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alisonfloresus · 7 years ago

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Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) and Good Nutritional Needs

Peripheral arterial disease, commonly referred to as PAD, is clogged arteries in the leg that warn of widespread cardiovascular disease and typically is a warning sign for stroke or heart attack. The risks for PAD are the same as for heart disease: hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol, smoking, obesity and family history. The more risk factors that you have, the higher your risk will go. People who are diagnosed with PAD are two to four times more likely to also develop coronary artery disease (CAD) and their heart attack risk climbs to 20-60% higher (Source: Palkhivala, 2008).

The symptoms of PAD include leg muscle discomfort, fatigue or a pain that may occur in the buttocks, thighs or calf muscles when you are walking or when you are working out. In half of the diagnosed cases of the disease, however, there are no symptoms that are reported or noticed at all or it may be dismissed as leg strain, arthritis or other causes. The longer that PAD goes untreated, however, the more serious it will become, eventually leading to the need for amputation.

Early detection and treatment of PAD is the key to keeping it from getting to that point. The test for PAD is typically an ankle-brachial index. The test involves taking blood pressure readings in the arm and then the ankle. The two numbers are compared: the ankle number should be the same or slightly higher than the one in the arm. A good score for the ankle-brachial index is 1 or 1.1 – at or below .95, you have enough narrowing in the blood vessels in your leg to warrant further examination, with tests that range from an ultrasound of the leg to MRI or CT scans.

For early PAD, walking is considered to be the first and best line of treatment. If the PAD is advanced or the patient refuses to comply with the walking order, the next step will be surgery, typically an angioplasty procedure of the leg. Angioplasty below the knee is not considered to be as effective or as durable a surgery as that which is done above the knee. A bypass is another surgical option that might be considered if the symptoms are severe enough or if there is danger of the leg being lost completely. In most cases, a blood thinner will be prescribed, however, the surgeries and medications are only part of the treatment plan for the long term. Identifying and eliminating as many of the risk factors as possible is also a key to PAD treatment.

Knowledge is the key to PAD’s treatment as well. In a study that was published in Circulation, Dr. Alan T. Hirsch. M.D., Adjunct Professor of Epidemiology and Community Health at the University Of Minnesota School Of Public Health in Minneapolis, found that through a survey of 2500 Americans adults aged 50 or over, only 26% knew what PAD was or knew that it was associated with heart disease and/or stroke. Only 14% of those surveyed knew that it could potentially lead to amputation (Source: Hirsh, 2007).

Proper Nutrition to Lose Weight

Because PAD is linked to heart disease and hypertension, the American Heart Association suggests that the DASH diet might be beneficial to keep in mind. DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension and consists of fruits, vegetables, whole grain foods and healthy fat sources. Low-fat dairy is also included in the diet plan, which suggests limiting or eliminating red meats completely. DASH also lowers the amount of sodium in the diet, which is a major factor in developing hypertension.

Protein to Lose Weight and Improve Cardiovascular Health

Protein comes from both plants and animal sources. Protein should come from lean animal sources, chicken, turkey, fish and low-fat dairy and plants as much as possible. Protein helps not only to improve cardiovascular health and functioning but plays a role in weight loss in a number of different ways.

– Protein digests far more slowly in the body and will improve satiety for longer.

– Protein kicks off higher levels of thermogenesis in the body (with a 30% increase for protein as opposed to a 10% increase for carbs.) In fact, only alcohol increases thermogenesis more than protein (Source: Westerterp)

– Protein stabilizes blood glucose levels, slowing the absorption of glucose into the blood stream.

– Protein lowers hunger and increase fat burning potential.

– Protein, especially whey protein, makes more lean muscle tissue and lowers body fat.

– Soy protein lowers the cholesterol levels and may also lower the blood pressure, and it is suitable for vegans.

– Whey protein enhances muscle recovery after strenuous workouts and may help to prevent muscle breakdown (Source: Segounis)

– Whey protein may help to improve blood vessel function, increasing the blood flow and improving the blood pressure (Source: Mercola 2009)

It is important that you get not only the right kind of protein but the right amount. The American Heart Association suggests that no more than 35% of the overall daily calories be from protein. That is keeping in line with the numbers that are suggested by the DASH weight loss plan that should consist of 50% carbohydrates, 35% protein and 15% fats. The slightly higher level of protein keeps satiety scores high and allows for easier weight loss overall (Source: The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition).

Fats should come from healthy food sources like olives, olive oil, nuts and fatty fish. Bad fats include saturated fats like the ones that are solid at room temperature and hydrogenated fats like those that are found in many processed foods. Carbohydrates should be complex carbs like whole grain foods that are more slowly absorbed into the body and do not cause the insulin spike that can lead to weight gain. Avoid simple carbohydrates like those that are made with white sugar or white flour because they are empty of nutrition and will lead to further weight gain.

Protein supplements may be added to the diet as long as they are counted in the overall intake, and they should be healthy: low in calories, high in absorbable protein and having additional nutrition as well. Whey protein is a good choice but it may be too high in calories, especially for those who are trying to lose a lot of weight. A better choice, especially as a between meal snack that can destroy hunger, is Profect, from Protica. Profect is a small protein shot that supplies 25 grams of protein, vitamin C and vitamin B complex with zero carbs, zero fats and only 100 calories. Used between meals, it will help to stabilize the blood sugar and reduce hunger.

Eliminating red meat from the diet may also mean eliminating L-carnitine, which has been found to reduce the pain associated with PAD. Discuss adding a supplement with your doctor before you do so.

from JournalsLINE http://journalsline.com/2017/07/10/peripheral-arterial-disease-pad-and-good-nutritional-needs/ from Journals LINE https://journalsline.tumblr.com/post/162824280840

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