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In Mitral valve prolapse the flaps don't close evenly.
One or both flaps go backwards, allowing a small amount of blood to
leak through the valve. In a normal valve the flow of blood goes from
the left atrium to the left ventricle. Upon closing it prevents blood
from going back into the left atrium. Mitral valve prolapse is a
genetic disorder and affects women 3 times more often than men. It is
one of the most common cardiac findings. Diagnosis maybe confirmed by
an echocardiogram, which provides an actual picture of the valve.
Infection of the mitral valve, endocarditis, is extremely rare.
However, people with MVP have a slightly greater risk of contracting
it. For this reason we suggest antibiotic prophylaxis for certain
dental and surgical procedures (ask your doctor). People with MVPS
have a higher incidence of: Altitude sickness, Endometriosis,
Fibromyalgia, Fibrocystic
breast disorder, Infertility, PMS Premenstrual
syndrome, Scoliosis, Seasickness, Tinnitus,
and TMJ symdrome "temporomandibular
joint dysfunction".
|
Nutrient /
Supplement |
Importance
( 1 - 10 ) |
Helpful notes |
| Coenzyme Q10 |
10 |
increases oxygenation to the heart and has
been shown to help with MVP in both children and adults. |
| Carnitine |
10 |
helps in the
transporting of long chain fatty acids which
aides in prevention of heart disease, high blood
pressure, and other cardiovascular disease. Often is combined with a
omega
fatty acid and flax seed supplements. |
| Multi-vitamin
and mineral |
9 |
vitamin B complex, inositol,
selenium, zinc, vitamin A, vitamin E all serve to
help lower blood pressure and reduce its effects. |
| Magnesium |
9 |
this mineral is helpful to the
heart and people with MVP |
| Calcium |
9 |
important for proper functioning of the
cardiac (heart) muscle and works with the mineral
magnesium. |
| Omega
fatty acids |
9 |
important for
reducing blood pressure and also increasing blood
circulation as well as preventative aid on
general heart health. Fatty acids are found in
omega fatty acids from fish, and from plants in flax seed and borage seed. |
| Hawthorn |
9 |
herb that helps both
the heart and
cardiovascular system |
| Guggul |
9 |
herb from India that lowers cholesterol levels and
protects against the development of hardening of the arteries
and related heart problems. |
| Fo-Ti |
8 |
aids with all forms of
cardiovascular disease |
| Lecithin |
8 |
acts as a fat emulsifier |
| vitamin C |
8 |
vitamin C helps high blood pressure,
hypertension, heart, and cardio-vascular problems
by improving adrenal function. |
| vitamin
E |
8 |
strengthens the immune system and
heart muscle, improves circulation, and destroys free radicals |
| Dandelion |
8 |
herb that can be helpful for many
cardiovascular disorders |
| Potassium |
7 |
needed for electrolyte balance in
the body |
| Selenium |
7 |
low intake of this mineral has been linked to
heart disease and cardiovascular problems. |
| Garlic |
7 |
garlic has been
shown to help lower high blood pressure and help
with other forms of cardiovascular disease. |
| Zinc |
7 |
mineral is a good
antioxidant that aids in immune function |
Over 40%percent of patients with mitral valve
prolapse also have an imbalance of the autonomic nervous
system known as dysautonomia. The ANS is composed of two
systems; the parasympathetic and the sympathetic. It controls
virtually all body functions, such as respiration, heartbeat,
blood pressure, vision, and digestion. When your system is out
of balance it can cause a many different symptoms including: Anxiety,
Fatigue, Migraine headaches, Irritable
bowel syndrome, Panic attacks, and others. This
combination of symptoms is known as MVP Syndrome. Diagnosis is
made by physical examination, a careful medical history, and
an echocardiogram. Unfortunately, MVP does not always show up
on an echocardiogram. Thus MVPS is a clinical diagnosis.
Usually symptoms do not show up before the age of 14 or 15,
but more and more children display central nervous system
symptoms before the MVP shows up. Up to 98% of
people with MVP Syndrome have nothing major wrong with their
heart, however need to eat properly and take nutritional
supplementation as needed to stay in good health and prevent
cardio health problems. The majority of the symptoms are caused by an out of balance
nervous system. Triggering events that are common include:
childbirth, major viral illness, menopause,
accident, surgery, moving, college or leaving home, stress,
death of a loved one, marriage, divorce. A person's nervous
system is affected by bad or good or stress.
Some interesting facts: MVP affects about 15
to 25% of the people. 40% of these people have dysautonomia
(MVP Syndrome). 70% percent of patients have depression.
Only 2%of MVP patients have actual structural problems. At
least 40 to 60 % of MVPS patients suffer from panic attacks.
MVPS patients often have low energy levels or chronic
fatigue syndrome. 40 - 50% of echocardiograms do not
detect MVP.
Other Changes To Make
-
drink 6-8 glasses of steam distilled or
filtered water a day
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eat 50% raw fruits and vegetables (organic is best)
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nuts, seeds, and whole grains are good
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juice is good (make your
own with a juice machine)
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do not worry as much about calories as eating the right foods
-
carrot and celery sticks are good to use as a snack
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a colon cleansing can be very helpful - (do several times each year)
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do not drink coffee, alcohol, soda pop, other junk food drinks
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do not eat processed foods white sugar, white flour, etc...
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use stress relief like going for walks in the park
(or the 10/90 rule - see
Stress)
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brown rice is good to eat
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avoid red meat and animal fats
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reduce dairy products cheese, milk, and others
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fast a few days a month
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get at least 8 hours of sleep
-
exercise light to moderate amounts
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avoid artificial sweeteners like Aspartame and NutraSweet
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do not smoke and avoid second hand smoke
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do not skip meals - just eat better and not as much at each meal
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do not chew gum - it can cause you to feel hungry
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do not watch too much TV try reading a book or something else
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