A man is as old as his arteries.—Attributed to Thomas Sydenham, as quoted by F. H. Garrison in the Bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine. 1928;4:993
Your heart beats about 100.000 times a day
....now think about that for a moment.
… and it does it EVERY day!
There is much reason to celebrate your beautiful heart!
A New Vision of your Cardiovascular Health
Central Intimal-Media Thickness Testing (CIMT)
Heart Disease Facts:
Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men, women, and people of most racial and ethnic groups in the United States.
One person dies every 36 seconds in the United States from cardiovascular disease.
About 655,000 Americans die from heart disease yearly— 1 in every four deaths.
Coronary heart disease is the most common type of heart disease, killing 365,914 people in 2017.
In the United States, someone has a heart attack every 40 seconds.
Every year, about 800,000 Americans have a heart attack.
For 605,000, it was their first heart attack, and 130,000 lost their lives.
About 1 in 5 heart attacks are silent—the damage is done, but the person is unaware of it.
Reference: https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/facts.htm
As these sobering statistics attest, these events are far from rare.
Heart disease - including coronary artery disease, atherosclerosis, and arrhythmias - is currently the Number One cause of death in the United States, claiming a shocking 655,000 lives every year.
In addition to the tragic loss of life, the financial cost is catastrophic. The American Heart Association notes that heart disease carries a national price tag of a stunning $1 billion - a day.
Reference: https://www.cdc.gov/stroke/facts.htm
The American Heart Association now estimates that 80 percent of cardiovascular disease is preventable – meaning that this devastating problem and the needless deaths it causes are mostly within our control.
Experts say that common-sense lifestyle changes - involving correct nutrition, enough exercise, and proper stress management - can go a long way towards alleviating the growing epidemic of heart disease and reducing the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
Is there anything else we can do? Yes!
For the final piece of the heart-protective “puzzle,” many natural health authorities advise daily supplementation with the appropriate high-quality nutrients.
This is how healthy Endothelium looks like…
…and this is how plaque looks in your arteries…
…and this is how plaque looks when it has progressed.
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The good news is that much can be done about cardiovascular conditions.
Prevention is the key.
But how can you prevent something if you don't even know that it exists?
It is said that 70% of cardiovascular events are arteriosclerosis-based and could be prevented through better nutrition, more exercise, targeted supplements, specific lifestyle changes, and deep emotional healing, to name a few.
This is where Central Intima-Media Thickness Testing (CIMT) comes in. I have been looking at different cardio-vascular testing methods since I introduced the Heart Sound Recorder to our practice years ago, which has been a lifesaver in its own way. CIMT Testing offers a more in-depth look at your vascular health and age. It is non-invasive and time and cost-effective. Preventative vascular testing, unfortunately, has been a missing link in health care.
In a 10-year, 100,000-person-year study, CIMT caught > 98% of heart attacks and strokes BEFORE they occurred.
Please note what is significant about the study:
1) The study involved 10,000 people who were followed for ten years each—thus, 10 X 10,000 = 100,000 person-year study.
2) CIMTs were measured BEFORE any heart attacks and strokes occurred - so the CIMT Testing correctly identified those patients who had a heart attack or stroke BEFORE the event occurred. This is important because there doesn’t seem to be any other test in any genre of medicine that comes close to this catch rate before a condition arises. (Even home pregnancy tests in the first trimester catch 97%, but this is AFTER the person is pregnant).
Source: Carotid and femoral ultrasound morphology screening and cardiovascular events in low-risk subjects: a 10-year follow-up study (the CAFES-CAVE study). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11395035/
Carotid Intima-Media Thickness Testing evaluates carotid atherosclerotic vascular disease or sub-arteriosclerosis - subclinical/undiagnosed arteriosclerosis. The test measures the thickness of the inner two layers of the carotid artery - the Intima and Media - and alerts to any thickening when someone might still be asymptomatic. CIMT Testing involves a non-invasive ultrasound to detect vascular inflammation and plaque and evaluate your vascular age, acute stroke, and heart attack risk.
Be assured that even your blood work might not sufficiently evaluate your vascular health (neither are your Total Cholesterol levels, LDL levels, hs-CRP levels, Apo-B levels, nor your homocysteine levels), even though these are necessary and important in their own way. Blood work alone is not specific enough when measuring actual vascular plaque and Central Intima-Media Thickness.
Your cholesterol number alone does not reflect your cardiovascular health, either. Cholesterol only comes to the site of vascular damage in an attempt to heal the damage.
CIMT Testing should be part of standard care, but it isn’t. That’s why we offer CIMT testing to our community. The next testing will be on
Thursday, September 26th, 2024
Sorry, we don’t accept Insurance. Insurance generally doesn't cover the cost of CIMTs unless you have a pre-existing heart condition and a very progressive cardiologist. Your cardiologist may offer you a Carotid Doppler, but it is not the same as a CIMT test. CIMTs also offer more comparable data for future testing, which is essential to track your vascular health progression. So, you can retest yourself in a year or two to determine if the treatment options (the ones you had chosen since your last scan) have yielded any noticeable results.
Please use the payment link below to secure your spot.
If you want to register with me for a 30-minute complimentary discovery call or visit, please email me at info@fully-alive.com.
In summary, CIMT Testing aims to reduce your risk for a sudden cardiovascular event, like a stroke or heart attack, and to add years to your life.
Please note that the Heart Sound Recorder offers a valuable add-on nutritional evaluation tool to heal your heart more comprehensively. Your heart and vascular health are profoundly interconnected; that’s why we refer to the cardiovascular system. In other words, looking at both systems for proper evaluation is essential.
Note: If you order a CIMT Test, we offer you your 1st Heart Sound Recording at a $50 discount. Just mention this Special Offer at the time of your check-out.
To learn more about the subject, read Ford Brewer, MD, and Todd C Eldredge, Ph.D. book: “Prevention Myths - Why Stress Tests Can’t Predict Your Heart Attack and Which Tests Actually Do.” Read more here
Here is an example how the test results of a CIMT will look like:
If you have any further questions, please don't hesitate to email us.
Please visit the prepayment link below to reserve your spot for our upcoming CIMT Testing on Thursday, September 26th, 2024.
To set up an appointment time with us, please email us. We would be happy to accommodate your schedule.
Results will be uploaded to our Patient Portal around 7-10 days following the testing. Once you receive your results via email, please set up your 15-minute complimentary interpretive session with us (at no additional cost).
How do you choose the right CIMT option for yourself?
Carotid and Femoral Arteries Testing: This is the proper scan for you if you have a family history of heart disease, if it is your first scan, or if you are interested in a scan for preventative purposes.
This would also be helpful if you already have any lower extremity circulatory issues. This ultrasound includes testing carotid and femoral arteries. Note: For some people, the leg arteries show more arteriosclerosis than the neck arteries.
Carotid and Femoral Arteries plus Aorta Testing: If you are more concerned about your vascular situation and are already aware of various vascular concerns or have specific issues regarding your aortic artery.
Carotid Arteries only: If you would like a good baseline testing or are following up on previous CIMTs of the past. This is a good entry test for any person who feels generally healthy.
Make a Prepayment to reserve your spot by clicking on any of the following testing options:
Refund Policy: Refunds are only available until September 12th, 2024, minus a $50 processing fee. No refunds will be offered after September 12th, 2024. Scheduling takes place on a first-come-first-serve basis. To join our waiting list for future events, email us at info@fully-alive.com.
Important Notice: Natural therapies are meant to complement, not replace, standard medical treatment. Never eliminate or reduce your prescribed medication unless advised to do so by your doctor.