Heart, Eyes, Love and Erectile Disfunction

February is the last full month of winter highlighted by expectations for warm spring weather. With Valentine’s Day coming in the middle the month, it is not a surprise that February is also Heart Health Month in the United States when all people can focus on their cardiovascular health and be aware of the first signs of disease. According to the World Health Organization “cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the world’s number 1 cause of death, taking an estimated 17.9 million lives each year. These statistics are scary and should make everyone aware about heart health. Although there are warning symptoms like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and extra weight, most of the time people with heart conditions do not feel anything and only become aware when they see doctor.
And eye health and heart health are correlated. One of the early CVD diagnostic methods is ophthalmoscopy, a procedure where doctors examine our eye’s fundus and vessels inside visible on the retina. I have done those regularly in my practice. Eyes are called the mirror of our body and eye health is a direct indicator of our overall health. Anatomically, eyes are a part of our brain; vision is a complicated neurological process which is closely linked to the central nervous system. Blood supply to the eye comes from an optical artery originated from the carotid artery. So, all anomalies of the circulatory system are visible during an eye examination, including the signs of hypertension-the main symptom of heart disease. CVD affects the heart and blood vessels all over the body. Atherosclerotic plaques could be found in any part of the body, because of blood supply: heart, brain, eyes, lungs, back, arms, legs. And the smaller the diameter of the vessels, the sooner they become clogged (to that end, the diameter of the penile artery is no bigger than a pencil; erectile disfunction in men is one of the earlier signs of heart disease). Clogged vessels cause heart attack, stroke, blindness, back pain, etc. But even mild symptoms could be caused by CVD.
Despite the concerning statistics, there are ways to address, reverse or preempt CVD, starting with diet. It is proven by many interventional studies, some were described in Dr. Esselstyn’s book, “Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease”. CVD does not need to exist and can be prevented at home, starting with your kitchen. Even with the family history of CVD it is possible to avoid it by changing diet and lifestyle, which account for 97% of CVD cases, while family history and genes account for just 3%.
Exercise, Plant Based Diets and Top Athletes: To prevent CVD, a healthy diet should, of course, be combined with regular exercise. Some may be tempted to exercise vigorously to help “counter” a less healthy diet. But this is not a good solution. Why do some athletes end their careers in twenties with debilitating chronic conditions, including CVD and arthritis, while others can compete well into their 30-40s? One of the reasons could be diet. Tom Brady, the famous American football player played until he was 45 years old winning 7 out 10 Super Bowls he led his team to. What is his secret? He is open about the predominantly plant-based eating he has been following for a while. There are many other examples like the Olympic champion and sprinter Carl Lewis, tennis player Venus Williams, Formula 1champion Lewis Hamilton, who are vegan, or 80% plant based. If you have not seen James Cameron’s documentary Game Changers, it is certainly worth your attention.
Which plant-based foods are best? I keep mentioning that plant-based eating is the best, but I wanted to emphasize some specific red vegetables like beets, beans and tomatoes which are especially good in CVD prevention and improvement. Beets are high in nitrates. Our body turns nitrates into nitric oxide, which dilates the blood vessels, improves circulation, and decreases the blood pressure. According to data from the EPIC-Oxford study of plant-based eaters, vegans especially have lower blood pressure than meat eaters. Consuming beans, lentils, peas, and other legumes reduces the risk for cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease, and high blood pressure, according to a review published in Advances in Nutrition due to high protein and fiber content. Lycopene in tomatoes has been proven to lower blood levels of LDL, or “bad” cholesterol and blood pressure, lowers the chances of heart disease. Other nutrients in tomatoes, like vitamins B and E and antioxidants called flavonoids boost heart health as well. Leafy greens like kale and spinach are also high in nitrates, also lutein and zeaxanthin-carotenoids are found in the macula of the eye. These protect against cataract, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and blue light. And if those foods are good for the heart, they are also good for our brain, eyes, lungs, and the functions of the whole body.
Concluding Tips for February, Heart Health Month: There are no “silver bullets” or “magic foods,” of course, that are guaranteed to prevent CVD. Our best bet to keeping a healthy heart (and, relatedly, healthy eyes) is to maintain not only a health promoting, predominantly plant-based diet, but also exercise, sleep, manage stress and stay connected with family and friends. I hope this information helps us all keep healthy hearts and eyes in February 2024 and enjoy many more to come! And I hope you will enjoy this month’s heart and eye healthy recipes. And keep an eye on the quarterly vision training courses where you can learn how to improve your eyesight without glasses, eye drops or surgeries.