- in guest/interview , health by allan
Cardiovascular health with Dr. Jay N Cohn
Dr. Jay Cohn is an accomplished cardiologist and the director of the Rasmussen Center for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention. He is also the author of a new book entitled Cardiovascular Health: How Conventional Wisdom is Failing Us.
Dr. Cohn explains that more than half of American adults will die from a cardiovascular morbid event, yet we have the ability to detect and prevent cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular disease is developed over our entire lives. Every organ is dependent on the blood supply that is delivered by the pumping of the heart into the arteries. As we age, the function and flexibility of the arteries diminishes, which may also be impacted by one’s genetics in addition to environmental factors.
The role of the endothelium is discussed, as this constitutes the inner lining of arteries and affects all arteries and capillaries in the body. This lining secretes nitric oxide which protects the inner lining of the artery from clotting, heart attacks, strokes, and cholesterol blockages. The release of nitric oxide can be greatly impaired by smoking or inflammatory diseases. If you have a known endothelial dysfunction, you should change your lifestyle and consider drug therapy to protect the endothelium.
Dr. Cohn discusses several basic dietary rules for cardiovascular health in the book. However, he points out that eating habits are less important than how much you eat and that it is more important to avoid obesity. Cholesterol has traditionally been considered as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, yet there has been recent concern over taking statin drugs. New drugs are effective in lowering cholesterol level, but their effectiveness in preventing morbid events is not yet proven.
To connect with Dr. Jay Cohn or to learn more about Cardiovascular Health: How Conventional Wisdom is Failing Us, visit http://www.cardiovasculardiseaseprevention.org.
