On September 10th, 2018 I had a Carotid Intima Media Thickness Test (CIMT) performed. The purpose of the test is to determine the degree of plaque accumulation and stenosis occurring in the arteries leading to the brain.
This test is sometimes used as a screening tool by doctors to identify people who may be at risk of stroke or heart disease. The device uses ultrasound to get an image of the carotid arteries.
I decided to do the test hoping that it might be used as a proxy measure for the current plaque accumulation in my coronary arteries.
The image at the top of this post is the actual report given to me. The results were surprising to the ultrasound technician who said that men my age usually have some degree of plaque accumulation in their carotid arteries. However in my case, as you can see, it was reported that plaque was 'absent' in both the left and right carotid arteries.
Due to a lack of space I cannot provide the actual ultrasound images and the graph that shows plaque accumulation on a sliding scale based on age.
However, I can tell you that the Intima Media Thickness in my case is below the 25th percentile and is the equivalent of a 25-30 year old.
Obviously I was thrilled to hear this as I follow a very strict dietary and exercise regimen.
What I haven't yet determined is whether or not this implies that my coronary arteries have experienced some plaque regression over the last couple of years. In other words, has the plaque accumulation that resulted in my bypass surgery been slowly shrinking?
I sent a copy of the test result to my cardiologist today and hope that he can answer that question. I have yet to find a study that can definitively draw that conclusion although I have found some that say plaque accumulation in the carotid arteries implies the same for the coronary arteries.
In any case - my strategy of following, primarily, a plant-based diet with daily exercise along with supplements but NO pharmaceutical drugs has in the very least provided me with healthy and young carotid arteries.
I hope this offers some motivation to those that are resigned to using statins. Cholesterol and therefore cardiovascular health management is possible, and preferable, through dietary and lifestyle modification, without drugs.
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sos007
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Thank you, very interesting. In UK I had this done by a private health scan group. There were no explanation given like you, but the report had colour light signal answer, red, amber or green!.
Would it be possible for you to send the images via message?
Well done, really good result, shows all your hard work was with it. I saw a cardiologist last week as I have been having some discomfort in my stomach. He does not think it is a heart problem but am to have a stress test next Saturday. When I mentioned my diet and Dr Esselstyn he gave a wry smile but agreed that my blood works report was good and the fact that I go on the treadmill and cross trainer at the gym three times a week. Because of not having reflux through following a WFBPNO diet I had virtually stopped taking a Proton Pump Inhibitor but my Dr says that acid can still come up into the stomach via my hiatus hernia. Am to have an ultra sound and my third endoscopy. Maybe coming off the med was not a good idea.
If you are in the process of losing weight, your stomach acid issued will likely resolve on their own. I had a similar problem when I was heavier and it went away after I lost weight.
You may have some food sensitivities that might trigger your issues along with lying down too soon after eating. Certain foods like tomatoes and citrus fruits have a lot of acid. Smoking is also a cause.
Here's a link to a website that provides some additional information on causes of the hiatal hernia:
In my case, I was at the point where I couldn't swallow my food. Remarkably, it resolved on its own with my dietary and lifestyle modification. In your case, it just may take some time for your body to heal itself.
I managed to get off the PPI by getting my doctor to prescribe Ranitidine I take 1 150mg per day but can take two if needed. I have an hiatus hernia and barrats oesoephagus.
PPI's may inhibit L-Arginine I think which is required by the heart, Ranitidine was known as Zantac before GSK patent ran out, I don't know of a side effect such as the one that occurs in some cases [according to my GP] which can affect the heart.
That's good news! Are you still on the vitamin C & lysine combination? I saw my cardiologist today and had asked about plaque reduction and his response was that no studies showed plaques can be reduced albeit he said a statin and aspirin combination can stabilise plaques in most people (I had mentioned Linus Paulings vit C/lysine combination to him before this response) My thoughts are is that it's worth me keeping taking them as I recall one of Paulings assistants had shown a plaque reduction from a vitamin combination but that no one else had taken up his offer to test the results?
Yes, I'm still on the Pauling Therapy. I'm on it to see if I can lower my Lp(a) into the optimal range. As whether or not it achieves plaque regression - I hope it does but I haven't found any mainstream medical studies that have put that to the test. Many naturopathic doctors believes it may help. I personally believe a plant-based, whole-foods diet, is required in addition to the Pauling Therapy to get optimal results.
Hi SOS. The plaque regression claim was on a post you put on about 10 months ago entitled Breakthrough in Cardiovascular Disease - Cause and Cure Explained by Dr. Rath. I remember reading this about how the doctor had made the data from his model available to enable other scientists to replicate the experiment. I've not looked into whether or not anyone took up Dr Raths offer?
I've just looked up the credentials of Dr Rath and can now understand why no one would take up his offer after what he got up to in South Africa.
Thank for your post, I did look up on Dr Rath's. The story goes back to 2008 and 2009. Government action on clinical trial.!!!
At the end of the day our body let us know as per design if there are any problems with our health. We have to take the necessary action, anything can happen to any one in good health or bad health.
Personally I think taking 250mg of vitamin C daily is worth a try for me but at the end of the day everyone is responsible for what they do for their own health. Dr Raths explanation on heart disease seemed very plausible to me but after reading today that he was banned in South Africa for illegal research practices makes you question everything he says.
so 007 I saw your post on the carotids.This was of a interest to me as 20 plus years ago I had mine tested and they came back with miniscule plaque in both. I thought this very good news as my GP said arteries so clear is a indication that the arteries supplying the heart are usually clear . Fast forward May 2015 cabg X 3, 95 % blocked lad and 75 % on the other two . Sometime after the operation I got to thinking about how my carotids were travelling and had them checked the results were not a great deal of increase in 20 years both arteries had a accumulation of less than 15%. compared with my calcium scores of heart arteries which increased before my bypass from 383 to almost 900 in a decade. Not sure why I would be so
blocked in them and relatively clear in carotid . Having said all that I believe my plant based diet and life style changes are doing me a world of good ,in fact having ditched the statins has given me a great deal of peace of mind . Thank you sos007 for your most informative posts , which I have incorporated into my regime. Just afoot note here about statins . It is repeatedly stated here and elsewhere that you can only reduce your cholesterol marginally as your liver makes the bulk. I have reduced mine from 6.5 to 4.0 without a statin ,HDL 1.2 LDL 2.4 tri1.3. If my calculation Is right I have reduced it by 37% . Thanks to Vit C proline lysine and a good portion of plant based diet.
Congratulations on your success Johnally. I don't support the view that you need statins to reduce cholesterol. My own experience with dietary and lifestyle modification along with vitamin supplementation has proven to me that statins are unnecessary.
I also have found from my reading that the traditional lipid profile of Total cholesterol, non-HDL-C, HDL-C, LDL-C and triglycerides, alone, have limited value in the risk-assessment for CVD. LDL-P (particle number), is considered a more accurate risk stratification metric. That, along with the number of small-dense particles and the size of the LDL particles provides a more comprehensive risk profile.
However, changing the entrenched process of front-line doctors as well as incorporating the NMR Lipoprofile test which is required to identify the LDL-P values, would be time-consuming and expensive, so it is unlikely in countries with a one-payer system such as in the U.K. and Canada, that mainstream medicine will adopt such changes.
I maintain that we all need to take personal responsibility for our own health and the medical system is there only for support.
From what I have read, you cannot infer the level of plaque in your coronary arteries from a carotid artery scan. However, in the very least, I know my risk of stroke is diminished. I'm also hoping that it might indicate 'reduced' plaque in the coronary arteries.
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