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Cardiovascular Disease (CVD)

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a general term to describe dysfunction of the blood vessels in various parts of the body that lead to organ dysfunction. The heart, brain, kidneys, and extremities can all be affected by cardiovascular disease and cause major morbidity and mortality in the U.S. The strongest driving force behind the increase in CVD rates over the last century is the Standard American Diet coupled with a sedentary lifestyle. With dietary excellence CVD is entirely preventable.

An estimated 83.6 million Americans have some form of CVD (1 out of every 3 Americans). This is projected to increase to 43.9% in 2030. CVD accounted for 31.9% of deaths in the U.S. in 2010. More than 2150 Americans die each day of CVD with a death occurring every 40 seconds.¹ These sobering statistics show the dangerous effect of eating a low nutrient, high caloric diet that consists primarily of processed foods and animal products.

Cardiovascular disease can manifest in various ways. When arteries are damaged and blocked in the heart, patients develop coronary artery disease that can result in chest pain and shortness of breath. When affecting the brain, patients can develop dementia with aging as well as suffer from a stroke, leading to a potential loss of speech, weakness of the body or complete paralysis.

In the kidneys, CVD can cause elevated blood pressure, renal insufficiency, and eventually renal failure leading to the need for dialysis. Peripheral vascular disease affects the extremities and causes tingling, numbness or pain. In men, vascular disease of the penis can result in erectile dysfunction.

CVD is ultimately caused by oxidative stress and inflammation that leads to damaged arteries. With an intake of low nutrient, pro-inflammatory foods high in saturated and trans fat, as well as refined carbohydrates, cholesterol plaques begin to line the inner endothelial layer of the arteries. Other elements of excessive animal product intake also contribute, such as the iron and carnitine in meat and too much animal protein in general. These growing plaques can block the arteries and even rupture and promote a clot, causing rapid occlusion of the vessels.

The same disease-promoting diet most Americans consume results in high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, insulin resistance, and obesity, all of which further contribute to an inflammatory environment that promotes atherosclerosis. Tobacco use, stress, sedentary lifestyle, poor sleep quality, and certain medications also increase risk of CVD. A Nutritarian diet, exercise, and tobacco cessation can remove plaque and reverse or eliminate the risk of CVD, as it has done in thousands of those following a Nutritarian diet worldwide.

Go AS, Mozaffarian D, Roger VL, et al. Heart disease and stroke statistics–2014 update: a report from the American Heart Association. Circulation 2014, 129:e28-e292.