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Integrative Cardiology

Integrative Cardiology: A Unique, Naturopathic Approach to Managing Your Heart Health

Conventional medicine consistently falls short in effectively addressing cardiovascular health in both men and women worldwide. While an abundance of technologies and drug therapies are available, these are often not supplemented by lifestyle changes that truly impact heart health. Under the care of Dr. Stevens at NOR CAL Natural Medicine, you can finally begin to approach your cardiovascular health with a holistic framework. Your heart health may be impacted by many other aspects of your health, which are not commonly addressed through conventional medicine. For example, nutritional deficiencies (often induced by medications), environmental toxicities and experiencing ongoing mental stress can elevate your cardiovascular risks. Dr. Stevens will work closely with you to understand the underlying causes behind cardiovascular symptoms that you’re presenting, so that you can take lasting steps toward optimal health and wellness.

Who should consider integrative cardiology services at NOR CAL Natural Medicine?

If you have ever experienced symptoms like chest pain, palpitations, and arrhythmia, shortness of breath with activity, your heart is telling you that something is out of balance. If you have been told you have high blood pressure or elevated cholesterol, your heart, brain and blood vessels are at risk. However, visiting a cardiologist will put the focus of your treatment solely on these presenting symptoms, not the root causes behind them. Dr. Stevens has focused on intensive cardiac care throughout her career, was the Founder and Medical Director of the Naturopathic Heart Institute in Tucson and served as a board member for the American Heart Association. With this background, she not only focuses on the treatment of cardiovascular disease, but also prevention and reversal.

Consider the following areas for evaluation:

Reversing Heart Disease

Underlying risks for heart disease, such as elevated blood pressure and high cholesterol, cannot be reversed by medication alone. While prescription therapies may improve the numbers on your chart, they do not address the underlying causes for these risk factors. Preventing and reversing heart disease requires an integrative approach that assesses and manages blood vessel health, inflammation, digestive health, hormonal imbalances, mental health, and body toxicity.

Inflammation Profile

High cholesterol is not the underlying cause of heart disease as we are led to believe. The truth is systemic inflammation resulting in injury to the arterial endothelium is the major contributing factor. Identifying and reducing inflammation is essential. With the specialized testing available at NOR CAL Natural Medicine, you can better understand your inflammation risk and take the appropriate steps to manage it. 

Health/Risk Profile

Addressing the whole person – mind, body, and spirit – is the only way to fully evaluate one’s health/risk profile. Looking beyond blood pressure, cholesterol, and body weight is important. Going one step further and evaluating for unspoken contributing factors of disease, such as: chronic stress, sleep difficulties, lack of support systems, and mental health factors, is equally important. Achieving internal and external balance is the goal.

Nutritional Evaluation

Nutrition is the foundation for overall health. Unfortunately, our Standard American Diet (SAD), which is laden with excessive amounts of salt, sugar, fat, dairy, and animal protein, directly contributes to increased inflammation, toxicity, and development of chronic disease. Dr. Stevens firmly believes in the use of food as medicine and encourages a healthy, mostly plant-based diet to reduce inflammation and provide the body with the nutrition it needs to thrive.

Drug/Supplement Evaluation

Medications often deplete vital nutrients from the body over time. For example, Beta Blockers such as Atenolol may lower levels of B12, CoQ10 and Melatonin, leading to fatigue and sleeping difficulty. Statin medications for cholesterol (Lipitor, Crestor) may lower levels of CoQ10 and vitamin D, leading to fatigue and increased heart attack risk. Proton pump inhibitors (Prilosec, Prevacid, Nexium, Dexilent) significantly disrupts intestinal pH leading diminished absorption of many key nutrients, magnesium in particular. Our goal is to educate our patients on drug induced nutrition deficiencies and reduce dependence on conventional medications by addressing the root causes of heart disease, so the body is able to maintain health naturally.

Heavy Metal Toxicity

Heavy metal toxicity (lead, mercury, cadmium, aluminum and more) is most often due to chronic exposure and may target the endocrine, nervous, cardiovascular, or immune systems. Detection and removal of heavy metals has been shown to reverse disease. Individualized treatments are designed based upon your specific needs.

Understanding Cardiovascular Warning Signs

Chest Pain

Angina is a warning sign that indicates the heart muscle is being deprived of blood flow and oxygen. Causes may include artery occlusion (plaque or clot), vasospasm, or arrhythmias. Not all chest pain is heart pain, however. Conditions that may mimic angina include digestive issues (heartburn or indigestion), stress (anxiety), respiratory illness (pneumonia, pulmonary embolism), and anemia.

Palpitations/Arrhythmias

Sensations of a pounding heart, racing heart, or skipped beats are concerning and require medical evaluation. Arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation or sustained tachycardia (fast heart rate) may be dangerous and may require medical intervention. Causes may vary from nutrient deficiencies, chronic stress, toxicities (caffeine), hormone imbalance (perimenopause), vascular spasm, ischemia (low oxygen), or plaque occlusions.

Cholesterol

Cholesterol, a fat-like substance naturally produced by the body, is essential for health. It is the precursor to our hormones and vitamin D production. It is protective to cell membranes and nerve tissue. Elevated levels, particularly LDL, may become oxidized due to underlying inflammation leading to endothelial dysfunction and plaque formation. Inflammation is the underlying cause of heart disease, not cholesterol as we are led to believe.

Blood Pressure

Elevated blood pressure is not a disease; it is a symptom of an underlying, deeper issue in the body. Potential causes may include elevated blood sugars, nutrient deficiencies, chronic stress, toxicities (caffeine, heavy metals), and other medical conditions (endothelial dysfunction, kidney disease). Determining and treating the underlying cause is the most effective way to manage elevated blood pressure.

Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is an independent risk factor for heart disease that directly impairs endothelial function. Unfortunately, it is an under recognized and under diagnosed medical condition. Symptoms may include loud snoring or snorting during sleep, restless sleep, awakening with headaches, excessive daytime sleepiness and weight gain. The risk for obstructive sleep apnea increases with obesity, active smoking, and advanced age. People with diabetes or pre-diabetes have up to three times the risk of developing sleep apnea.

Weight Management

Weight loss is well-recognized as a strategy for reducing cardiac health risks. However, there are both healthy and unhealthy approaches to losing weight. Identifying the underlying cause for weight gain is the key. Our approach is naturally effective because it blends hormone balancing with nutritional and targeted supplementation along with diet, exercise, and lifestyle modifications. We personalize a program specific to your body’s needs.

Exercise

Above all, consistent and regular exercise (ideally 30 minutes/day, 5 days/week) is the single most important aspect to maintaining overall cardiovascular health. Exercise supports healthy digestion, normal blood pressure, healthy cholesterol, balanced blood sugar, improved mood, restful sleep, and a general sense of well-being. In addition, exercise improves endothelial cell function and aids in the development of collateral circulation to enhance the heart’s own blood supply.

Chronic Stress

Chronic stress triggers many sources of damage to the cardiovascular system. Elevated stress hormones raise blood pressure, raise cholesterol, thicken blood, stimulate inflammation, and directly impair endothelial function. Chronic stress is a silent killer, and no medication or supplement can prevent it. Identifying and managing stress is the key. Dr. Stevens can help you implement effective stress management techniques to take control of your health.

Memory & Brain Health

As people move through the aging process, one of the most common fears is a decline in brain and memory function. Factors such as stress levels, hormone balance, blood sugar regulation, blood vessel health, nutrient levels, toxicity levels, inflammatory levels, and oxidative stress all play a role in brain health. We evaluate each of these factors and assist you in developing an overall plan to protect, maintain, and restore your brain and memory function.

Dr. June

Naturopathic Doctor

Dr. June Stevens is the Founder and Medical Director of NOR CAL Natural Medicine. She is proud to have served as a Critical Care Nurse in the U.S. Navy, retiring after 23 years of service as a Commander. As an independent provider, she has spent many years focused on cardiology and women’s health. Dr. Stevens is a firm believer in patient empowerment and education, and she frequently delivers public lectures as an authority in naturopathic and integrative medicine.

Experience an elevated level of care with
NOR CAL Natural Medicine.

Our office is currently accepting new patients. Please email us or call (530) 691-4115 to schedule your initial consultation. Phone appointments are available for local and out-of-state patients.

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