Did you know that nutrition is hugely important in the treatment of cardiovascular disease?

Did you know that cardiovascular disease is one of the most common causes of death in the Netherlands? A very worrisome development, especially when you consider that a lot of misery could have been avoided with certain modifications. And since we all want to stay healthy and vital for as long as possible, it is important to know these adjustments.

True assassins

Cardiovascular diseases are true assassins. The omens, high blood pressure or excessive cholesterol, are too often overlooked or underestimated. Often we think it will be no big deal. With taking the right medication, we soon think we have the problems under control. Yet figures show that unfortunately this is often not the case and the harbingers are followed by nasty diseases or attacks.

Cardiovascular diseases

You usually don’t notice much of high blood pressure. Therein lies a great danger. Because while you are not aware of anything, your vessels are constantly under a high pressure. Inflammation and high pressure can cause damage to the walls of your blood vessels, eyes and kidneys. Excessive cholesterol is your body’s response to try to repair the vessel walls, say a kind of tire patch. When cholesterol, combined with calcium, deposits on the vessel walls, it causes calcification. This allows the vessels to slowly clog up. And as the vessels become increasingly narrow, blood pressure rises.

Treatment of diseases

Cardiovascular diseases are mostly treated with drugs. But with the right diet and lifestyle, you can gain much more. Frank Jonkers, specialist at BodySwitch Heemskerk says: “Of course, sometimes, in acute cases, it may be necessary to use medication. But often people forget to look at nutrition, lifestyle and targeted nutritional supplementation. A shame, because no complaint, symptom or disease came about by itself. There is a good chance the cause is in what you eat or have eaten. Not just short-term, but often long-term.

Nutrition under the microscope

Good nutrition, which today includes dietary supplements, enables the body to maintain a healthy physical and mental balance, and is the basis for good health. If you have indications that your blood vessels are clogging or that you have high blood pressure, it is important to take a close look at your diet and lifestyle. Frank: “You can’t solve problems caused by this with a pill. You can make an attempt, but the problems keep piling up because then the cause still hasn’t been addressed. And I speak from experience.’ The amount of saturated fats and refined carbohydrates in our diet has increased dramatically in recent decades. In addition, processed products contain fewer vitamins and minerals. These deficiencies and increased carbohydrate intake and hydrogenated and trans fat intake can disrupt normal body processes and cause nasty conditions such as cardiovascular disease.

Positive influence

To get an idea of what foods now have a positive impact on the functioning of our bodies, seek advice from Frank. Frank is a specialist in this field and has helped many hundreds of people this way. In doing so, it is not a pipe dream to get off medication completely. Frank: “I am happy to help you with concrete advice when you want to learn to live healthier. For example, I teach you to cook as fresh as possible, indicate which foods are good for your heart and together we discover what your body benefits from. Because by taking good care of your body, there are so many health benefits to be had. But you can often use quite a bit of help with that!

Nutrition is one, nutritional supplementation a must

Nutrition is one, but targeted nutritional supplementation is also a must to keep the heart, vessels and body in good condition. Today, nutritional supplementation is a must. These include, for example, Vitamin B12, C, D, E, many phyto-nutrients and other important substances that are not, or not sufficiently, present in the diet today. When you lack these substances, the body gets stuck and exhibits symptoms. Frank is a specialist in orthomolecular medicine and phyto-therapy. His view: ‘The body is not sick from a lack of drugs, but from a lack of important nutrients and accumulation of toxins.’

Good foods

Foods that are positive for the heart and vessels include:
– Mediterranean diet such as:
– oily fish
– flaxseed oil, olive oil (through salad, don’t heat!)
– coconut oil (for frying)
– good fats such as olive oil
– fresh produce
– unroasted nuts and seeds
– dietary supplements

Avoid

There are also foods that are best avoided if you are at risk for cardiovascular disease. These include:
– alcohol
– dairy
– trans fats and hydrogenated fats
– (too much) salt
– sugar
– bread and gluten
– margarine
– No food, but avoid: smoking!

About BodySwitch

From my BodySwitch practice in Heemskerk I, Frank Jonkers, like to help you feel better in your body and head. I know myself what it is. At one time I weighed 135 pounds and had incipient diabetes and cardiovascular disease, which is a common complication of this. Now I am core healthy – which, by the way, is also the title of my book explaining what it takes to live healthier. Also, based on your problem and desire, I can tailor a step-by-step plan and give advice on what will benefit you and your body. That roadmap consists of the nutrition that works best for you and targeted nutritional supplementation to get the body’s processes back on track. In this way, you can slowly feel more energetic and fit again, health problems can gradually subside, and medication can often be reduced or stopped by mutual agreement and in a responsible manner. See you in my practice? I wish you very good health!

Frank Jonkers

BodySwitch Heemskerk
0251 – 234 000