Writing Exercise #15

Heart Disease

A research project I’m happy to fund is that of microbial influence on developing atherosclerosis and its contribution to heart disease. A major player in the nation’s healthcare crisis is Congestive Heart Failure (CHF.) CHF is a condition brought on by atheroscleroses in varying degrees. It is usually not named as CHF until someone actually has fluid backup due to failure. The symptoms range from shortness of breath, swelling in lower extremities, and eventually life threatening heart condition. A large number of our population gets this diagnosis, they spend a large amount of time in hospitals to treat the symptoms, and it causes many repeated trips to a primary care physician or specialist. It is not a disease that can be cured, it is an ongoing and progressively damaging condition that we spend millions of dollars treating. The ways we treat our body for years leading up to a diagnosis of CHF are crucial. This includes managing our microbial communities. I would like to push research back in the disease progression and look at some earlier ways we can work towards reducing symptoms and progression on heart disease.

We will likely learn how to better balance our diet, and how to better manage surrounding tissues to keep the load on the heart balanced over time. Years of maintenance will help our heart be prepared for old-age.

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