Aspirin Therapy For Protection From Heart Attacks / PROS & CONS

For many years, I have been told that I should be on a low dose aspirin a day for heart health. I have always been leery of this advice, partly because I subscribe to the old adage, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it".

Per an article by Naturopath, Emily Kane ND.LAc in the February 2011 edition of Better Nutrition magazine, this advice might be somewhat outdated. WHY?

Aspirin is an old and trusted medicine that works as a mild analgesic by thinning the blood, which makes platelets less sticky. It is also an effective minor pain reliever and muscle relaxant.

That being said, is can also irritate the mucous membranes in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, including the throat, esophagus, small and large intestines and the rectum. It can also cause bleeding anywhere along the GI tract, and bleeding from aspirin and other NSAID's (nonsteriodal anti-inflammatories)  is one of the TOP REASONS people go to the emergency room in the USA.

If you regularly use:

• Aspirin
• Aleve,
• Ibuprofen
• Tylenol
• etc.

You must check your stool for hidden occult blood at least once a year. WHY? You may not be aware of GI bleeding otherwise.

Per the article, aspirin has definitely been proven not to PREVENT a first heart attack for women. A baby aspirin a day MAY prevent a stroke for women WITH A STRONG FAMILY HISTORY of stroke and NO FAMILY HISTORY of gastrointestinal cancers.

For men, taking a baby aspirin a day, especially men under age 65, may prevent a 2nd heart attack. For some reason aspirin therapy does not seem to prevent strokes in men of any age.

DOSE:

A baby aspirin is defined as one of (81mg), and NOT the full strength kind of (325mg).

Natural ways to prevent stroke:

• Eating raw foods daily
• Taking digestive enzymes with high protein meals / enzymes are natural clot busters / pineapple is high in digestive enzymes as well as papaya seeds (can also be taken in capsule form as a supplement)
• common place for clots is BEHIND the knees when bent - stand up, move around when traveling

To ask your own health question, use this email:

editorial@betternutrition.com and write in ASK the naturopath

Dan

"Great multitudes followed him (Jesus), and he healed them ALL." (Matthew 12:15)
"...as many as touched [the hem of his garment] were made perfectly whole." (Matthew 14:36)