It’s not enough to know your cholesterol level. While cholesterol is the molecule responsible for causing fatty buildups inside arteries, scientists now suspect that it is only part of the portrait of heart disease. Inflammation, which can weaken blood vessels and cause cholesterol plaques to loosen and create blockages, is the new marker. Insist that your doctor test your C-reactive protein (CRP), which should be at or below 8 micrograms/milliliter (anti-aging physicians would prefer it to be half that or lower).

In addition, in women, elevated white blood cell counts may predict heart disease, reports a 2005 Women’s Health Initiative study. Levels at the upper end of normal (6.7 billion white blood cells per liter of blood) may double a woman’s risk of heart attack.


“Coronary heart disease is now the leading cause of death worldwide. It is on the rise and has become a true pandemic that respects no borders.”
--World Health Organization