Like American doctor Dean Ornish, noted for his lifestyle approach to managing coronary artery disease, Dr. Samuel Dizon believes that you can “bypass the bypass.”

The head of the Institute for Natural Healing (INH) claims he’s had 80 percent success with heart patients who didn’t undergo surgery. The formula consists of a low-fat diet, mega vitamins, herbal supplements, stress management, anti-oxidants, traditional Chinese medicine, and exercise.

To take care of the heart, Dizon advises patients to listen to cautionary signs.

“The heart warns. It can get emotional and stressed even with a healthy diet. Stress hormones are produced in the body which are later converted into fat, even if the patient doesn’t eat fatty foods,” he says, adding that the lining of arteries can be damaged by trans fats.

He recalls that he once helped a woman lawyer who was not only a candidate for valvular heart replacement, but was also stricken by cancer of the lymph nodes. “The cause of the problem was stress. You’ve got to cut down the stressors and increase the stress threshold. It helps to change the environment.”

Herbal tranquilizers

The lawyer stayed at the Nurture Spa in Tagaytay, where the INH has a tie-up. “We prescribed herbal tranquilizers, a combination of chamomile, catnip which works with valerian root, a skullcap which is a muscle relaxant, and hops. We gave B complex, massages, and counseling. Putting the patient close to nature sidetracks the mind, as with music therapy. The diet was changed—less cholesterol but more omega oil and fibers to increase elimination, and antioxidants such as vitamins C and E, grapeseed, and selenium,” he says.

The patient was happy with the results.

By convention, aspirin or coumadin is prescribed to prevent heart attacks and strokes. “When the artery gets tightened, the blood thickens. The red blood cells stick to each other and clog it up. A tightened artery can lead to blockage. To thin out the blood, coumadin or aspirin is taken in. But these have side effects, such as stomach acidity and bruises. I recommend natural blood thinners such as vitamin E, gingko biloba, and enzymes from fruits and vegetables,” says Dizon.

To improve the pumping action of the heart or for symptoms of tightness in the chest, Dizon suggests cayenne pepper or capsicum. He explains, “If you put siling labuyo under the tongue for five minutes, you get results.” It cleans the arteries and veins and lowers the blood pressure to normal levels.

He adds that ginseng is another cardio tonic, which treats hypertension and hypotension.

As a supplement to other medicines, megadoses of Coenzyme Q10 reduce swelling, shortness of breath, and the risk of heart attacks. “It increases cellular energy. Instead of lanoxin, we prescribe high doses of Coenzyme Q10 mixed with fresh juices like papaya or pineapple extracts to unclog the arteries. The papaya and pineapple juices can help with blood clot to dissolve.”

Dizon’s heart rehab program also includes acupuncture sessions to strengthen the heart and intravenous chelation therapy. Acupuncture boosts the heart’s working capacity, and reduces anginal pain and the need for medication. I.V. therapy flushes toxins and prevents atherochlerosis, heart attacks, and strokes.

Malfunctioning

Dizon cites a 73-year-old patient from Guam complaining of four blocked arteries and an enlarged heart. “The valves in his heart were malfunctioning. He couldn’t lie flat on the bed. His legs were swollen. The veins were black. He was supposed to undergo emergency surgery but he was afraid.”

The patient was booked in a hotel in Subic where he had a supervised liquid diet. “The nutrients are absorbed faster, and the heart is given a time-out. It takes two hours to digest food. At that time, the heart has to supply blood in the entire gut, which is 40-ft-long intestine. When the person with a heart condition eats a heavy meal, his heart will have a hard time. Blending the food helps give the heart some relief. After a few weeks of the liquid diet, he took enzymes. After a month, he could walk only a few meters and was short of breath.”

The patient continued his treatment for another two months. Soon he was swimming laps. Earlier the allopathic medicines had affected his sexual functions. With his diet and natural medicines, he regained his sexual activity.

“Now he strolls 3 km a day. Back in Guam, his doctor said he could have his surgery at age 80.

“Compared to surgery, this is cheaper,” says Dizon. He cites the late American nutritionist Nathan Pritikin, who was diagnosed with heart disease in the ‘50s. He underwent a meatless diet that was low in unprocessed carbohydrates and fat, coupled with regular exercise. His program became known as the Pritikin diet. He committed suicide after a long bout with leukemia, but it had nothing to do with his heart condition. In fact, his autopsy revealed that his arteries were clean.

“In the end, do the surgery on your taste buds, not on your heart. De-stress. It’s more stressful to be in the ICU if you don’t give the body time out,” says Dizon.

(For details, text 0920-9384676, 0917-8281316, or call INH main center in Olongapo at 047-223-8504.)