Pat Theut, My Story

My Story
- - An Abbreviated Account of the
Reversal of Atherosclerosis and
How I Saved My Life

The story you are about to read is true.  Many names have been changed to protect the guilty (LOL).  This is a story of determination and the relentless pursuit of biochemical truth as it relates to human health, with the primary focus on atherosclerosis. Simply put, I did not want to die.

The following is being written while sitting in the Regency Club at the Hyatt, in Kolkata, India, two months after the 10-year anniversary of my first diagnosis of severe plaque buildup in the Left Main coronary artery of my heart.  I am presently 59 ½ yrs old, 6’, 185 lbs with 15% body fat and I pole vault for fun.  Some of this story will ramble, some will be painful to read, but I am alive and living to tell how I beat this “7-HEADED DRAGON”.

OBTW, if you are looking for a diatribe on big pharma, big insurance, big medicine, and big medical education, forget it.  I would not be alive today if it was not for the Mayo Clinic, a General Practitioner by the name of Dr. R, a Cardiologist by the name of Dr. D., and a Physician Assistant by the name of KB.  Also, I  am thankful to whoever came up with the web and search engines and all the folks in cyberspace that contributed to the general knowledge and good of humanity.  Without that I would be dead.  Hats off also to my biology, engineering, chemistry, math, and physics teachers/profs whose exposure from grade school to graduate school played a pivotal role in shaping my ability to ferret out the root cause and root solution sets associated with atherosclerosis. 

There is no substitute for critical thinking and objective evidence.

A special thanks to Dr. T. and my University debate coach Dr. B.K. Spiker, who schooled me in the skill of research.  Also hats off to Mark K. of PCA as you stuck by me in my darkest hours. 

Ok, with that preamble here goes:
I went to the Mayo for an executive physical at the insistence of Dr. W., former Vice Chair of Psychology and Psychiatry.  It was November 10, 2002, when I drove over from Tomahawk, Wisconsin to Rochester, Minnesota.   I had all of my tests non-stop and passed them all with flying colors.  The only negative comment, was that I should get my LDL down and my Triglycerides (Tri Gs) down from 151 and 127 respectively.  I told my attending physician, that I have had those same numbers since my 20’s, so I was not concerned.  Now it is the late morning of November 13 and, as we are walking to lunch, the attending asks, “Are there any other tests you would like to have completed?”

I said, “Yes, I would like a heart scan as I have heard that this is really a “neat” thing to have done as a baseline.”  The attending said that my heart was fine and did not warrant such a test.  I said, “You have put me through the ‘wringer’ and it is time for a test I want.”  She relented.  I had the scan and went to lunch.  I had pot roast, mashed potatoes with gravy, green beans with carrots and a pint of draft beer.  I then proceeded to my exit review prior to heading home, confident that all was well.

At 1:30 pm on November 13, that all changed.  That is when I was given the bad news that the Left Main of my heart was calcified from the wall of the heart to the branch of the Circumflex and LAD.  I had a calcium score of 337.  I looked at the scan and all I could say was “That don’t look good!”.  There was then an immediate consult with a Cardiologist who immediately wanted to do a stress echo cardiogram. 

Not kidding..., at this point I was scared.  So I said I had business to do back home, and let’s reschedule next week, which was Turkey Week.  We set up a time on Wednesday November 20^th.   Needless to say the ride home was not good.  I cried most of the way.  When I hit Menominee, Wisconsin, I looked to heaven and said, “Well Lord, you have given me another cross, I guess it is up to me to bear it or toss it.  You know I will carry it but would you please give some clues as to why?”

I got home and my wife was less than interested in my prognosis.  She thought I was kidding.  So, I explained it all to her and her reaction was not of denial just, I guess, but of disgust.  She took Wednesday off and we went to Mayo at her insistence as she later said I must have convinced them to say what they said (not kidding).  The crash cart was next to me when I had the stress test - - - that test really sucks.   Now it is no big deal, but back then it hurt.  I asked the attending “Why the cart?” and they said, "You have a high probability of a 'cardiac opportunity' during the test."

Well, I passed the test with excellent results.  So, confidently, I walked into cardiologists office and was then given a further bombshell.  Turns out that 10% of the folks with this diagnosis end up with an enlarged artery, which then results in an arteriole blowout.  Just what killed my mother, her mother, four uncles and two aunts.  The cardiologist went on to say it is a good way to die as one just passes out, with little to no pain. I have always embraced honesty but this was, a might over the top - but still appreciated.  Dr. Williams told him to be blunt with me as I can take it and appreciate it.  

Between the time of the scan and the stress test, I buried my head in the web with regard to cardiac information.  Remember this is 2002 - - - the dark ages of search and even darker ages of posted material.  Well, I learned from the cardiologist that surgery would only work if I had a rupture at the clinic as one has about twenty minutes and then one’s brain is gone.  Also, in this case, this surgery cannot be covered by insurance as it would be considered elective.  I was struck by the irony that the insurance company would cover my one million dollar death benefit but not a $250k surgery to prevent my death.  Wow!  Perhaps they should considering getting an MBA from a good school.

The attending also had a private conversation with my then wife and then a joint counseling session.  As the session ended, he took me back into his office and pointed out, that in his opinion, my then-wife really does not want you to be healthy.  So he suggested the following, “Divorce your wife, buy a Harley, find a bimbo, drive to Venice Beach, and sell surfboard wax.”  Why?  “Because you will be dead in the next four years.” (this quote was later read into my divorce proceedings)

He was this harsh at the insistence of Dr. W.  The attending later told me that he is a good read of people and he aims to be honest.  My response to him was that my body got me into this mess and my body will get me out, my then-wife aside.  Later, he stated to Dr. W., that I was in denial but Dr. W. said, "You just don't know him."

So, now began my journey into the world of cardiology.  I had always wanted to be a doctor, so here is my big chance - - - a captive patient (me).  Without exaggeration, from November 13, 2002, to date, I have spent on the average 4 hours per night reading peer-reviewed literature associated with cardiology and the associated tentacles of thinking.  So, without any hesitation, I can safely say I have well over 11,000 hours of data mining.  Dr. D pointed out to me that he is sure I can hold my own with any cardiologist and that he, along with other physicians, feels that I should go to medical school.  Been thinking about it.

So, what were the milestones?  I cannot give a complete run down of everything I read, as I never saved the stuff.  I read - - - then did - - - and then moved on.  I had nothing to lose and being a good Six Sigma Black Belt, I know how to run tests (but, on myself).  Also, of note, I have a photographic memory.  Due to my experimentation, I have been referred to as a “walking talking lab rat”.  But I did come up with some really interesting insights early on and actually cleaned up my Left Main!  But the Dragon came back with a vengeance.   All the while without any support from my friends or family - - - not so much as one heart-smart meal at home.  … Much like being a ice hockey goalie (which back in the day I was pretty good at) - - -it is just me and the puck - - - here it is just me and the plaque… - - - either you stop it or you "lose" (read as die).

I remember my grandpa Ed who lived to be 92.  He was fond of the saying, “I plan to live to 100 or die in the attempt.”  Well, I took that Laplander humor and applied it me.  I will do my best and if I don’t make it at least others will know what not to do or a better direction to go in. 

I often say this to the athletes I coach:
"In life, in any given situation, one can either be a winner, a loser, or a victim.  If you keep your nose clean, work hard, work smart, and pay attention, you will win far more than you lose - - - but every now and then you will lose - - - no worries - - - but what is unacceptable is being a victim.  I chose not be a victim.

So, here are my observations/actions and approximately the time I made them:
 
2002 to 2005:

a.) Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) increases from the equator to the North, then drops off - - - I made this observation in early 2003 - - - it has to be Vitamin D related = = = I later discovered the Vitamin D web site which validated my observations.  Same goes for MS.

b.) Exercise boosts HDL - - - but to get a significant bump one needs to exercise to 90% of maximum heart rate for about an hour every three days.  This was later verified by Norwegian research.  Getting there was bizarre!  Think about it, pushing your heart to help your heart when you may blow out your heart.  Looking back, that took some real gonads.  Now I can keep my heart rate at 180 beats per minute for two hours.  Why is that significant?  Well, about a 20 point bump - my Mayo attending physician mentioned that for every thirty miles you run a week your HDL goes up 2 points.  I said to him, if you want me to get my HDL up 20 points I need to run 300 miles a week!  I thought that sounded excessive.  But, I took that observation and 'ran with it' and with all the testing I have completed, I did find out how to make that happen without needing that mileage.

c.) HDL and LDL last about three days in your system.  That is important to remember.

d.) Cheap carbs are bad and fat is good (figured this out in 2003).

e.) Alcohol (a good scotch) is good for you, as it bumps your HDL.

f.) CAD follows bone formation kinetics - - - has to be vitamin D related in some way, shape, or form.   (Just try to get a D test in early 2003 - - - let alone purchase it- - - the physicians thought I was nuts).  Guess what, my vitamin D levels were low - go figure.

g.) CAD only happens typically after significant hormonal changes - - - ladies post-menopause and men who are reaching andropause.  So, hormones play a role - turns out most likely with regard to gut bacteria signaling (that's out of the box and not yet grasped by the medical community).

h.) CAD is stimulated by insulin - - -so cut out the cheap carbs - as they overstimulate your insulin levels.  High fat and high protein is the way to go.

i.) CAD is stimulated by the wrong oils.  So, Olive, Fish, Almond, Butter, & MacNut are good for you.  The rest will “kill”.  This has to do with the APO B-100 formation  - - - too much bad oil and one gets small dense LDLs (I call them golf balls) while what you want is beach balls (large and fluffy).  Note:  the only cholesterol test worth anything is one's particle size and number.

j.) Early in 2003 I stated that CAD appears to be a gut problem - - - at the time I did not really understand the significance of that statement.  It clearly relates to what is happening in your gut!  Validated years later.

k.) Thyroid matters.  Could talk about this for days, but suffice to say keep your Free T3 as high as possible and drive your TSH to as low as possible.  Remember the USA TSH standards are way higher than Europe.

l.) Salt is good for you as it bumps up HDL.  It is only bad for you if you have kidney issues.  

m.) Four shots of “booze” is good for you if you keep your B vitamins up as this bumps up the HDL.

n.) Magnesium and Selenium are critical as this relates to good electrical signals, relaxed arteries (read as low Blood Pressure) and proper enzyme function.  Manganese is also important but you can get that by eating pineapple - - - don't take it as supplement.

o.) The ratio of Copper to Zinc is equally critical - - - again they relate to enzymes and the "killing" of viruses and bacteria.

p.) Fish oil matters, but only works if taken with milk (not kidding = = = research from Hungary) - - - taking fish oil typically drops your Tri-G by about 50% if taken with milk or a meal with fat in it.  If you take fish oil without milk or fat, it is not effective.  That was a fun experiment.  I did it over a week and to this day, I can "bounce" my TGs by just not taking my Fish Oil with a dietary fat.

q.) Get your body fat to below 15% if a male and 20% if female.  Having body fat at high levels is a bad actor as excess fat gives off really "bad stuff" within the rest of your body.  

r.) Teens don’t have CAD - - - very significant given the junk food injested.  So, what's different?  (a question asked by process engineers all the time).  

s.) Infants have CAD until about when their hormonal systems kick in.  (I call that a real my my my).  

t.) Arteries are “insulted” by viruses, bacteria, chemicals, and just plain mechanics of motion.  If it moves it breaks - - - so the body repair crew needs to be on their game.  It is this same crew that in turn - - - turns on you.  So, keep the repair crew happy and "kill the invaders".  

u.) HDL over 60 is good, TGs under 60 is good, at the time LDL under 60 is good (later proven to be way wrong on the LDL).  Why?  Later in the story.

v.) CAD is a surface chemistry problem later figured out in 2011.  In this case the LDL and HDL carry vitamins K and D and A - - - turns out this is critical (something the author figured out on his own).  

w.) Creed:  Slow it down, stop it, clean it out, and make sure it don’t come back.  In the case of CAD, there is no short-cut.  As near as I can tell, it takes about three years to get the system back on track.

x.) Learned how to heart rate train - - - which has to do with being a good athlete.  More about that at some later time.

y.) Keep your vitamin C, Lysine, and Arginine high (Arginine is a pituitary stimulator which is a good thing).  

By early 2005, I had the Dragon on the run.  I had gotten this far without a statin (well I was given one and it really screwed me up).  To make a serious point, from November 2002 to 2005, I had severe diarrhea all the time due to the 16 grams of vitamin C I was taking along with yogurt (really a bad combination as I later figured out).  Getting my mega-doses of vitamins was a challenge in and of itself and getting tested about every 6 to 8 weeks, so as to measure my progress was costly.

By early 2005 I had met Dr. D. as I read his book and was actively looking for a holistic physician and finding one who is also a cardiologist was a plus!  Also, his office was located near to a place where I would get my EBT heart scans (EBT is the most safe and accurate type of heart scan).  My score was in regression and all was right with the world.  My left main had completely cleared up from the calcium score of 337 - - - I was a "happy camper".  

Then the roof fell in.  A vaccination for MMR.  Why did I get it?  Well, a GP convinced me that if I was going to Russia, it was a good idea.  At that time I did not realize how dumb and dangerous a decision that would turn out to be!  It damn near made me a Type 2 diabetic.  My calcium score skyrocketed at a rate unheard of.  All, including me, were confounded as to what happened.  Only in a brief discussion with my dear old Aunt Phyllis did she point out, "Could it have been an injection you received?"  The following is my march into hell’s furnace one more time.

2005 to 2010

a.) The vaccinations had caused damage.  I had to do something about my injured pancreas.  I took a chelated Vanadium which put my pancreas to sleep.  (Did you know Vanadium was used years ago to treat diabetics, before the invention of insulin).  So for three years I used Vanadium in place in insulin.  This allowed my pancreas to regenerate itself and now my insulin is fine.  Hats off to the biochemist that brought this to market (he is from BC Canada).  (Watch out, it tends to make your stools turn kelly green!)

b.) I  Became a contributing member of Track Your Plaque which has allowed me to meet additional folks who like to think and solve problems that are cardiac related.  I have learned a whole bunch there.  I became a contributing member at the insistence of Dr. D. - - - he said I had much to offer.  It is the "Manhattan Project" of heart disease.  

c.) Turns out vaccinations are not good, especially if one is taking high dose Vitamin C, as your immune system is basically resting, as the vitamin C is doing the “rat killing” along with the vitamin D and lysine.  Inject yourself with something like a vaccine and your system goes “nuts” and attacks all sorts of organs.  The adrenals, pituitary, testes, and the thyroid are really screwed up to this day.  Why?  Had to do with the production of MMP-2 and MMP-9.  Could this be the clue to the suspicion that vaccinations are not at all that safe to some people?

d.) Basically, the recommended daily allowance values for vitamins is way off, and is generally too low except for A.  (Eat a carrot and don't take vitamin A.)  The medical and pharmaceutical communities are not invested in holistic knowledge, or in establishing the efficacy of vitamins for health.  The values they propose are mostly too low, rendering the vitamins ineffective in many cases, thus making it possible for their health benefits to be discounted.  Case in point is the steady increase in the Recommended Daily Allowance for Vitamin D over the last ten years.  It has been tragically enlightening.

e.) The stress of a divorce really screws up your blood work - - - so keep the stress down, cortisol is not your friend.

f.) In October of 2007 I was divorced.  The "stress" did not change the blood chemistry one bit.  Why?  After having been an ice hockey goalie and at this point, after living five years with the Grim Reaper, I just took it in stride.

g.) You do want fluffy LDL.  Particle size matters.  (I later figured out why).  It has to do with the ability of the LDL and HDL particles to carry the A,D, and K vitamins.  How?  My Surface Chemistry class at the Institute of Paper Chemistry helped me understand.  It turns out that dropping your LDL levels makes sense, because if you don't have vitamins K and D to go around on those particles, the LDL tends to "rust".  That causes a whole bunch of other issues.  

h.) The days were still dark as the plaque continued to progress but slowly.

i.) I tried everything under the sun and have the blood work to show it and it did not matter.  Reference the attached blood work.  Clearly, modern cardiology doesn't get it yet.  I even tried vitamin K2 (MK7) at the insistence of Dr. D.  I tried it at the recommended dosage, then doubled it, and no change at all to anything.  Little did I know that the dose I was taking (even when doubled) was not even close to the level that is really required.  

j.) APO-E does matter (Please read about in the Cardiac Manifesto).  I am 3/3.  Those who 3/4 and 4/4 are vitamin K challenged and need more vitamin K to be healthy.

k.) By July of 2010, I finally damn near gave up.  That is when I took a week off from work and devoted one last try to figure out what I missed - - - why did I clean up the Left Main?  I had done everything humanly possible under strict scientific conditions and still this CAD is progressing.  So, I sequestered myself in my house and burrowed through the literature.  I spent about 115 hours reading and thinking (I only need 4 to 5 hrs of sleep). 

l.) By entering a key word search wrong, I found literature associated with Vitamin K.  I then realized I was in the right place but at the wrong level.  Vitamin K is key, and I had been taking only a fraction of the dosage needed to help.  The race was now on. 

During this 115+ hours I found some good articles on the surface chemistry of LDL and HDL.  Also found that LDL and HDL are the carriers for vitamin D throughout the body.  That was a real My My My moment. 

At this point I feel I turned the corner.  For instance, why did I clean my artery up?  Well, I believe I set my gut bacteria up to make the vitamin Ks that I needed.  How do I know?  Well, during this time I ate a lot of sauerkraut and broccoli, which were heaven to the 'critters' in my gut as they are high in vitamin K content.  By accident I was doing the right thing.  The vaccination had wiped out my 'gut buddies', the bacteria in my gut that were healthy.  Hence, my vitamin K production went away as a result of that vaccination.  Look at my blood work and you will see what I am talking about.  

m.) Remember, you are what you absorb!

July 2010 to Present:

a.) Created the cardiac manifesto - - most likely the best analysis of CAD ever clearly and simply written - - - read it and reflect on it.  It really sums up the salient points.

b.) I first ordered up vitamin K1 and started to take it.  My blood work started to slowly change (I was taking 10 mg).  

c.) Now, I needed to get my hands on high amounts of vitamin K.  Finally got my hands on MK-7 - - - in doing so, I felt like some sketchy individual attempting to do some "Miami Vice" type stunt.  But, patience, persistence, and perseverance pays.  My quest started by going to Las Vegas to a Vitamin Conference so that I could 'score some K  :-).  Felt like one of the Furry Freak Brothers.

d.) Come December of 2010, I told my doctors what I was doing and what the results should be (obtw, I was on 20 mg of Crestor at the time as well).  

e.) Results as predicted - - - take vitamin K and the LDL and HDL lipid profiles profoundly change regardless of whether you are taking a statin.  This floored the doctors and the entire Track Your Plaque team.

f.) First thing I did was drop the Crestor and guess what?  As predicted my LDL stabilized, my HDL stayed high and my TGs leveled out.  I felt great!  Six months later  - - - my score finally regressed by 18% !!!!!!!!!

g.) I had even better luck with the addition of MK-4 which was another titanic struggle in its procurement.

h.) I went to a Vitamin K conference and that solidified what was missing - - - this group had not met in nine years, and Dr. Transit stumbled across the meeting notice and we decided to attend.  This was ground breaking.

i.) Gut bacteria are critical in this process and they are also highly sensitive to vaccinations.  There is really good work out there on the administration of anti-biotics and vitamin K levels.  In 2012 I had an Indian biochemist in Kolkata verify and validate this.  

j.) MMP-2 and MMP-9 are real bad actors and need to be reduced to zero, so take your Astaxanthin (Astaxanthin coats the leukocytes and neutrophils thus preventing the production of MMP-2 and 9).  If you wish, Doxycycline does the same thing at 10 mg per day - - - might explain the low rate of CAD in Taiwan since they routinely take Doxy for malaria.

k.) Your body will naturally put the LDL in a 120 to 160 range and make it fluffy if you keep off the bad oils and cheap carbs.

l.) The liver looks at the vitamin K and D levels and adjusts the amount of vitamin A in proportion to your body - - -so eat your carrots - - - beta carotene is far safer than taking vitamin A.

m.) One cannot really take too much vitamin D and K or carrots (lol).

n.) If you take K-1 you will stop bruising - - - you will not “jelly yourself” with clotted blood. The PIVKA II is the cheapest vitamin K test to take.  The best to date is the uncarboxylated osteocalcin test, but it is expensive.  

o.) Stay away from high fructose stuff as it will cause liver fat, which ends up being an "organ" onto itself, which in turn makes chemicals that really are not that good for you.

p.) Stay away from artificial sweeteners as these "chemical critters" have a chemical life of their own and this life is not conducive to your wellbeing.

q.) Coffee is good, as is tea as they both have a good mix of anti-oxidants.  

r.) The degree of carboxylation is critical to know - - - - the more K you take the more carboxylated you become - - - this is a good thing - - - take vitamin K and get your degree of carboxylation tested.

s.) Most people, if not all people, are vitamin K deficient.  That is why as a society we like fat, as our genetic diet history is imprinted in us that fat has vitamin K in it.  So, we go for fatty foods even though there is not K in it.  My my my.

t.) Folks who are APOE-4/4 clear vitamin K faster than everyone thus making them vulnerable to getting Alzheimer's (not kidding), as they live their life vitamin K deficient.  This means that you need to get your APOE genotype tested.  As it turns out, we folks are 2/2 = = = 3/3/ = = = 4/4 and then combinations of each.  This 4/4 genotype is associated with Alzheimers.  Why?  Well, it turns out that Alzheimers is a function, in part, to the level of vitamin K in the system.  The folks that are 4/4 or 4/3 process the vitamin K out of the system much faster than the other combinations resulting in a K deficiency.  So, if you have the 4/4 it appears that you need to take more K than average.  So, test, test, test, to determine how much you need if you have the 4/4.  Is it two pills or three or "X", one does not know unless you test.  Most likely one would use more MK7 than vitamin K1 or MK4.  

u.) Vitamin C works. Since I began taking high doses of vitamin C, I have not had infections, nor the typical flu and colds that go around every year.  Throw in lysine (eat 6 eggs per day) and one is fairly protected from infection.  Just look at my CRP (C-Reactive Protein) test which is a measure of infection in one's body.

v.) High dose B vitamins are important as this keeps the APO B-100 in check.

w.) I got off of statins and will not ever go back - - - turns out it is the coating on the LDL and HDL particle that makes all the difference.  This is further clarified in the cardiac manifesto that you can find on this website.  To summarize why, the move to drop LDL and raise HDL and drop TG's is based on a simple notion that if one lowers the LDL low enough and raises the HDL high enough, then one will have the correct ratio of LDL and HDL to available K and D!!!!!!!  This is not discussed in the literature, but from a biochemical perspective, this must be going on and makes sense if this is a surface chemistry issue.  Here is the downside to statins, as the LDL is lowered by the statin so are your hormones (as hormones are based on LDL via Pregnenolone - the famous Grandmother hormone).  

Just remember, if one removes all LDL all at once, one dies (NOT KIDDING).  Additionally, it has been shown that CAD progresses when the LDL is over 180 and cancer progresses when the LDL is under 100.  So given this fact, why lower LDL and risk cancer due to the lack of hormones.  If one manages the intake of cheap carbs and bad fats, the LDL automatically falls into the good range of 110 to 180 and HDL jumps to between 65 and 85.  It appears to be that simple.  From the author's own experience, this holds to be true.  I have the tests to prove it.

x.) I am the first to recognize that the ratio of vitamin A to D to K is critical (that’s my idea).  So, keep your vitamins D and K up, and your liver will do the rest.

y.) Reversed Aunt Phyllis' osteoporosis and her blood chemistry is out of this world for an elderly woman.

z.) Astaxanthin works in binding MMP-2 and MMP-9 - - - thanks to the Track Your Plaque crowd for turning me on to this.  It appears that vaccinations cause the over-production of the MMPs and as a result all sorts of "bad stuff" happens beyond CAD.  (MMP stands for matrix metalloproteinase)

STOPPED MY PROGRESSION AND HAD REGRESSION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Retired after 23 years as a corporate troubleshooter with a major paper company.  My analytical problem solving skills really played a big role in the sleuthing out of the problem.  As I stated, which is a paraphrase of Spok, when one has ruled out the logical, rational, and the reasonable, all that is left and where the answer lies is buried in the illogical, irrational, and the unreasonable.  Put another way, think out side the box!

Well, there you have it.  As my memory gets better (LOL) I will fill in some more “blanks”.  It truly has been one long strange trip.

Some final words of wisdom:

a.) If CAD was diet alone then most teens would not see their 30th birthday.
b.) APOE gene plays a role - - - so get it tested - - - 3/4 and 4/4 means that you have to take much more vitamin K than normal due to clearance rates.
c.) CAD is gut bacteria related.
d.) CAD is related to thyroid status and TSH below 1.0 is desired with Free T3 over 3.0 is best.
e.) Keep your cheap carbs to a minimum.
f.) CAD is hormone related.
g.) CAD is related to vitamin D status.
h.) CAD is related to the ratio of vitamins A to D to K.
i.) Avoid vaccinations especially MMR (Measles, mumps and rubella).
j.) Taking vitamin C prevents viruses and bacteria only when taking sufficient levels.  A sufficient level would be well over 4 grams per day. Just look at the Ape research.
k.) You want vitamin A, so eat two carrots per day.
l.) Exercise is highly overrated. One must keep one’s heartrate over 90% for over 45 min to positively impact the HDL.  One is better off at 60% to 65% for an hour.
m.) Belly/visceral fat is bad.
n.) Osteoporosis and Alzheimers are K related.
o.) One can reverse Type 2 Diabetes by using Vanadium.
p.) Avoid artificial sweetener and HFCS.
q.) Sleep is good.
r.) Keep your Magnesium over 1 gram per day as Mg.
s.) If one has an issue with B-12 metabolism then use MTFR so get tested for that genetic defect.
t.) IMHO the ratio is in reality A needs D but D does not need A and D needs K but K does not need D but K does need A. It is basically how they are packed or carried on the LDL and HDL particle (PJT original understanding)
u.) Remember: vitamin A is produced by the liver and packaged or placed on the surface of the LDL and HDL particles.   As I’ve stated for years, Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) is a surface chemistry issue and it is the surface of the small and large LDL particles that are key.

As stated before:
on small LDL particles it appears that the A/D/K vitamins are either bound too tight or the geometry is such that one or more is left off.   On the large LDL it is not a matter of binding, but a matter of whether the entire LDL particle is coated with the “right stuff”.   This explains in part the OXY LDL (reas as ‘rusty’ LDL) of large LDL particles.

How do you know if you are at the right level?  My best guess is that when you have the correct amount of the “right stuff”, your LDL and HDL particles rise to a certain point and then do not move up or down from there in any significant fashion.  This has been my own experience.   My LDL and HDL particles both bumped up, even when on Crestor, so I got off Crestor and only then did my lipids stabilize as did my particle size.

v.) Note: If vitamin D goes up, then uncarboxylated osteocalin (ucO) stays the same. This makes sense and validates the observation that gut bacteria are being signaled by something other than vitamin K levels to produce vitamin K.
w.) It has been shown that hemodialysis patients are prone to severe coronary artery disease.  They are also deficient in vitamin K.
x.) Good to know: vitamin D3 – induces the secretion of Matrix Gla Protein, and vitamin A - regulates MGP level, and then K2 - activates MGP.
y.) It just might turn out that the Astaxanthin modulates the Neuts and Leuks in such a way that their production of MMPs is not only muted BUT possibly the MMPs have their chemical structure slightly modified such that they do not OVERREACT to system irritation.  I was reviewing this with a Biochemist last night and when I showed him the chemical structures and the ability to mute Peroxide production he fully agreed with me that the ASTA is a powerful Peroxide "binder".  Throw K into the Mix and you have the best of both worlds.
z.) There are two dosages of “vitamins”.  One is maintenance and the other is therapeutic and it is key to know the difference.  The good news is that K is non-toxic at all dosages and D is basically non-toxic below 15,000 iu/’s/day.

As stated early on with the Track Your Plaque group - We have a surface chemistry problem and a gut problem.  

We are getting closer….