Preventing Cardiovascular disease with Naturopathic medicine

2013-07-24 10:53:44

Although for some individuals genetic predisposition increases their risk of cardiovascular disease, for most diet and lifestyle choices are the main contributors. Dietary counseling and lifestyle modification should be the first line prescription for those with cardiovascular disease, however effective nutritional counseling is rarely provided. For Naturopathic doctors this is the first thing that is addressed, with nutritional supplementation often prescribed in addition to this staple. A recent study by researchers at the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine measured the efficacy of Naturopathic care in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease. 246 postal workers aged 25-65 years of age with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease were included in the study and randomly assigned to either a treatment group of Naturopathic care or control.⁽¹⁾ The Naturopathic group received 7 visits and their treatments were individualized based on their particular needs; both groups were encouraged to continue receiving care from their medical physicians. Treatments were chosen from a list of predetermined interventions that included regular exercise, natural health products such as omega 3 fatty acids, soluble fiber, coenzyme Q10, plant sterols and dietary recommendations based on the Mediterranean and Portfolio diet. The Mediterranean⁽²⁾ and Portfolio diet⁽³⁾ have a track record of being two of the most beneficial in reducing cardiovascular disease risk. Both intervention and control group had the following measurements taken at baseline, 26 weeks and 52 weeks: body weight, waist circumference, lipid profile, fasting glucose and blood pressure. What they found was a significant reduction in metabolic syndrome and risk of cardiovascular disease in the treatment group compared to the control. This study reiterates the benefit of seeking Naturopathic care in addition to conventional treatment for disorders such as cardiovascular disease which is so prevalent and can be so detrimental.