You probably know that the best way to beat a disease is to catch it early. Problem: By the time you notice any heart disease symptoms, it’s already too late for early detection!
In fact, the first sign many people have is a fatal heart attack.
Fortunately, there’s an easy way to spot the early warning signs of heart disease: just look at your feet!
Here’s what to look for …
The hair on your toes begins to disappear: When your heart isn’t strong enough to pump blood to your toes, your body stops using energy to grow hair.
Poor nail growth on the toes: Like hair, your body won’t use energy to grow nails if there’s not enough blood to support them.
Your skin begins to turn shiny: This happens when there’s not enough blood flow to keep your skin loose and supple. If the skin on your feet is tight, it’s a sign that your arteries are not soft and supple either.
Muscle cramps in the legs when moving: Working muscles need more blood flow. Resting muscles can get by with less. If blood flow is too low, the muscles won’t get enough blood when you’re moving to meet their needs. Cramps are the muscles’ way of warning the body that it isn’t receiving enough blood during exercise to meet the increased demand.
Leg pain that doesn't go away when you stop exercising: Everyone’s legs hurt at least a little when you’re exercising. That’s normal. But if they continue to hurt after you’re done, you might want to see a cardiologist.
Foot or toe wounds that won't heal or heal very slowly: Your body needs blood to heal wounds. Without enough blood, it takes longer to heal. And if your heart is too weak, then they may not heal at all.
Cold feet: A lot of people have cold feet. But this is different. If there’s a marked decrease in the temperature of your lower leg or foot compared to the other leg or the rest of your body, then there could be a serious problem.
If you look at your feet and see any of these issues, ask your doctor for an ankle-brachial index test. This simple, non-invasive test basically takes your blood pressure in your ankle and compares it to the blood pressure in your arm. It takes only a few minutes to do it.
A normal ABI is 1.00 to 1.40. A value less than or equal to 0.90 is considered abnormal. And, in severe disease, it’s less than 0.5.
Next week, I’ll tell you how to help resolve those issues just by taking two nutrients!