocol.  I do so because i strongly believe in freedom of choice.  Furthermore; in over twenty years of involvement in natural health care, i have yet to witness… or even hear of one death, let alone any serious complications resulting from mixing the two types of health care.  I’ve met people who totally abandoned the Pharmaceutical approach altogether and switched to a natural protocol… i’ve met those who indulged in both; pharmaceutical and natural… and i’ve met people who did nothing at all all for their troubled heart condition… and guess what; all of them fared well.  Each one of them outlived their death sentence… er… i mean… medical prognosis… go figure.

OK, so let’s get to work and try and figure this thing out; it may help to picture your cardio-vascular system as consisting of three basic components, each with a specific function; the heart, (pump), arteries and veins, (pathways) and the blood (fuel).  Our heart pumps the blood through an array of arteries for the purpose of oxygenating and delivering nutrients to the cells throughout the body.  The veins are the return pathways through which the blood; after passing through several filtering stations slowly makes its way back to the heart again.  Most people will come into a Natural Health store seeking help for either; high blood pressure (hypertension) or high cholesterol, for the most part, and so we’ll focus on these two queries.

First of all; what is meant by high blood pressure (BP)? BP is the measurement of the actual force of which the blood is being pumped through the arteries and its return through the veins back to the heart again.  It is measured using two numbers; the high number (systolic) refers to when your heart initially pumps the blood out of the heart and the lower number (diastolic) refers to when the heart is relaxed and the blood is returning back to the heart.  A reading of 120/80 is purported to be normal.

When the numbers are beyond the normal range it is defined as Hypertension.   The causes of hypertension are manifold and so we’re gonna hafta scare up a schwack of rabbits in order to shed some light on the subject.  Hmm… how’s that for a Hillbilly approach to health care?  Bear in mind that the causes of heart failure and/or stroke are manifold. You’ve most likely heard enough about the more obvious causes of cardio-vascular malfunction; stress, lack of exercise and over eating, along with; excessive caffeine, nicotine, alcohol, trans-fats, salt and sugar… but, what about some of the internal stressors involved in cardio-vascular disintegration.  I’ll name a few of the more common ones; metabolic/hormonal imbalances, nutritional deficiencies, environmental toxins, artificial and/or synthetic elements especially; Pharmaceuticals agents.  Perhaps we should be snooping out those lockers as well.

Regardless of the causes; the mainline pharmaceutical approach to a cardio fix of remains the same; get more exercise, lose weight, abstain from certain foods and of course; indulge in a schwack of Pharmaceutical agents, which of course carries extra baggage of ugly side effects… ugh!

If it comes down to the heart itself; well, let’s face it; there’s not a whole lot we can do if a malfunction should occur there, unless of course, you happen to be renting a back room in the emergency department of a hospital.  If this powerful muscle should suddenly malfunction, then aside from the ‘booster cable shock’ treatment and/or a super dooper Pharmaceutical adrenalin injection right then and there on the spot, it’s often ‘lights out… on this planet, anyway! However; let’s look at some ways that we can perhaps; prevent a mishap in this department to occur.  In order to do that, we’ll have to address the veins and arteries… the pathways responsible for delivering the blood to and from the heart.  Let’s investigate.

The condition of the artery wall in particular is the vital game changer when it comes to cardio health, in my opinion.  A compromised artery wall can present two opposite health dilemmas; aneurysm (breach) or obstruction (blockage).  The common sense overall goal for both conditions is to establish… and maintain; arterial strength and flexibility.  We’ll begin with arterial obstruction (blockage); the villain in that movie is; inflammation.’  Inflammation is a sign that your wonderful body is in; repair mode.  This is where cholesterol comes into the picture.  Cholesterol is treated as the devil incarnate; however, it’s really the opposite; it’s a benevolent agent; nature’s mend-all.  Lets investigate.

COMPROMISED ARTERIES; FACTS AND MYTHS: 

Contrary to what we’ve always been told, a high cholesterol reading does not necessarily spell danger.  This is not my personal opinion; the Cholesterol-cardio risk factor has since been removed from the list of potential causes of heart disease… go figure.  Nonetheless; a medical evaluation of your blood will deliver two readings; two types (natures) of cholesterol; high density lipo-proteins (HDL) and low density lipo-proteins (LDL).  We’re told that the HDL is a good type of cholesterol and LDL is; the bad boy.  Bear in mind that there is going to be a little bit of both types goin on in your body at any given time… and so… really; the relevant factor in a cholesterol blood test revolves around balance.  If the blood test reveals a major imbalance between the two types, then, yes… you may have a problem.  The solution will depend on your source of health care; a Pharmaceutically trained doctor will more than likely suggest a cholesterol reducing agent, better known as a Statin drug, which is designed to lower cholesterol production… all cholesterol production, for that matter.  You might wanna do some homework on that one.

Let’s lay out some hard cold facts.  First of all; cholesterol is a substance that is routinely produced by your liver.  Secondly; it has mega purposes/benefits, such as; brain function, cell, nerve and artery building and repair, hormone production and digestion, to name just a few.  It’s a shame to shut such a valuable program down.  For example; i’m sure that we all will have experienced a soar (inflamed) throat sometime in our lifetime.  You will/should have noticed an immediate increase of mucous in the throat/sinuses… and any affected areas.  Similarly; when your skin has been pierced; a cut, perhaps; your blood will immediately go to work to stop the bleeding; it’ll form a clot, which eventually becomes a dry scab.  Lastly; if you were to injure/sprain a joint; or perhaps, break a bone; the afflicted area would immediately swell.  This is an indication of the body attempting to immobilize the wounded area to prevent any more damage; it is the body’s version of a splint.

All of the aforementioned symptoms are really benefits of LDL cholesterol.  Now, while each of those scenarios; the mucous, blood clot… and/or swelling… are uncomfortable/painful scenarios, they’re really necessary and vital efforts to keep us on the right side of the grass, so to speak.  We can either assist our body’s effort in doing this work or we can resist its efforts.

Now, in light of what you just read; what do you suppose an immune response/reaction would look like at the site of a damaged (inflamed) artery?  Well, commonsense tells me that it’d more than likely be drawing from its cholesterol reserves; namely; the LDL type of Cholesterol, to address the problem.  Hmm… perhaps, this is why your blood test might have revealed an… excess of cholesterol… more accurately; a cholesterol imbalance.    Howbeit; this excess reading is… or should be treated… as a flag that there is some serious inflammation going on… and a wise health care professional should be able to find out where… and why it is going on.  I’m pretty sure the technology exists to detect this.  I suppose it depends on the health care professional in the end; hopefully, you are connected with a wise and diligent one.

Another flag pointing to arterial inflammation, worth mentioning is high homocysteine levels.  What is Homocysteine?  Homocysteine is one of several components (amino acids) found in protein; elevated levels of this amino acid in the blood indicates that the body is in repair mode, more than likely for the same reason that cholesterol presented… vascular compromise.  If your blood report reveals/highlights these two agents in particular, then you’d best pay it some attention.

An important factor regarding cholesterol; the real problem at hand is not so much that there is LDL cholesterol going on big time; but, rather; what happens in the arteries when this type of cholesterol shows up.  LDL cholesterol is like… Velcro; it’s tacky/sticky in nature; therefore, the construction site can… and will attract all sorts of agents/debris.  This is the real game changer with one’s cardio heath, in my opinion.  Bear in mind that the arteries, in particular are fairly narrow passageways.  Furthermore, they are extremely busy passageways, vital to remain open and flexible to accommodate blood pressure.  Wayward minerals could easily build up on these LDL construction sites, acting much like a beaver dam.  Consequently, such a scenario could seriously compromise the vital blood-carrying oxygen supply to various parts of the body, resulting in; stroke and/or… total arterial blockage.

This is one of the reasons why i promote energized water as opposed to dead and mineral laden water… and why i don’t endorse elemental mineral supplementation… as opposed to natural.  It’s my conviction that the body wasn’t designed to dissimulate, absorb and/or, distribute the constituents of gravel, shells or bones… and you’re taking how much calcium per day?  To sum it all up; high cholesterol indicates inflammation… shutting down the natural function of cholesterol production… and not addressing the reason for the malfunction, is not a wise protocol; it’s harmful.  Howbeit; this is where the $$ factor enters the commercial arena.  The cholesterol fear generates mega $$ in both; the pharmaceutical industry as well as in the food marketplace.  “You have high cholesterol; therefore, you need to start taking such and such a drug… and/or… don’t buy that food product, it’ll raise your cholesterol level; buy this one; it’s much better for your heart,” you’ll hear.  We’ll be getting back to the artery conundrum with more viable remedies a bit later; meanwhile…

I’ll begin the cardio journey by stating this fact; the main causes of cell death are; starvation, poison and/or trauma.  Anyone of these… or a combination of these can render one in; disease mode.  We’ll be touching on each one of these causes all throughout this section.

The heart is indisputably the most important organ of the body… certainly more so than a church organ, that’s for sure.  Seriously, though; the heart has been wonderfully designed to operate on auto pilot, meaning; you cannot opt to turn it on or off… well on a personal level, anyway; medical facilities do it all the time.  Nonetheless; as mentioned; there’s not a whole lot you can do if your heart should physically malfunction; however, there are things that you can do to prevent a malfunction; that is what we’ll be focusing on here.

The heart is made up of smooth muscle… a muscle that is in perpetual motion, pumping blood like… 24/7.  It’ll continue doing this while you’re sleeping or awake, relaxing or running scared, sometimes slow and easy and other times so fast and strong that it feels like it’s going to pop right out of your chest… and then there are times when it might miss a beat here and there… ugh!  Regular exercise, quality diet and hearty attitude etc. are all good and effective cardio remedies; however, there are other factors negatively impacting cardio health that are more subtle, such as; salt (sodium).

Let’s pop into the lab and check out the blood; promise to not get squeamish on me!  Our blood can be compared to chlorophyll; the fluid flowing through all plants; the only difference is the colour; chlorophyll is green, when exposed to the sun… and blood is red, when inundated with oxygen.  If you notice somebody bleeding green… run… they’re not human.  There’s more to the blood than just its red colour; it is also composed of cells… and it is electrical in nature, as are all of the cells in our body… more on that in just a bit.  Meanwhile; this is where salt (sodium) enters the circus ring.  Two minerals; sodium and potassium are involved in a delicate balancing act… an act vital for the electrical conductivity of the blood.

This can be a complex subject and so here’s a simplified explanation of how it works.  An excessive intake of either of these minerals can seriously negatively affect the entire cardio system.  Potassium contains a negative charge and hangs out on the inside of the cell while sodium has a positive charge and surrounds the outside of the cell.  Their opposite polarities operate similar to a magnet.  Subsequently, a pumping action of electrical impulses within our cells is created by their aforementioned, characteristics.  However; if one of these minerals should become dominant, the body will naturally go to work and attempt to flush the other in an attempt to… maintain balance, yet another law that govern our bodies; ‘homeostasis.’  Furthermore; if/when too much sodium in relation to potassium is present, the blood becomes tacky, which makes the artery walls similar to a Velcro like surface, ideal for a whole schwack of debris to accumulate.  Needless to say this contrary attraction can potentially create a blockage/dam, which can result in a stroke or cardiac arrest.

I’m sad to say that salt has fallen prey to the same marketer$ as cholesterol; food labels are not only littered with ‘low fat,’ but also with; ‘low sodium.’  As mentioned; sodium (salt) is essential to a healthy cardio balance… and yet it has a ‘doom and gloom’ warning attached to it; what’s with that?  Well, it all boils down to type of salt that we are ingesting… or better said… that we are being subjected to.  Not all salt is created equal; the type of salt flooding our food chain today is what should have a ‘doom and gloom’ warning attached to it; it is toxic to our body.  Look to nature whenever in doubt; unrefined as opposed to refined.  We are being poisoned with an over abundance of… refined salt.  This type of salt is often processed at very high temperatures, which removes or alters the natural, molecular structure of the salt… and secondly, it will often contain chemical additives such as anti-caking compounds… hence why i say; it is toxic… a poison to our body.  A better choice is sea salt.  Sea salt not only has a much lower percent of sodium chloride compared to many refined salt products out there but it also contains many other simple minerals and trace minerals, essential for healthy bodily function.  Some other healthy sodium choices are; Himalayan Salt or Celtic Salt.  Bear in mind that all berries, fruits and vegetables naturally contain these valuable minerals as well.  This information is readily available, just waiting for you to research them.

Electrical magnetic frequencies (EMF);

I’m going to change gears; let’s investigate a factor that is seldom discussed and yet what i perceive to be the most dangerous of all health threats, namely; Electrical magnetic frequencies… EMF for short.  I’ll start with the bees; everything seems to begin with the birds and the bees… according to Mom and Dad, anyway.  Nonetheless; the busy bees on the Isle of Whyte, off the coast of England were not so busy one day; they were grounded, unable to fly… and eventually died; poor little buggers.  It happened in coincidence with Marconi’s invention and installation of a radio wave broadcast system in the early 1900’s.  This wasn’t an isolated case, incidentally; similar environmental tragedies with other species occurred throughout the century… and i believe it to be for the same reason; radioactivity.  For example; an unusual number of carrier pigeons suddenly failed to find their way back home.  Hmm… i can certainly identify with that one as a teenager; although, for a different reason, mind you.  Seriously though; overall, the normal migration patterns of many birds and reptiles dramatically changed and/or ceased all together… in coincidence with new… radio wave technology.

While mainline, so called science failed to… or… refused to… make the connection, many independent professionals managed to join the dots.  They surmised that the built in, frequency GPS system of these finely tuned critters was being interfered with… scrambled by radio wave technology; EMF.  The question stands; what about us; are we being negatively affected by EMF as well?  If so; how would we know; what would be the symptoms?  Well, i’d expect that it would present much like what we call a; cold/flu… sneezing… coughing… aching muscles/joints… perhaps; some gastro-intestinal (GI) issues, which of course could escalate into something much more serious, depending on the severity of exposure.

Bear with me as i stray from the cardio subject a tad; it’s really quite important and relevant information… necessary to make some sense out of what we’re up against.  Our body operates on several principals; one being that it undergoes a process of perpetual renovation… like… 24/7, where old and/or compromised cells will die off and are replaced with new ones.  The causes of cell death will vary; it may be starvation, poison, trauma… or just downright old and aged.  However, regardless of why a cell dies; the body is equipped to handle it… as long as there’s not too much of it going on and/or it doesn’t happen all at once.  The relevant point is that; contrary to what we’ve all been led to believe; viruses are not living entities (germs/microbes) at all; rather, they  are merely evidence/fragments of these dying cells.  The dictionary definition for a virus verifies this; a virus is defined as; a toxic substance.

I know; that’s a biggg pill to swallow; i mean… disease has always been blamed on some sort of microbial invasion/infestation, right?  The problem is; there is absolutely no scientific evidence to substantiate this.  Meanwhile; you’ll not find a living sample of a virus anywhere in the world.  Hey; prove me wrong; you stand to win a couple of million dollars.   A handsome reward still stands, awaiting anyone who can prove a connection between a virus and any disease; nobody has met that challenge as i write this.  That’s gotta make you curious if nothing else.

Interesting is the fact that there is and age old guideline to validate this; however, science does not apply it… for some unknown reason.

Koch’s Postulates (1884):

1…The microorganism must be found in abundance in all organisms suffering from disease but should not be found in healthy organisms.

2…The microorganism must be isolated from a diseased organism and grown in pure culture.

3…The cultured microorganism should cause disease when introduced into a healthy organism.

4…The microorganism must be re-isolated from the inoculated, diseased experimental host and identified as being identical to the original specific causative agent.

This postulate has never been met to this day, incidentally.

And so if a virus is not responsible for disease, then what is?  Now, you’re being openminded; a good place for a true scientist to start.  A relevant point/fact to be aware of is that; each and every so called; pandemic correlated with some sort of technological EMF invention/innovation… hmm… coincidence, perhaps?  Of course the statistic charts continuously failed to log such information.  Why that was is a story all unto itself; suffice it to suspect serious bias science/economics at work.  The bottom line is that Pharmaceutical Health Care was committed/dedicated to one lone suspect… and one suspect… only… a contagious microbe (virus) to be at the helm of the disease.  Regardless; every experiment attempting to isolate such a microbe, consistent with all of those who presented ill… failed… and the lie continues to hang as a curtain blocking the truth to this very day… a sad but true reality.

All of these experiments can be accessed in the archive of med journals, incidentally; however, they were never prioritized for medical students… or for the public… and the plot thickens.

Medical science’s obsessive ‘contagious microbe’ suspicion appears to go back approximately a century.  You can snoop out that story for yourself; begin by researching two prominent scientists in particular, namely; Louis Pasteur and Antoine Bechamp.  These two white coats held opposing theories regarding the cause of disease/epidemics presenting at their time.  I’d best say no more about that lest i spoil the plot for you; suffice it to say this; the theory that a virus is the cause of disease should remain just that; a theory… until proven yo be true.

We cannot wrap our heads around the electrical aspect of our body’s functioning without mentioning its cousin; the Endocrine system.  The Endocrine system is really quite an elaborate and delicately balanced function.  It operates on a bit of both; electrical impulses (neurotransmitters) and chemicals (hormones) and so it’s easy to see how the aforementioned; EMF and chemical toxic environment can interfere in its smooth functioning.  Well; it is to me, anyway.  Suffice it to say this; humanity appears to be experiencing an epidemic of emotional/behavior issues.  Hmm… could there be a connection?  It’s my opinion that many of today’s health woes revolving around; hypertension, PMS, extreme Menopause, anxiety, depression, sleepless nights and/or low sexual libido, to name but a few, are directly… or indirectly related to… a scrambled/confused, Endocrine system.

ENDOCRINE MALFUNCTION:

You might be surprised to hear this; heart attacks are not always the result of clogged arteries, plaque build-up known as, atherosclerosis.

Let’s investigate the ‘Endocrine system… a biggg word for where all of the glands hang out.  Don’t worry; it won’t be complicated; it might generate a laugh or two if nothing else… and that’s a good thing, right?

A picture truly says a thousand words; my friend Mike and his brother decided to canoe down the normally benign Slocan River  at high water season.  They experienced the woes of adrenaline biggg time… probably a bit of brain injury as well according to his story.  Mike drew this picture to depict the event.  Let’s take a look at how the endocrine system works.

I‘m picking on the adrenal department in particular because i personally suspect this function to be somehow involved in very many of today’s health issues… cardio/vascular issues, in particular.

Imagine that you’re hiking in the woods since early morn; the sun is now shining bright and you decide to have a grass nap on a warm sunny hillside.  Ah; yawn, stretch… i’m soooo tired.  Then out of the corner of one half opened eye you spot a bear.  Your agenda will have dramatically switched from; nap time to ‘get the hell out of there’ mode, right?  What happened; what changed the program so fast?

Let’s discuss the adrenal gland; 3F program/syndrome; ‘freeze, fight or flight.’   Face it; today’s wide opened news world is creating a living hell for us; subjecting us to; what i call an adrenal/cortisone opened loop.  We’ll be discussing that in more detail as we go; meanwhile; the following is a layman’s perspective of what actually happens inside the body when seriously threatened.  Don’t let the big names scare you; there won’t be a test at the end.

The moment your eyes detect a potential danger, your Hypothalamus Gland… the big guy located at the backside base of your head receives the message and immediately sends another message to his side kick, the Pituitary Gland, who would instantly sound the alarm and proceed to get the word out to specific/strategic players (glands) on the team to rise to the occasion.  Your adrenal glands are specific and strategic to the cause and so they would be alerted to inject a specific chemical; a dose of adrenalin into the bloodstream.  Your thyroid will detect the adrenaline and will respond.  This gland oversees/governs heart rhythm, body temperature and mega metabolic functions, to mention but a few of its functions.  Howbeit; at this alarming signal, it will prioritize/focus on directing the necessary resources to specific departments of the body; however, only to specific departments; those that are essential for survival; no other department need apply.  The overall priority/goal is to get you out of harm’s way.

It’ll begin with your heart; i mean; you’re gonna need this powerful muscle… first and foremost.  It’ll be beating like crazy, pumping mega blood through your… now, wide opened arteries.  Again; the overall priority/goal is to get you out of harm’s way… and so oxygen and glucose enriched blood will be on its way… to the muscles… all of the muscles… in your body.  I’m sure we’ve all felt that incredible surge of raw power; the effects of this rocket fuel at one time or another.  Many incredible feats have been witnessed at such times.

Bear in mind that this all happens automatically, totally out of our cognitive control.  Messages are dispatched back and forth throughout our body both; electrically and chemically.  Various organs/glands harbor and/or produce specific chemicals known as; hormones/neurotransmitters.  Each of these hormones/neurotransmitters is designed to initiate/solicit a specific physical response.  Upon receiving the signal/message, certain organs and departments of the body will then respond accordingly… that is… if everything is running according to our original design.

What type of a response would manifest when this alarm button is pushed will vary, depending somewhat on our character trait.  I mean; somebody like Tarzan; King of the Jungle, would react to the; ‘3F‘ adrenal syndrome by fighting; he’d beat on his sometimes, hairy chest, yodel out a Neanderthal melody and then jump right on top of the dang bear… or whatever beast was threatening him… and beat the living crap out of it… or at least that is how the Tarzan movies portrayed it.

Perhaps i should explain why i hi-lighted the phrase; “sometimes… a hairy chest.’  I grew up with Tarzan; he was my hero of heroes; me and my friends never missed one Tarzan movie.  I can still recall those moments at Billsburough’s theatre; a schwack of us would awkwardly descend down the sloped floor to the front row seats… i mean, we just had to get immersed right into the jungle with Tarzan, right?  Howbeit; in one hand, was a fist full of red licorice and in the other; a precariously balanced drink… hmm… no more hands, no problem… we’d gingerly tuck a big bag of popcorn under one armpit, as well.  Bear in mind that the popcorn was non GMO back then; however, the licorice i’m sure was loaded with #3 toxic red dye.  Nevertheless; a return trip to the confectionary… or to a bathroom was a no-no… out of the question; such a move would force all of your buds into the ‘knees tight up to the chest shuffle,’ risking spilling their goodies.

The food and company was all good; however, the part that bugged me was that they kept swapping out Tarzan.  I mean; some things you really shouldn’t mess with; heroes was one of them.  Ah… but; it wasn’t so; one movie would depict Tarzan bald chested with these humungus muscles and the next movie, he’d be hairy chested, but thin as a rake, with hardly enough biceps to swing from a vine, let alone take out a lion or an alligator.  Furthermore; none of the Tarzans had beards… or even a shadow of one for that matter.  I mean; we’re talking about a ‘jungle dweller’ here; surely, there were no razors to be found in that neck of the woods.  Nonetheless; our imaginations were plenty wild enough to overlook those minor discrepancies.

Anyway; where was i… oh yeah… Tarzan; well… he’d opt to fight rather than freeze; i suppose he could have resorted to flight… surrounded by a maze of the swinging vines and all.  On the other hand; a character such as the Road Runner would probably spontaneously react to; ‘flight;‘ however, because roadrunners don’t fly, he compromised by fleeing instead.  You do recall the roadrunner don’t you?  He was that stupid looking, over sized bird with the extra long skinny legs… and atttttitude… in the Bugs Bunny cartoons that we used to frequent as kids.  He always ran so bloody fast, managing to keep like… within innnnches… barely out of reach… of that poor ol perpetually pursuing coyote.  I used to feel bad for coyote… he just never could catch that damn fleeing brat… and finally wring its scrawny little neck… and he took such a beating in due process.

Howbeit; on a serious note; the adrenal/thyroid circus is where i’d like to focus our attention on for the most part of this section, as i perceive these two clowns to be responsible for quite a bit of our emotional/behavior challenges today.  And so let’s go back and examine these adrenalin/thyroid clowns more closely.  I don’t pretend to be an expert on the subject; however, when i heard some of the crazy fixes prescribed by so called specialists attempting to balance hormones, i don’t feel so inadequate approaching the subject with a little bit of good ol fashioned common sense.

When bear met Snoozy on the hillside and the adrenalin was flowing, my guess is that the cardio-vascular system would have gotten the lion’s share of goods.  After all, this department is responsible for generating and transporting fuel and all.  It’d begin with the heart; it’d instantly fire up on all cylinders, followed by the arteries; they’d fully dilate and spasm, providing a wide opened freeway for the transport of mega glucose, oxygen and other vital nutrients to specific departments of the body…. and only to specific departments.  And so regardless of whether you’re ‘Tarzan; king of the jungle;’ a fighter/flyer… or Road runner… a runner, because he couldn’t fly; muscle power is going to be a priority on the menu; therefore, the muscles are going to get the lion’s share of fuel; that’s where the rubber meets the road.  Ugh; somehow coyote was exempt from extra fuel to his muscles; otherwise, he would have caught up to that skinny runt of a roadrunner and torn it to feathery shreds from all the years of futile wear and tear.

Hollywood apparently disagrees with me regarding the distribution of fuel; according to the movies, the reproductive system got the lion’s share of fuel… first and foremost.  They always managed to inject a surreal romantic scene right smack in the middle of a high energy blood/gore death and carnage scenario.  Take the King Kong movie for example; you’d see a pretty faced, young couple about to be totally annihilated by an over sized, outa-control gorilla, and instead of kissing their asses goodbye they’d opt to engage in an intense mouth to mouth, romantic encounter like a couple of high end vacuum cleaners.  In real life they’d have crapped their drawers and ran for their half naked lives.

The digestive and elimination systems would also be off limits for immediate attention when seriously threatened.  I mean; judging by my experience and that of others, most people just dump their baggage right then and there on the spot when super scared.  It’s as the saying goes; ‘scared %#@&-less.’  Even the brain becomes a low priority zone for fuel when it comes to the ‘fight or flight adrenal mode,’ for some strange reason; i mean, it’s like ya can’t think or reason when you’re super scared, right?  Hmm… judging by the way some people (don’t) think and act out there, they appear to be stuck in a perpetual ‘adrenal/cortisol syndrome loop’… hang on to that thought, we’ll be getting to that in just a bit.

CORTISONE: 

However; once the aforementioned glands in the brain detect safety again, signals are exchanged, at which time your adrenal glands inject a different chemical into your bloodstream; this time it’s a hormone/neurotransmitter known as, Cortisone.  Most of us have experienced the Pharmaceutical protocol of cortisone for treating painful inflammatory issues; the result of an over active immune (regulatory) response.   One function of cortisone is to turn off the Adrenalin tap, signaling the body to go to work and repair the collateral damage often resulting from the extreme measures involved in an adrenal response.  In Tarzan’s case; it’d be to heal some open flesh wounds; i mean… you don’t wrestle an alligator without some bloody collateral damage.  Meanwhile; Road Runner, i reckon would have some pretty sore leg muscles and in dire need of some serious rest.  As for coyote… he’d be requiring a little bit of fix everyyyyywhere… poor cayote.  Hmm… i’m not sure what a Cortisol restoration fix would look like for our Hollywood, King Kong vacuum cleaner lovers… the ones, who opted for the last kiss before being ripped to shreds; i suppose they’d just sigh, light up a smoke… and gaze off into the starry skies; after all; they are stars, right?

Nonetheless; sleeping and/or eating would soon appear back up on the menu… and yes… as would the sexual/reproduction department; that too should eventually return to normal as well; unless of course, there are other reasons for malfunction waiting in line… ah but that’s another subject; refer to section entitled; ‘Behaviour/Hormones/Emotions,’ for detailed information in that department.

Much of the aforementioned health issues and then some can all be rendered down to one symptom; stress.  It’s not like other generations haven’t been challenged with the likes of this silent killer… with the many wars, natural disasters and all; however, they generations were not challenged with the degree of EMF and chemical toxicity that we are now experiencing; don’t underestimate the negative health impact of that; it’s bigggg.  Howbeit; the trillion dollar question is; what changed… more importantly; how do we deal with this silent killer?  Let’s investigate.

We are made up of; mind, body and spirit.  Let’s put the body on ice for a spell… hmm… literally of course… and look at the mind/spirit department of affairs.  The fix would begin with an attitude adjustment.  Bear in mind that news/information; both good and bad, used to be quarantined to our local tribes/communities; however, now it’s worldwide.  We’re being bombarded with the social, economical, environmental and political woes of the entire planet; face it; it’s downright over whelming.  The collateral damage of this level of exposure is; FEAR, ANXIETY and DEPRESSION; all definitions of… DIS-EASE.  The word speaks for itself.

I’d suggest you begin by tucking in your ‘wings of curiosity’ and turn off the dang news.  Hmm… you might need your wings clipped on that one; it’s truly an addiction for some.  Overall, our peace/emotions have been hijacked.  Wars were once fought with guns and soldiers; now they’re being fought in the minds of man; psychological warfare.  We can blame much of that, although not all… on the mainline news media; the ‘talking heads’… presstitutes, or so i call them.  These people are prepped and loaded to deliver deceptive hype and drama, reporting one tragic event after another… regardless of whether it’s true or not.  Consequently, we’re stuck in a perpetual adrenalin syndrome loop… trapped in a fearful maze of unresolved suspicions that some life threatening danger is looming… and the threat never does disappear to enable resolve; peace and healing.

Meanwhile; we need a Spiritual adjustment; we need to recognize the fact that we have absolutely no control over any of what we are being told by these talking heads.  It’s just like the Bible stated to be experienced in the last days; actual wars and… rumours of wars. There’s really no difference between the two in your mind/Spirit; it all results in strife/stress.

My advice; plug in your Spirit… and ensure that it remains plugged in; this will be your ultimate life line.  Ya gotta choose what you’re going to believe/trust to be the truth about your existence; whether you just materialized on this planet by accident from a big bang… or were created by a higher power.  If you cannot or will not grasp the reality of creation, then i cannot help you; nobody… or nothing can; you’re on your own.  However; if you can accept the reality that you were indeed created; born for this time, then covet your precious life… respect your Spirit as being a reflection of an all good and merciful Maker.  Furthermore; seek out your gifts and abilities and be willing to share them freely with others; aim to be grateful/gracious… choose to forgive… love lots… laugh hard… and… give big.

There now; you are on the right path to success and sound health; mind and Spirit, anyway… now the physical; the body. 

LET FOOD BE THY MEDICINE;

It wasn’t too long ago that our typical, North America diet consisted predominantly of; what was erroneously labeled; ‘cholesterol elevating foods.’  Butter and animal fats especially… were once considered staples and were at the top of one’s grocery list… but then it all changed; these were deemed to be bad for your heart and were replaced with, so called; safer alternative; processed (hydrogenated) vegetable fats, most of which are extracted from corn, soy, safflower and canola, to name but a few.  Furthermore; each one of these has been genetically modified as well.  Ugh… however; we’d best not go down that deep rabbit hole or we’ll never see the light of day.  Nonetheless; the irony of it all is that cardio disease significantly escalated in coincidence with the big $witcheroo.  Cardio casualties used to be at the bottom of the dead and dying list when people were consuming so called; bad/dangerous foods and fats, but then it migrated to the top 10 causes of death afterwards… ya gotta wonder about that.

Two million Eskimos can’t be wrong; their diet consists of mainly meat, including animal fats… or at least it used to be that way; subsequently; cardio issues and diabetes, in particular were extremely rare in their neck of the woods.  Of course it all changed when the convenient food market industry infiltrated their once simple world, rendering them as vulnerable to cardio vascular degeneration and Diabetes as the modern world.  Perhaps we should be paying attention to that fact.  Commerce has no boundaries, nor does it have a heart… pun intended.

First of all; choosing quality over quantity food should be a ‘no-brainer.’  Refined foods; meaning; natural food, exposed to harmful chemicals or protocol should be an obvious ‘no-go.’  Secondly; compatibility; this is a tad more complicated but far from unachievable; you’re going to have to sooner or later learn to discern what types of food sits well with you.  I’m not talking about scrutinizing each and every morsel you put into your mouth; i personally choose not to do that; the body can handle a little abuse quite well; however, consuming too much incompatible food and/or doing so too often is a recipe for defensive immune activity; in other words; inflammation.  Some people do well on a mega fruit diet while others it downright upsets; some require major protein, while others do quite well on a predominantly grain and vegetable menu… and on it goes.

How would you know?  Pay attention to the aforementioned; inflammatory flags; stomach upset, bloating, constipation and/or diarrhea.  These are all signals that something is not right.  While, short intervals of such are no big deal; if it constantly happens when consuming specific types of food then… well… consider a diet change.  Some people religiously apply the; ‘Eat right for your blood type’ guideline to establish the ideal food program; and that’s okay… as a guideline; however, i personally don’t recommend it as an absolute.  I like to keep the gate wide open to accommodate my body’s intuitive demands.  There will be times when your body might prompt you to consume a specific food that might be normally off radar, so to speak… and for a good reason.  Nonetheless; suffice it to say; learn to read your body with food.

Compatibility regarding natural health supplements demands closer attention; the whole idea behind taking supplements is to help the body, right… i mean; why pay $$ to create more disease?  For example; i once had a bad case of pneumonia… hmm… not that there’s such thing as a good case of pneumonia; nonetheless, i was determined to beat it… naturally, of course.  By the way; there’s a big difference between, ‘determined’ and ‘stubborn’… well… at least in how i attempted to explain it to my wife.  Determined is when you refuse to stop; stubborn is when you refuse to move, regardless; suffice it to say this; i was determined.  How’s that for a bias opinion from your very own fan club… ME?  Nevertheless; the problem was not so much; my determination to deal with my plight naturally, but more so my lack of knowledge/inexperience on what natural agents to use.  I chose garlic simply because the herbal books suggested it as being; ‘the best in the west’ for microbial infections… shall i call it.  Well… that maybe so for some folks… but it was a poison for me; garlic was just contrary for my body type.  Consequently; i consumed so much of the stuff that i’m sure Vampires were warned to quarantine Ymir; the small, hamlet of a town, where i lived at the time.  I named it; ‘why me;’ just haven’t gotten around to changing the sign, yet.

In hindsight, i kind of suspected it; whenever i’d indulge in too much of the stuff, i would experience serious discomfort in my lower belly.  The problem is; i was… and still am… hard pressed to avoid it; most all cuisine cooking involves garlic… too much of the stuff in my opinion.  Suffice it to say that it was a bad ‘reach for’ for my case of pneumonia; there are many other effective agents that would have done the job as well if not better.

I’m picking on garlic in particular because it just happens to be the most prominent health agent recommended for cardio-vascular issues.  Nonetheless; it’s ok to learn and apply knowledge from books but learning to read your body is where the rubber meets the road.   How would you know for sure if a specific agent was not compatible?  Other than noting a physical reaction, as was my experience, this can be accomplished in several ways; allergy testing, (Muscle testing).  Muscle testing can be complicated; however, i’ll suggest a simple test for you to do; it may not be 100% accurate but it should prove valid if done over and over again.  Stand with your both your feet close together and place a sample of a substance to be tested up against your body.

The substance to be tested does not have to be exposed, incidentally; it can be totally sealed; your body functions on a subtle level (frequency), to our unawares.  I know; that’s a tough one for us to wrap our heads around; nonetheless, it is science… on a quantum level.  Now, note whether your body subtly rocks forward or backwards.  If you should find yourself pulling forward, then; go-fer-it; that’s an indication that your body wants/needs it at that particular time, anyway.  Conversely; rocking backwards doesn’t necessarily indicate that it’s toxic for you; it’s just not what your body requires at the time… got it?

***Refer to section entitles; ‘Alternative Practices/Techniques‘ for detailed information on Muscle Testing (Bio-kinesionics).

Let’s now switch channels and discuss food and PH balance.  I’m not going to go too deep into this subject; however, a chronic, overly acidic diet/environment has much to do with our cholesterol imbalance and heart/artery health issues.  Bear in mind that acid is corrosive… and while our body has the resources to deal with much of that; too much acid production… and/or when it goes on for too long… will be baddd news.  Such a scenario can render your body tissue; in this case; the artery lining… vulnerable to erosion.  Of course; your wonderful body cannot/will not allow that… and so it will go into serious reaction/repair mode… and that is when it reaches for the cholesterol guns.  The LDL cholesterol… the proverbial; bad type just happens to be the body’s tailor made canon ball; its emergency ‘reach for’ to prevent a breach in this area.  It’s a similar protocol as when the skin is punctured; LDL cholesterol is rushed to the crime scene to seal the perforation, resulting in a scab… and eventually a scar.  Hmm… a scar, huh… that too should be a health hazard to consider; after all, the arteries are narrow passageways; there’s not a whole lot of room for extra of… anything.

Bearing in mind what we’ve already discussed regarding food/substance compatibility; certain food groups are reputable for creating a specific PH impact in their wake.  Nevertheless; it’s not always what it seems; for example; a lemon is obviously acidic… and yet it will create an alkaline response in your body after ingested… something to bear in mind when testing your saliva with PH strips, as well… i might add.  Generally speaking, most grains (especially refined grains such as boxed cereals etc), and cooked meat in particular, will produce an acidic residue/ash, while vegetables, especially green vegetables, will result in an alkaline ash being produced.  Overall; ideally; one should aim at consuming approximately 80% alkaline and 20% acidic producing foods to keep the peace within.

And then of course we have the notorious acid inducing, cardio offenders, such as; excess sugar, alcohol, caffeine, nicotine and salt, which we already covered.

HEALTH TIPS/AIDS TO THE RESCUE:

First of all; a good rule of thumb to follow when tackling cardio-vascular health… or any health issue, for that matter, is to go slowww; gradually introduce change.  Our body is an amazing balancer and doesn’t respond favorably to surprises.  Subsequently, too much of anything… or too fast can create a wobble.  Secondly; don’t be too quick to reach for an; ‘isolated quick fix,’ meaning; don’t expect one single agent of just about anything to turn your cardio vascular dilemma around over night.  The problem didn’t just happen; more often than not, it was developing over a long period of time before you became aware of it.

The following is a list of agents, which can act as a pretty impressive team purported to positively affect cholesterol imbalance in particular.  If excessive fats accumulate within the arteries, we have a potential arterial dam in the making; Lipase is a digestive enzyme particularly effective in dissolving/unlocking fatty tissue.  This is a real smart supplement as are any and all enzymes.  Add some zinc to that and you will be seriously assisting your body’s effort to keep the peace within the arteries.  Lecithin is also fat emulsifier, meaning that it too dissolves fats… a major component of cholesterol; therefore, a candidate for our cause.  Bear in mind that most Lecithin on the market is derived from Soy; however; a Sunflower extract is also now available.  Both come in either powder, granules, liquid or soft Gel caps… and so you do have a choice.

Another agent to consider Digestive Bitters.  Digestive Bitters are a combination of specific herbs that are… well… just that… bitter.  The concept of bitters is to stimulate the liver and pancreas, in particular.  The idea is to retain the bitter solution in your mouth for a few minutes or so before swallowing; this intro stimulates/initiates a whole schwack of beneficial metabolic processes.  The liver and pancreas will be quick to respond; each will dispatch specific enzymes and bile to assist in the digestion of fats in particular.  Keeping bile on the move is important according to my research.  Bile consists mainly of cholesterol; consequently, if this stuff should lie dormant in the gall bladder for too long, then it tends to crystallize… precipitate into stones, resulting in yet another health dilemma; gallstones.

Another aid to consider is B-Vitamins, particularly; B-6, B-12, Folic Acid and B-3 (Niacin).  bear in mind that i do not endorse synthetic vitamins; however, studies do appear to support the aforementioned B-Vitamins for cardio health and so i’ll share it… and let you decide for yourself.  Red Yeast Rice (rice fermented by red yeast) is a natural alternative; it is loaded with natural occurring; B vitamins.  Niacin; the original flush formula, is apparently especially effective in cholesterol management and so it’s worth researching/considering, or so i’d say.  Bear in mind that the non-flush niacin does not produce the same results. What is meant by; ‘flush?’  Flushing is a temporary prickly feeling you get all over your body.  It’s far too complicated a subject to discuss here; suffice it to say that it is a chemical reaction by the liver.  The degree of the reaction will depend on the condition of your liver, but more so; on the dosage.  The suggested dosage is 100MG at a time, incidentally.   Regardless; don’t be afraid of it; nobody has ever been harmed by it as far as i’ve ever heard.  Besides; the flush is only a temporary episode; it dissipates within a few minutes.  My first experience was with a whopping; 500MG cap;  yup… i felt it alright… hot and prickly all over; however, i was back to feeling normal within halfish of an hour.  If you should choose to apply Niacin, i recommend you start with a low dosage (100mg) and then slowly increase it as your body becomes accustomed to it… again… slow in easy is the best way to go with any health approach.

GARE’S FIX:

I highly recommend the following supplement protocol for not just cardio health but for your entire body; Probiotics, Enzymes, Fiber, Super Greens and/or Berries.  Probiotics, along with fiber/drawing agent.  Fiber is an unsung hero in my opinion, especially true with cardio and diabetes issues.  Don’t underestimate fiber; first of all; it is really a prebiotic; food for the trillion micro-organisms (probiotics) resident all throughout our GI Tract.  Secondly; it regulates sugar; prevents sugar spikes.  Bear in mind that nature’s package; fruits and vegetables, always contains some type of fiber for this very reason… to chauffeur its sugar contents slowly into the bloodstream to avert an insulin reaction.  This is something to consider when juicing, especially if you are diabetic.  Thirdly; fiber facilitates the drawing and removal of excess hormones and cholesterol.

The following is a list of just a few fiber gems for you to consider; Psyllium Husks, Oat Bran, Rice Bran and Chia Seed.  Super Greens and/or Berries are other ‘smart buy’ supplements that will positively affect a cardio dilemma.  These not only offer superb nutrition but also; antioxidant reinforcement.  An antioxidant is the antidote for oxidation, which is deterioration/degeneration of the body’s tissues, incidentally.  Why not just eat more fruits and vegetables?  While this is always a great idea; sometimes we just need that extra boost to make a difference regarding one’s health, and the aforementioned formulas are super concentrated formats; therefore effective.  A few good examples are; Chlorella, Alfalfa, Spirulina/Blue Green Algae.  Berries add yet extra antioxidant support due to their natural, high Vit-C and bio-flavonoid properties.

***Refer to section entitled; ‘Terminology and Natural Health Jargon’ for detailed explanation on antioxidants.

Just a note regarding Vit-C; bear in mind that not all Vit-C is created equal.  There is a synthetic version of Vit-c on the market, that really shouldn’t be called Vit-C; rather it is a synthetic substance known as; ascorbic acid.  I’m not going to demonize it to be harmful or a useless health aid; however; i will flag it is a misnomer.  Ugh… i’d best shut up and say no more about that; it’s a seriously lucrative market.

Another cardio health aid to consider is; fermented substances.  These are not only a good source of natural occurring B-Vitamins, but they also help maintain a healthy lactic acid environment within the GI Tract.  Lactic acid encourages the manufacture of our very own B vitamins, incidentally.  Some other sources of natural and complete B vitamins to consider are; Nutritional yeast, black strap molasses, bee pollen, grains, nuts and seeds.

***Bear in mind that grains, beans, nuts and seeds in particular should be soaked for 12ish hours or so before consuming.  The reason for doing this is to unlock their full potential.  All seeds, nuts, grains and beans contain a built-in padlock of sorts, designed to preserve them until sufficient moisture is present for them to germinate.  Straining and rinsing simply removes the excess phytic acid residue in the water.  This acid is not necessarily harmful per-se, it’s just better to minimize it.

The following isolated gems have a reputation of positively affecting cardio health, in particular and so they are worth researching.  I believe that i tried most all of them at one time or other.  Some, i was impressed with while others, not so; however; none of them presented any serious negative health issues… certainly not life threatening.  That’s more than i can say about Pharmaceutical agents.  Nonetheless; i wish Big Pharma’s subsidized government, health watch dogs would back off from their relentless effort to thwart natural health products; we all suffer from that move.

Here’s a list of gems to consider.  Cayenne, Garlic, Ginger, Turmeric, Vit-C (Ascorbic Acid), Apple Cider Vinegar, L-Arginine and L-Citrulline.  L-Arginine and L-Citrulline produce a natural healing agent called, Nitric Oxide, which relaxes, dilates and repairs inflamed arterial walls. Beetroot powder and a product called, Neo-40 are effective agents to consider; excellent sources of Nitric Oxide.  Magnesium is reputable for cardio health in particular, most probably due to its calcium balancing and muscle relaxing characteristics.  Meanwhile, some natural blood thinning agents to consider are; White Willow Bark, Cayenne Pepper, Ginger, Ginkgo Biloba, Red Clover, Hibiscus, Lomateum, Dong Quai.  Dan Shen (Salvia Root) is reputable in Chinese medicine to dissolve blood clots.   

***Caution; avoid using the aforementioned, natural thinners if you’re using Pharmaceutical blood thinning agents… or you might end up a bloody mess… ugh!

Strauss Heart Drops has a good track record for improving a compromised cardio system… if garlic is compatible with your body type, that is.  I’ve included a budget heart cocktail recipe in this section for the budgetarians.  Hawthorn berry has a history of benefiting heart conditions.  As previously mentioned; all berries are going to be beneficial for the cause… unless they’re poisonous, of course.  Berries are a natural source of VIT-C (ascorbic acid), flavonoids and therefore; are amazing anti-oxidants.  Garlic, Apple Cider Vinegar, Cayenne, Turmeric (Curcumin), and Ginger are famous big hitters as both antioxidants and anti-inflammatories, excellent agents for restoring wounded artery walls.  The following will help balance cholesterol; Essential Fatty Acids… especially the DHA found in fish oils in particular. *** bear in mind that oils are essentially; fats… undigested fats can create an extra work load to an already challenged liver; therefore; i highly recommend digestive enzymes to assist in breaking down the fats.

Some reputable cholesterol balance agents are; Beta-Sitosterol and various other patented names of; Phyto-sterols.  Bear in mind that most all of these sterols are extracted from soy… and so if you are not compatible with soy, then best not go there.  Another cholesterol aid is; Guggulipid (sounds like something you’d encounter hiding under a rock at the bottom of the sea); however; it’s actually an extract from the bark of a tree related to the Myrrh tree… hmm… all 3 wise men couldn’t have been wrong.  Quercetin and/or MSM are also applicable to the cholesterol imbalance due to their immune influencing properties.

As mentioned; heart attacks/strokes are not only caused by arterial plaque (atherosclerosis); an endocrine system (glandular) issue could be at the helm; specifically the adrenal glands.  In this case, adrenal adaptagens could be the game changer.  The following are some of the bigger hitters in this field; Ginseng, Rhodiola, Ashwaghanda, Reishi or Shitake Mushroom and/or Schizandra, to name but a few.  Bear in mind that the thyroid gland regulates both; the heart and artery rhythm, and so we do want to ensure that it has the essential nutrients.  In this case; it’d be; iodine to the rescue.  The problem is that our environment is toxic with specific chemicals that have an affinity for the thyroid gland in particular.  Chlorine, bromine… and of course radioactive iodine, to mention but a few tend to hijack the iodine receptor sites all throughout the body.  The fix; apply one or several drawing agent such as; zeolite, bentonite clay and/or chlorella to mention but a few to assist the body in ousting these imposters so that the real McCoy can enter and do its job.

CARDIO PIPELINE MAINTENANCE: 

To recap; LDL type Cholesterol is dispatched to address arterial inflammation.  Furthermore; this substance inadvertently can attract minerals and other debris, resulting in the formation of plaque… a potential blockage of the artery.   Therefore, the goal should be to establish/maintain a flexible status of both pipelines; the artery and vein walls.  Let’s get to work on that then, shall we?

What are some of the causes of this inflammation… and how can we avert artery blockage (heart attack/strokes) and perforated vein walls (aneurism)?  The arteries are the pressurized pipes that deliver oxygen and nutrients all throughout the body and the veins are the non pressurized return lines of which the blood eventually makes its way back to the heart again.  You may have noticed the bluish tributaries located just under the skin of the inside of the arm or on the top of the hands and feet… those are veins.  The arteries are less visible as they are located much deeper below the surface of the skin… a definite advantage when you consider what happens if one of these lines was to ever be severed.

The characteristic of the artery wall is smooth muscle; therefore, the rules of muscle integrity apply.  Let’s begin with a muscle degeneration factor; vitamin/mineral deficiency.  Do you remember reading about cases of scurvy involving British sailors of old and how they’d consume limes as an antidote?  Scurvy is a condition pertaining to the deterioration of muscle-tissue integrity.  If that was the case, then foods and supplements containing a natural matrix of Vit-C would be a wise call.

Human beings are apparently the only animal that does not naturally produce its own Ascorbic Acid, a component of Vit-C; therefore, it must be imported via our food chain or supplemented.  The problem is; as aforementioned, not all Vit-C is created equal.  Let’s have a boo at what the Natural Health industry calls, VIT-C.  What is labeled as; Vit-C is really a substance known as, Ascorbic acid, a synthetic reproduction of… one component only (isolate) of the complete vitamin-C package that is common to all fruits and vegetables.

How effective this isolated synthetic format of Vit-C is compared to nature’s Vit-C package is what’s on trial here.  I don’t have my own laboratory to ascertain the differences; therefore, i must rely on those who do.  I’ve heard many personal testimonies supporting the efficacy of the synthetic version (ascorbic acid) and therefore; cannot deem it useless or harmful; however, i’ll continue to reserve my personal opinion until such time that it presents obvious health benefits.  In other words; the jury is still out on it.  Meanwhile; i’ll share my reservations/facts with you.

Let’s say that synthetic Ascorbic acid (SAA) is of benefit.  In that case the challenge is twofold; being able to deliver and absorb a large enough dosage of the stuff directly into the cells where the rubber actually meets the road… and to do so before it loses its potency.  SAA is not stable; the body can only normally utilize approximately 500 MG of it at any one time.  An excess of it tends to draw excess fluid to the colon, which makes it a great mild laxative, of course; however, what we’re really looking for here is a cardio vascular aid for inflammation.   Here’s some good news for you SAA advocates; there are a few ways to deliver a healing punch of it to the body in larger amounts.  One is by; intravenous infusion, directly into the blood stream and another by a unique process called; Liposomal, a process whereby Ascorbic acid is ultrasonically whipped up with lecithin.  The problem is that most of us can’t be bothered to do any more work than swallowing a pill; therefore, we may as well just settle for one or several natural sources of Vit-C and be done with it.

However; the other components of natures complete Vit-C package that i’d like to focus on is the Antioxidant and Bio-flavonoid agents it contains.  All fruits and berries in particular are good sources.  Antioxidants can be a complicated agent to explain; too long to do here and so; suffice it to say that antioxidants are simply agents that prevent the oxidation (deterioration) of cells… in this case, vein and artery cells.  Plants or supplements that are high in natural and balanced Vitamin-C in its complete parcel are; Limes, Lemons, Rosehips, Pine Needles, Camu Berry, Amla Berry, Gogi Berry, Cranberry, Acerola Berry, Bilberry, Hawthorn Berry, Blueberries.  Berries contain more goodies than Vit-C, Antioxidants and Bio-flavonoids; these are also an excellent source of other vitamins and mega minerals as well.  Hey… one billion bears can’t be wrong; they stock up tons of fruit and/or berries prior to several months of winter hibernation for a good reason.

Vitamin D-3 has always been a recognized co factor associated with calcium distribution; however, a recent study revealed a missing link to the mineral balance equation; Vitamin K-2.  Vit-K-2 enables the body to leach excessive mineral deposits… specifically calcium… out from where it shouldn’t be, such as; the arteries… and deliver it to where should be… into the bones.  Trials revealed that when supplementing with K-2, dental health improved, bone building was evident and arteries cleared up substantially in a very short period of time… go figure.  The problem is that; we here in North America are deficient in this new found co-factor; too much winter and not enough summer.  VIT K-2 is derived from grass fed animal sources such as beef, chickens and eggs.  Bear in mind the fact that domestic animals seldom get to graze in green pastures anymore; they are mostly grain fed.  The Natto bean is known to contain the highest level of K-2 but other than that, we just don’t get much of it in our diets.

***K-2 should not be confused with K-1, which is more related to blood coagulation.

Another potential cause for arterial inflammation is; bacterial/parasitical infestation.  If this be the case then you have to ask yourself this; how/why are they there; what came first; tissue disintegration or the parasites?  It’s much like rats being attracted to an excess of garbage; they have to eat too.  Bear in mind the fact that seldom are microbes the cause of disease; rather they the result of disease; therefore, you’d best clean up your diet first and foremost.  I’d suggest starting with excess sugar.

Howbeit; you’re in shopping mode and so i’ll list a schwack of agents to research/consider for ‘Rigid Artery Wall Syndrome.’  A formula composed of Zinc, Lipase (digestive enzyme for fats) and raw virgin olive oil makes a heck of a lot of sense to me.  Silica, such as is found in Horsetail and Bamboo, as well as sulfur, such as is found in Garlic, Onions and MSM are also known to benefit inflamed arterial walls.  Amino acids, specifically, L-Arginine and L-Citrulline, are popular agents for maintaining muscle integrity and therefore, applicable to compromised artery walls, which aforementioned; are composed of smooth muscle.  These particular amino acids release a magical agent into the blood known as; Nitric Oxide (NO).

NO has its fingers in just about every function of the body, responsible for regeneration of arteries, in particular.  Consequently; when NO levels are low, then the artery walls become like Velcro, which as previously mentioned, tends to collect all sorts of unwanted debris, rendering the arteries prone to total occlusion… ugh!  On the other hand, high levels of NO provide vascular dilation and arterial flexibility, which is as mentioned; a good thing.  The problem is; NO, like most good things, tends to diminish with age; sucks to get old.  Furthermore, there is controversy regarding the ready absorption of the amino acid, L-Arginine for older folks, as well; what a conundrum… youth is sooo wasted on the young!  Nevertheless; a safe and viable alternative would be to supplement with, Beet Root crystals… or even better; a new kid on the block; Neo-40, each of which has been purported to release NO into the blood biggg time.  Neo-40, in particular, has been reported to fire up significant NO within minutes after dissolving/absorbing a sub-lingual tablet… ya gotta like that.  I’ve heard mega positive testimonies from both young and old regarding the effectiveness of this particular health aid and so i endorse it.

Other vascular aids to consider are; Cayenne pepper, Apple cider vinegar, Magnesium.  An Indian plant called, Coleus Forskohlii, is a reputable agent for, not just cardio vascular health, but a schwack of other health issues.  It has been reported to regulate heart beat and thyroid as well as relax arteries, dissolve blood clots… and it doesn’t stop there; it’s supposedly excellent support for; Sexual dysfunction, Asthma, Eczema, Psoriasis, Insomnia, Bladder infections, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and various Allergies.  Hmm… perhaps that’s why the extra ‘i’ is on the word; Forskohli…i.

As mentioned; it’s not only your body that plays a role in cardio health, but, also; your mind… and spirit departments, as well.  Attitude, attitude… attitude… is a valuable health ally.  Anxiety, depression, anger and/or resentment are all choices that we make; however, our hand is on the controls as to whether or not they will run (ruin) the show.  I personally deem laughter as one of the best medicines on the planet.  We all experience bouts of negative experiences/emotions; however, we do get to choose whether or not we’re going to let them hang their hats and stay a while.

Aside from the aforementioned; endocrine system balancing agents, the following supplements can be added to with the physical aspect of that dilemma.  Valerian, Passion Flower, Lemon Balm, Rescue Remedy, Magnesium, L-Theanine and Red wine (not in excess) are reputable muscle and nerve relaxants.

EMERGENCY HOME REMEDIES:

The following information is not absolute fixes, and therefore should not be construed as advice in any way shape or form; rather it is my own personal experiences/convictions.  My purpose for sharing it is that it might perhaps save a life or prevent serious debilitation.  Do your own homework… and form your own conclusions regarding the following… are we good to go then?

STROKE;

There are some natural and effective remedies that are purported to avert a stroke… emphasis on the word; ‘purported.’  I say this because i have not personally experienced the success of each one of the following therapies; however, they do make a lot of sense.  As previously mentioned; artery/vein walls can either be perforated or occluded; if the cause of a stroke should happen to be the result of a perforation (aneurysm), one is going to be seriously challenged to find a natural agent and/or protocol to divert or arrest the problem.  You can liken it to a broken water line hidden within the walls of a house.  This is where Pharmaceutical health care ‘struts its stuff,’ so to speak; they have the technology to address this.  However if the cause of the stroke should happen to be the result of a blockage; blood deprivation to the brain, there are emergency strategies that can potentially save the day.

One such remedy is a mixture of caffeine and alcohol.  This is purported to instantly open up the blood passages, allowing for much needed oxygen to feed the brain.  The principal; alcohol thins the blood; can increase its flow… and caffeine acts a spark plug of sorts; stimulates/excites activity… kinda like a clown at your kid’s birthday party.  Cayenne pepper is another magical agent purported to avert a stroke.  Cayenne is also a stimulant; it incites blood flow.  It can shock the entire cardio team to immediate attention… thousands of bears and purse snatchers can’t be wrong.  The problem with ingesting cayenne is that you will initially feel like you are… dying; however, that’ll pass as soon as you’re… dead.  Seriously though; the initial shock of ingesting this raw, red and rich fuel is worth the benefits; you’ll soon be carrying on purse snatching, harassing berry pickers… and/or back to a normal breathing and heart beat sooner than later.

I haven’t personally applied this fix to a ‘cardio 911’ situation; however, i have seen its magic with other health issues.  I halted serious blood loss from a laceration to a gal’s wrist once by packing cayenne pepper directly onto the wound.  The blood quickly coagulated and sealed the wound?  Cayenne has rather intriguing characteristics; it acts as a coagulant, able to arrest the loss of blood, when applied outside of the body… but acts as a stimulant, inducing blood blow on the inside.  Nonetheless; bear in mind the principal; it may come in handy if you were in a fix.  If you’re nervous about ingesting the hot/volatile cayenne powder, then consider using it topically for a cardio fix.  For example; a cayenne poultice can be applied on the ears and/or neck to stimulate essential blood/oxygen flow to the brain.  Vigorously massaging the neck and ear lobes would be the next best thing if cayenne is off limits.  Similarly; vigorously massaging the palm of the left hand, specifically the area on the inside at the base of the big thumb can stimulate the heart in the case of cardiac arrest.  Other than that folks; get yourself to emergency care… asap.

THE BLOOD:

Supplements to build blood:

***Caution for anyone taking any blood thinning medication; many, if not all of the following supplements are blood builders, which means that they will not be compatible with your medication… better known as a contraindication.  The fact is that so many foods that you eat will do the same… build blood.  Therefore, you will have to be doing your own homework if you expect any assistance from the natural arena.

Probiotics, Enzymes, Berries and Cayenne… hey a trillion Mexicans can’t be wrong.  Varieties of greens such as; beets, wheat grass, barley green, Kelp, Spiralina, Blue Green Algae, Chlorella many of which are often found in the Green Formulas on Natural Health Store shelves.  Biostrath (product by Vogel), Blackstrap Molasses, Brewers Yeast, Apple cider vinegar, Floradix, Auxima (these are natural liquid iron and magnesium products)… all are great candidates for a daily smoothie or an addition to one’s drinking water.

Here’s a few unadvertised natural health tips that you may not have been aware of… a high systolic pressure reading (upper number) can often be immediately lowered by drinking celery juice, which is high in natural sodium.  A high diastolic pressure (lower number) can be lowered by indulging in carrot juice, which is high in potassium.  I’d bet that rabbits are low risk for strokes or heart attacks.

IN SUMMARY:

First of all; i’m sure that you don’t need another lecture on the negative effects of smoking and excess drinking or the benefits of regular exercise in regards to blood pressure/heart health.  The general rule of thumb is; ‘use it or lose it … if you don’t use a muscle then it’ll slowly disintegrate.  Remember… your heart and arteries are muscles too.  Exercise will obviously tone and strengthen the heart and arteries, as it would any muscle.  Healthy air, food and water will clean and build the blood… and of course, reducing stressors will help keep artery walls flexible.

To recap; the emphasis should be placed on restoring flexibility to the pipes (arteries) as well as addressing the inflammation of the arteries, which started the entire problem to begin with.  Therefore, i’d be reaching for some sort of fruit or berry on a daily basis for its contents of natural Vit C and bioflavonoid to strengthen the muscle-natured arterial wall.  I’d also be looking for an anti-inflammatory to address the inflammation/irritation factor.

A few big hitters to research/consider are; Ezymes, Turmeric, Cayenne, Garlic, Boswelia, White Willow and Yucca.  A fiber such as Psyllium husks, Rice bran, Oat bran or various fruit Pectins would also be indispensable due to their ability to draw excess cholesterol out of the body.

DIGITAL PULSE ANALYZER:

How would i know the condition of my arteries?  I recommend a device know as; Digital Pulse Analyzer; it is a non invasive application able to accurately analyze the complete circulatory system… and can do so in only 5 minutes.  Here’s how it works; a clip is attached to your fore finger… not your driving finger… your fore finger… the one you shouldn’t be picking your nose with… and ‘voila’ within just a few minutes, the results are printed out for you.  How does it work?  It measures the wave created by the blood ‘flow and ebb’… to… and from… the heart.  This will reveal the overall condition of the heart, the level of plaque build-up and the circulation of both; the main… and the peripheral arteries and veins throughout the entire body.

I recommend this service for two reasons.  One; it puts an end to the guessing about the overall condition of your circulatory system… and two; it reveals the before picture and provides you with a means to monitor whether or not you’re actually making progress… if you should feel the need to change anything, that is.  Needless to say, a lot of money can be spent in trying to remedy a problem in this department in particular… with little to no results.  I’ve lost several close friends due to; surprise, heart and/or stroke issues at just too young of an age… and am convinced that it could have been avoided had this wonderful device been available to detect a problem in the first place.

HIWAY OF HOPE:

The following involves two cardio cases that… well… were considered hopeless.  Hopefully it’ll inspire you to reach beyond a dead end prognosis.

Meet Jim.  I’m calling him Jim to maintain confidentiality, cause he’s still alive and well as i write this; although he shouldn’t be, according to Doctor’s… So and So.  Jim walked into the health store, where i worked one day, seeking some help for a rather serious heart prognosis.  He was approximately 60 ish years of age at the time and informed me that he had already experienced several bypass operations, and that it was suggested to him to go home and prepare to meet his Maker; they felt that they had no more to offer.

My initial response was; “Sorry, but i’d rather not get involved; if i were to suggest any natural supplement/protocol to you and you died, i’d be the one blamed.”  Nonetheless; he protested/persisted, assuring me that his family was aware that he was seeking help naturally and that if anything should happen to him, they would be OK with it.  It’s not like he had any other options… i mean; pharmaceutical health care wrote him off, right?  And so we went to work on his problem.  The long and short of it was that he was successful; Jim returned to the store off and on over a period of 15 ish years afterwards, a very grateful and vibrant survivor of cardio failure.

I’m sure you want to know what natural agents he used and all.  Well; first and foremost was the fact that Jim wanted to live… and for the right reasons, i might add.  Too often people want to live simply because they are scared to death of… hmm… death; however, Jim felt that God wasn’t through with him quite yet and so needed more time.  He was offering his services as a commercial electrician, teaching the trade to young unemployed people.  Secondly; because Jim was on a budget i assisted him in brewing up a budget version of the famous… and rather, expensive; ‘Strauss Heart Drops.’   The ingredients in his home made… er… i mean… store made… version was; Garlic, Cayenne, Hawthorn drops and Apple cider vinegar.  He also supplemented daily with, Psyllium Husks and Camu-C (a complete source of Vit-C… in its natural matrix).

I promised to share this recipe and so here it is.

BUDGET HEART-AID COCKTAIL:

Bring to a boil two or three cloves of garlic in about a halfish litre of water.  Turn off the heat and then add some ginger slices to it.  Let it sit for approx 15 mins.  Strain off the water into a cup… this will be the base of your cup of tea of which you can add several other ingredients to; 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne (start with very little as you will become accustomed to the ‘hot factor)… 15 ish drops of Hawthorn Berry or Bilberry tincture, a squeeze of lemon and some honey to taste.  Other agents, herbs such as; Habiscus, White Willow Bark and/or Mistletoe can also be added.

Bear in mind that this formula is not an absolute ‘must do’ with all ingredients listed; it can vary, depending on the user.  As mentioned; some people like me do not tolerate garlic, in which case; ginger and/or turmeric for example, would suffice.

***Caution if you are already taking pharmaceutical, blood thinners; some of these agents, especially white willow bark are natural blood thinners; we don’t want to end up a bloody mess.  You can reheat the original garlic/ginger broth for a later cup of tea or for the next day… or you can just brew up a fresh batch.  One cup a day will do wonders.  This concoction can also be used to knock a cold or flu out of the saddle as well.

I’d also recommend that one consider a daily regime of apple cider vinegar… if it’s compatible with your body type, that is.  Apple cider vinegar is a good source of vitamins and flavonoids as well as minerals specifically; potassium, which would help balance out an excess of sodium that most people are already getting these days… and don’t forget about… or underestimate; fiber!

Man with 9 lives… well… two or three lives, anyway:

As mentioned; i met people who went 100% pharmaceutical agents and protocol to treat their cardio issues… some who went 100% all natural… some who did a bit of both… and then there was one who did absolutely nothing to address his cardio issue.  Each one of them managed to beat their death sentence, significantly… go figure.

Meet Alistaire, the man who did absolutely nothing about his cardio issue and managed to live 10 more happy years after a severe heart attack.

It was around five PM on Christmas Eve and i was invaded with this sudden urge to go out to ol Alistaire’s homestead for a long overdue visit.  A normal Christmas Eve scenario in the city is unanimously described as a mad scramble to finish up a whole schwack of odds and ends in preparation of that one so-special day; my situation was no different.  Nevertheless; my priorities were divinely rearranged this particular Christmas Eve; i dropped my ‘must do’ list and headed out to the country to visit Alistaire.  Now, Alistaire was a fairly fit 70 ish year old widower and lived by himself on a rustic homestead about a twenty-minute drive from town. His day was routinely spent packin firewood and water and downright basic survival in its simplest form.  We had developed a pretty close relationship for about twenty years; he was more like a dad to me than my own dad was able to be, it seemed.

I arrived at his property just in time to help throw the last bit of a load of firewood into the back of his pick-up truck.  I mentioned that i had come out for that glass of Christmas wine that he had promised earlier that month.  It was a fairly cool evening and the crisp air seeped through my layer of long johns… only they no longer belonged to John anymore; they now belonged to me.  I’d have never put the dang things on if i’d known that they were Johns.  Nonetheless; we parked our trucks then huddled into his dimly lit abode to warm up.  After stuffing a few chunks of wood into the wood cook stove, Alistair reached up into the cupboard then poured out a couple of glasses of homemade huckleberry wine.  He then sat off to the side and began to tediously peel off layer after layer of tattered old clothing.

Alistaire’s ol shack always had a sweet aroma of alder firewood, mixed with a scent of just plain Grampa’s place… kinda like my own Gramma’s house back home.  A kettle of hot water was always sizzling away on top of the cook stove; overall, the warm and quiet room invited you to kick back and relax.  Then Alistaire commented that he felt a tad nauseous and complained of a sharp pain in his chest and then said; “I always knew this day was going to come but I didn’t think that it was going to be today.”  Immediately after saying those words, he stood to his feet and made his way into the bathroom.  I sensed that something wasn’t right but wasn’t terribly alarmed by his statement; he and i had many conversations regarding his death; i figured this to be just a continuation of the grim subject.

The plumbing in Alistaire’s old house had long been abandoned and he had reverted back to a simple pail of water whenever he needed to flush the toilet or wash up.  I heard a loud crash in the bathroom and made my way to the bathroom door to check it out.  I hollered, “Alistaire… are you okay… what’s goin on in there?”  There was no answer and so i tried to open the door but to no avail.  I suspected that Alistair was jammed up against it.  I was right; he was lying unconscious tight up against the door.  After several heavy duty pushes, i managed to squeak inside and wrangle him to his feet and eventually into bed.

The incident exhibited all of the trademarks of a heart attack… nevertheless; i remained calm.  After all, Alistaire had mentioned on numerous occasions that he just wanted to die gracefully at home and so i figured that my reason for being there was to accommodate his wishes.  Howbeit; i allowed him to choose his destiny.  “Do you want me to call for an ambulance or just keep you company,” i asked?  He asked that i call for an ambulance but requested no sirens; he was a quiet living man and never did like bells and whistles.  I made the call and respectfully sat quietly at his bedside.  I asked him if he was afraid of dying to which he replied a firm no; however, his demeanor suggested the opposite; he appeared to be apprehensive about the transition… if not fearful.

An hour ish later, a flashing red light lit up the dark country driveway.  Several attendants, laden with cumbersome medical paraphernalia soon violated the calm, dimly lit shack.  I recognized one of the attendants; he was an acquaintance of mine.  Nonetheless; they began hooking tubes and gadgetry onto Alistaire’s naked body and eventually propped an oxygen mask over his mouth.  At that point in time, the paramedic took me aside, commenting that Alistair had indeed suffered a very serious heart attack and that he surely would have died if I had not been there.  At that point in time i concluded that God had indeed moved on my heart to go out there at that particular time… to save his life.  They wheeled his tightly wrapped body on the stretcher, loaded him into the ambulance and the flashing red light faded off into the dark of the night.

I proceeded to shut down the homestead and then made my way to join him in the emergency ward of the hospital.  There, i sat patiently by his side, as he lay helplessly strapped to the stretcher amidst a busy room full of anxious people.  They finally wheeled him through a maze of halls and eventually up to the intensive care unit.  There, they hooked him up to all sorts of other gadgets and tubes.  It was now late and so i decided to return home; afterall, it was Christmas Eve… and promised to return in the morning.  It was now Christmas day and he was still very much alive; however, he was not a happy camper.  I wasn’t a bit surprised; i mean… we’re talking about a rustic, country living man here.  He always presented wearing mega layers of miss-matched, thread bare clothing and his day was spent, meandering around a rundown homestead with a toboggan loaded with firewood and/or several 5 gallon pails of water in tow.  I was now looking at tall and extremely lean, bald and wrinkled old man, clad in a thin smock, and attached to a schwack of wires and tubes.  Nonetheless; he made his choice and now had to deal with it.

Regular hospital visits became a daily scheduled event over the next several days.  However; one day… it all changed… Alistaire commented that he wanted to go back home… and wanted to do it… like… right now!  He commented that they were thinning his blood too much and that it would be the death of him if he remained in their care.  I downplayed his observation as being presumptuous and without substance… but then i noticed a small trickle of fresh blood leaking from a scab on the top of his bald head… the result of his fall, I presumed.  “Okay, so perhaps his blood was a little thinner now… but that didn’t justify a quick getaway,” I thought.  Nonetheless; Alistaire was determined to leave and so i called for a nurse.  The nurse informed him that he couldn’t just walk outa there, to which he replied, “You watch me!”  Ugh… this was beginning to get downright ugly.  A doctor soon came to the scene, reinforcing the nurse’s statement, to which Alistair again replied, “You watch me!”  Okay… so now what was i supposed to do?  Yet another doctor returned a short time later, this time; with a consent form for Alistaire to sign, releasing the medical establishment of any responsibility for his quick exit from their care.

The shootout lasted about an hour, after which time i was driving him back home to the wild frontier in the dead of winter… and winter it was too for the temperature had since plummeted down to a very cold -25C.  I fired up his wood cook stove, refilled his water jugs and somewhat settled him back into his routine of a shack, the entire time wondering if this was the right thing to be doing.  Once he was settled in bed, i bid him good night and made my way back to town.  I returned the next morning, apprehensive about what i would find.  Was i going to find a frozen body or a chipper Alistaire.  Wouldn’t you know it; to my surprise, he was back… clad in his 20 layers of tattered winter garments, topped with a bright red toque, ready to haul his firewood for the day.

I continued to check up on him on a fairly regular basis; days turned into weeks and months into years… to the tune of 6 years after that 911 call… go figure.  That ol battle axe remained strong and able, regardless of the serious heart attack.  Furthermore; he uses absolutely no medication for his condition.  In many ways; he appeared to be in better health than i was.  He did however; berate me on a regular basis for reviving him that evening.  His feelings were that he had successfully managed to painfully die that day… and then i came along and rudely yanked him out of the transition; he’d now have to go through it all over again.  I begged to differ of course… commenting that God interrupted Christmas with my family to drive all of the way out there that night to save his life; it was obviously not his time to die.

However; Alistaire did die again… 10 years later… of another heart attack.  It involved yet another ambulance ride to the hospital… intensive care unit… and the whole nine yards; only this time he remained unconscious.  They were just about to pack him out for a medic alert flight to Vancouver when i busted in with a ‘no-resuscitation’ letter.  We went to work on that after his first rub with death; however, he again opted to fearfully run from death.  To make a long story short; it was a repeat performance; he woke up in intensive care, attached to a mish mash of wires and tubes… and once again demanded his walking papers.  It was the epitome of determination… selfish determination.

I drove him home, settled him in and proceeded to give him supreme %$%# for calling an ambulance and wasting the caring efforts of the medical team… fear is indeed a powerful motivator.  However; this time it was different, he could no longer manage, at which time i packed him up and brought him to my home; to the River Log Chalet… the closest place to heaven on earth… or so i figured, anyway.  Alistaire remained with us for about a month, at which time it was back to the hospital again and… well… you don’t need to know the rest of the story… he eventually died for good that time.

Moral of the story: It has been appointed for man to once die (bible quote, Heb 9:27)… hmm… apparently… except for Alistaire???

Nevertheless; until that day; live life to its fullest… for tomorrow may not come.