{"id":10575,"date":"2026-02-10T16:47:09","date_gmt":"2026-02-10T16:47:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.truthforhealth.org\/?p=10575"},"modified":"2026-02-10T16:47:09","modified_gmt":"2026-02-10T16:47:09","slug":"dr-vliets-health-tip-cool-the-flames-of-inflammation-save-your-heart-brain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.truthforhealth.org\/es\/2026\/02\/dr-vliets-health-tip-cool-the-flames-of-inflammation-save-your-heart-brain\/","title":{"rendered":"Dr. Vliet\u2019s Health Tip: Cool the Flames of Inflammation: Save Your Heart & Brain!"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a9 by Elizabeth Lee Vliet MD and Kathy Kresnik<\/em><\/p>\n

Many of my patients and our readers already know a great deal about the benefits of Omega 3 fatty acids in fish oils to reduce heart disease risk, improve brain health, reduce inflammatory joint pain, and improve eyesight.\u00a0 We have summarized these amazing health benefits in my earlier Health Tip<\/a><\/strong>. During Heart Month, I wanted to refocus on the emerging science on inflammation and the crucial role of fish oils as another natural strategy to reduce inflammation and therefore reduce risk of heart attacks, strokes, and small vessel disease that can lead to other vascular problems like erectile dysfunction and Reynaud\u2019s.\u00a0 Estrogen loss in menopausal women and testosterone loss in aging men, plus the spike protein damage of the COVID shots, all combine to accelerate inflammation<\/em> and damage to heart, brain and blood vessels.\u00a0 Menopausal status is recognized as a significant factor increasing cardiovascular disease risk in women, primarily due to the reduction of estrogen\u2019s anti-inflammatory role and protective effects on vascular, lipid, and metabolic function.<\/p>\n

In today\u2019s Health Tip, I also explain the inflammatory markers you can track.\u00a0 This is another way to help YOU be more proactive in your health and get the tests you need that your doctor may not routinely check.\u00a0 Many are tests you can order yourself on line, so you don\u2019t even need a physician to give you permission! \u00a0Then I\u2019ll explain effective strategies YOU can choose to implement to lower inflammation and your overall risk for heart disease. With the known spike protein and lipid nanoparticle damage from the COVID shots ADDING massively to the inflammatory burden on the body, it is even more critical to understand and take action to reduce inflammation in your body to reduce cardiovascular disease and preserve brain function.<\/p>\n

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Since the late 1990s inflammation has been widely recognized as an important and independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. The explicit hypothesis that atherosclerosis is an inflammatory disease was prominently articulated by Russell Ross in 1999, which is often cited as the modern turning point in framing inflammation as central to atherogenesis (process by which atherosclerotic plaques (atheromas) form) and its complications.<\/p>\n

But even to this day, with all we now know, most doctors and public health agencies still FAIL to include inflammation <\/em>among the \u201cprimary 8\u201d traditional risk factors in standard public\u2011facing checklists:<\/p>\n

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  1. High blood pressure (hypertension)<\/strong> \u2013 Chronically elevated blood pressure damages the endothelium and accelerates atherosclerosis, making careful management essential for heart health.<\/li>\n
  2. High atherogenic cholesterol \/ dyslipidemia<\/strong> \u2013 Elevated levels of LDL and non-HDL cholesterol, often accompanied by low HDL and high triglycerides, significantly increase risk.<\/li>\n
  3. Cigarette smoking \/ tobacco exposure<\/strong> \u2013 Both active smoking and regular exposure to secondhand smoke contribute to vascular injury and heightened risk.<\/li>\n
  4. Diabetes mellitus (and significant hyperglycemia)<\/strong> \u2013 Type 1 and type 2 diabetes are powerful, independent drivers of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk.<\/li>\n
  5. Obesity, particularly central\/visceral adiposity<\/strong> \u2013 Excess body fat, especially around the abdomen, is strongly linked to insulin resistance, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and chronic inflammation.<\/li>\n
  6. Physical inactivity \/ sedentary lifestyle<\/strong> \u2013 Low cardiorespiratory fitness is an independent risk factor, and regular physical activity is crucial for prevention as well as psychological stress and poor sleep.<\/li>\n
  7. Unhealthy diet \/ unhealthful nutrition<\/strong> \u2013 Diets high in saturated and trans fats, refined carbohydrates, sodium, and ultra-processed foods (and low in fruits, vegetables, and fiber) promote atherosclerosis.<\/li>\n
  8. Family history \/ genetic susceptibility for premature cardiovascular disease<\/strong> \u2013 A history of early myocardial infarction or sudden cardiac death in first-degree relatives signals higher risk.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    ALL of these factors, except family history, are modifiable if YOU make the right choices that should be a focus of any personal health plan.\u00a0<\/strong> But in more up-to-date medical practices, physicians will also focus on chronic inflammation as an explicit risk factor and track inflammatory markers to help guide patients to individualized heart disease prevention strategies.<\/p>\n

    The Role of Inflammation: Emerging Understandings<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    Inflammation is finally being acknowledged as a critical and independent <\/em>risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Major cardiovascular organizations now describe inflammation as a driver of atherosclerosis and a modifiable risk pathway<\/em>. Recent large epidemiologic studies and meta-analyses have demonstrated that higher levels of inflammatory biomarkers\u2014including high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (<\/em> hs-CRP ), interleukin-6 (IL-6), fibrinogen, and galectin-3<\/em>\u2014independently predict cardiovascular events, even after accounting for traditional risk factors.<\/p>\n

    The 2025 American College of Cardiology scientific statement<\/a> on inflammation and heart disease stated that \u201dresidual inflammation, measured with high-sensitivity C-reactive protein ( hs-CRP ) remains strongly predictive of recurrent events, even in statin-treated patients. Similarly, elevated hs-CRP in apparently healthy individuals identifies a higher-risk group in whom statin therapy significantly reduces the risk of first major CVD events even if LDL-cholesterol is normal.\u201d And that \u201cthe evidence linking inflammation with atherosclerotic CVD is no longer exploratory but is compelling and clinically actionable\u201d.<\/p>\n

    This evidence establishes inflammation as both a causal<\/em> and predictive<\/em> risk factor in atherosclerotic disease.<\/strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>Inflammation should be an added therapeutic target.\u00a0 <\/em>Elevated inflammatory markers should prompt quick action with anti-inflammatory strategies, even when LDL cholesterol is not dramatically elevated. <\/em>As you can see in the graph below, the higher your inflammation as measured by hs-CRP , the higher your risk of future cardiovascular events.<\/p>\n

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    Inflammation Effects on the Heart\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    Inflammation is central to atherosclerosis, plaque instability, and heart failure progression, and affects the heart in several specific ways:<\/p>\n