Health & Fitness

There are times with heart disease, such as a major blockage, when surgery may become necessary. Chelation therapy is an alternative for dealing with potential blockages in a non-invasive, non-surgical method. Certainly surgery is appropriate in many instances, but research has shown that some patients benefit from this particular alternative.

Chelation Therapy: Amino Acids At Work
In the 1930s, it was discovered that the injection of amino acids aided in binding and removing metallic elements, such as mercury and lead, from the system. These particular metals, sometimes called heavy metals, cant be metabolized by the human body and are thus highly toxic. It was a very useful discovery, and remains a viable treatment for lead poisoning even today.

Out of this discovery, another potential use for Chelation therapy was conceived. Coronary heart disease is characterized by calcium build up in the hardened arteries. It was theorized that Chelation therapy could result in a softening of the arteries by removing calcium from the walls.

In studies, Chelation therapy has been shown to be of benefit to patients with heart disease. ACAM, founded in 1973, is comprised of board certified physicians who recommend and administer Chelation therapy to their patients. It is worth noting that like many medical treatments, the exact benefits are debated, but continued research seems to confirm the value of this method. Before making any decision regarding your health, make sure to talk to a physician and research the subject for yourself.

Its called ethylene-diamine-tetra-acetic acid (try saying that three times fast), but well just call it EDTA. It is the specific amino acid used in Chelation therapy. It functions by binding free flowing metals in the blood.

EDTA: A History
In 1934, F. Munz first synthesized EDTA as a substitute for citric acid. In 1941, a method for synthesizing the compound was patented. It wasnt until the 1950s that the full medical benefits began to be widely understood and accepted by the medical community, and even today, some of the benefits are controversial, though it is fully accepted for treating heavy metal poisoning.

In addition to its medical benefits, EDTAs unique ability to bond with metallic elements has made it a useful additive to some foods. Unwanted metals cause decomposition in some foods by catalyzing the oxidation of the fats. By bonding with these metals, degradation is limited by this chemical and the foods shelf life is increased.

As you can see, this is a pretty unique amino acid. Physicians across the United States and around the world have experimented with it as a potential treatment for heart disease and as a method for improving circulation. And the results have shown it to be a potentially viable alternative to invasive surgeries.

Administered as an injection, EDTA Chelation Therapy is the treatment of choice for many board certified physicians. Part of the reason is because whenever possible, many doctors prefer it to invasive surgical procedures. After all, though the benefits of surgery are undeniable, so are the risks.

EDTA Chelation Therapy - An Alternative
On average, a patient undergoing EDTA Chelation Therapy can expect to see the full benefit of the treatments after approximately three months. In that time theyll undergo about 20 treatments, which take approximately three to four hours each. This treatment is done on an outpatient basis.

The cost to the patient is around $3,000 for twenty treatments, and is covered by some insurance companies, though not all. Compare this to the cost of angioplasty or other surgical techniques that run in the neighborhood of $50,000. In addition, surgical procedures also incur the added cost of lost wages and recovery.

Just as with surgery, EDTA Chelation Therapy is prescribed along with a change in diet and a variety of supplements. These include vitamins and of course, Omega fatty acids. Naturally it would be a bad idea to continue the diet that helped create the problem in the first place.

In todays diet happy environment, weve all been taught to avoid fats. The truth is we dont need to avoid all fats. Some fats are necessary for making cell membranes and creating the hormones and other chemicals that regulate what our body does. To help provide our body with these much needed fats, we can take essential fatty acid supplements.

Essential Fatty Acid Supplements–Keys To Health
Fatty acids, such as omega 6 and omega 3, provide many health benefits. Studies have shown that Alzheimers patients have low levels of omega 3 that has been linked to memory. Fatty acids are also natural blood thinners, helping to prevent blood clots, linked to heart disease.

The importance of making sure you get the right balance of fatty acids is beyond question, and essential fatty acid supplements can aid in this goal. Naturally you should adjust your diet to include fresh fruit and fish. Supplements can aid you in your goals, since most of us are just not going to eat as much fruit as is recommended.

Chances are pretty good that what you need to supplement the most for are the omega 3 fatty acids, since a typical western diet includes a higher concentration of omega 6. So with essential fatty acid supplements, the average distribution would be 2:1. That is to say, if you were to take one portion of omega 6, you would take two portions of omega 3. Before taking any supplements, its a good idea to consult your physician, especially if you are already taking any prescribed medications.

Essential to our health as human beings are certain fatty acids. One of the most important is the Omega 6 fatty acid, found in much of the oil produced by vegetables. As with anything in life though, it is possible to get too much of a good thing.

Omega 6 Fatty Acids Everywhere
Americans do not get enough Omega 3 fatty acids, to the point that sometimes they have a disproportionate amount of 6. This is because many of the foods Americans eat are fried or cooked in oils high in Omega 6 fatty acids. The meat that we consume also contains a percentage of this fatty acid.

Thats not to in any way suggest that Omega 6 fatty acids arent important to health. They are very important. Rather, it is to illustrate the need to seek some balance in our diet, to promote general health and prevent conditions like heart disease.

One way to tip the balance in the other direction is to consume more fish and green leafy vegetables, which have a higher concentration of Omega 3 fatty acids. At the same time, you still need to get your daily supply of 6s. Omega 6 fatty acids are crucial in creating and maintaining healthy cells.