chest-pain-heart-attack

Are You Going to Have a Heart Attack? (Here’s How to Tell)

I know many people who have had a heart attack.

I’m sure you do, too.

And if you’ve ever lived through a heart attack, it’s an experience you probably don’t want to repeat.

So wouldn’t it be great if there was an easy and cheap test that could tell if your heart’s blood vessels were clogged?

Well, that test exists.

And if you’re worried about your heart, you’ll want to get it right away.

Researchers from Saint Joseph University Beirut and Saint George Hospital in Lebanon discovered a relationship between the amount of dp-unMGP in your blood and whether your blood vessels are blocked.  

So, what is dp-unMGP and how do you test for it?

The simple blood test measures the amount of dephosphorylated uncarboxylated matric Gla protein (dp-unMGP) you have, and that test correlates with clogged arteries.  

The researchers took blood from people and determined how much dp-unMGP was in their blood.

They then ran people through a series of scans to assess their degree of blockage. They were able to show that the more dp-unMGP in someone’s body, the less blockage in arteries.

But dp-unMGP isn’t just some molecule running around in your blood, it is a measurement of how much vitamin K you have in your body.

That is how important vitamin K is to your heart health.  

Vitamin K2 is now known to activate over 17 proteins in our bodies:

  • A protein called osteocalcin–which helps to build bone.
  • A protein called Matrix GLA protein (MGP) which helps keep arteries healthy by keeping calcium from sticking to the walls.
  • A number of protein clotting factors involved in healthy coagulation.
  • A number of protein anti-coagulants (proteins C, S and Z).

Studies on Vitamin K2 are ongoing and have found that taking enough is essential to helping prevent:

  • Osteoporosis
  • Diabetes
  • Dementia
  • Cancer
  • Heart disease

It seems K2 is more important than we could have ever imagined.

Good food sources include: green leafy vegetables, fish, liver, meat, and eggs.

I generally suggest getting 90 mcg of vitamin K a day–along with a balanced diet. If you don’t get enough, then make sure you supplement.

Health and Happiness,

Scott Olson

Dr. Scott Olson, ND

Ed. Note: Please send your feedback: feedback@livingwelldaily.com – and click here to like us on Facebook.

Dr. Scott Olson, ND

Written By Dr. Scott Olson, ND

Nearly 25 years ago, failed mainstream medical treatments left Dr. Olson in constant pain – and his health in ruins. And that’s when he did something REVOLUTIONARY. He began his career in medicine – and dedicated his life to uncovering the true, underlying causes of disease.
Through his innovative medical practices in Tennessee and Colorado, Dr. Olson has helped cure countless seniors from across America of arthritis… heart disease… diabetes… and even cancer. All without risky prescription drugs or painful surgeries.

View More Free Articles

Stop Obsessing Over Diet Trends

Can we stop with the endless diet debates already? Every other week there’s a new headline shouting about which diet is best for weight loss, heart health, or diabetes. Paleo, keto, low-carb, high-protein… it’s exhausting. And now, a new meta-analysis is out comparing the Mediterranean diet, the DASH diet, and something called AHEI (that’s “Alternative...

Read This

A New Reason to Ditch Processed Junk

If you’ve ever walked the inside aisles of your local grocery store and thought, “This is all just junk,” your instincts were spot on. A new study published in the journal Thorax just added another red flag to the list of dangers linked to ultra-processed food—a 41 percent higher risk of lung cancer. That’s right....

Read This

When Being Winded on Stairs Is Serious (And When It Isn’t)

I had an athlete visit me recently because he experienced shortness of breath while climbing stairs. He is in great shape, so he was worried about what it might mean. “Doc,” he said, “I run five miles three times a week. Why am I huffing and puffing after two flights of stairs?” His concern is...

Read This

Study EXPOSES Hidden Danger Lurking in Your Car

We think of our homes and cars as safe havens. But according to a startling new study, they may be flooding your lungs with microscopic plastic particles—every single day. Researchers in France recently found that adults inhale an average of 68,000 microplastic particles daily from indoor air alone. To put that in perspective, that’s about...

Read This

Mailbag: Is Modern Food Making You Snore?

“What can cause snoring, and is there a way to correct this issue?” —Seeking  Silence Hi Seeking, Snoring happens when the soft tissues in your throat relax and vibrate as air passes through during sleep. While several factors can cause snoring—from sleep position to nasal congestion—I want to share one trigger that might surprise you....

Read This

Simple Food Swap SLASHES Dementia Risk 28%

Let’s be honest… who would jump at the chance to cut their dementia risk by 28 percent. And no, you don’t need to run marathons, survive on broccoli, or learn to play the zither (whatever that is) to make it happen. All it takes is one easy swap—something that’s probably already in your refrigerator. Researchers...

Read This

This SMART Floss Exposes Hidden Health Danger

Scientists have created dental floss that doesn’t just clean between your teeth—it also tracks your stress while you’re flossing. Now, I know what you’re thinking… “Great—now even flossing is going to stress me out by telling me how stressed I am.” But this fascinating new tool from Tufts University could be a game-changer for understanding...

Read This

Is This "Safe" Sweetener Damaging Your Brain?

The headlines are alarming… “Popular Sugar Substitute Linked to Brain Cell Damage” and “Erythritol Could Damage Critical Brain Barrier” are just two of the dozens I’ve spotted recently. But before you toss every sugar-free product in your pantry, let’s take a closer look at what this study actually shows—and what it doesn’t. The latest research...

Read This

This Summer Threat Could SPIKE Your Blood Sugar

Picture this… It’s another scorching hot summer day. You crank up the air conditioning while watching the weather forecast, which predicts yet another “record-breaking” heat wave. It’s starting to feel like just another miserably uncomfortable summer. But what you might not realize is that—if you have diabetes—those rising temps could do far more damage to...

Read This

Move Over Yogurt—5 Foods That Pack MORE Probiotics

Let’s talk about your gut. The microbiome is the collection of trillions of bacteria and other tiny organisms that live in and on your body—especially in your gut—and help keep you healthy. I’ve written often about how vital it is to maintain a healthy microbiome. And you might have dutifully added yogurt to your shopping...

Read This