The death of "D"

The D in this case is not vitamin D it is Heavy D the American rapper who died on 11/8/11 at the age of 44. Unlike many other successful entertainers Heavy D maintained a clean image and even though I was sad to hear of his death I was glad to hear that it was not due to drugs, alcohol or violence like so many other entertainers. Although dying from a pulmonary embolism sounds like a "that's to bad" or "there was nothing that could have been done" it is easily preventable when you know how it develops.

Keeping it simple: a thrombus is a type of blood cell called a platelet that adheres or sticks together at a tear in the inner, endothelial, lining of the blood vessel. These platelets are also called thrombocytes hence the name thrombus when they clump together on the exposed collagen. Remember collagen is on the outside of the endothelial lining, inner wall, of the blood vessel. This means that if your blood vessels are healthy and strong no thrombus develops to break off and no death by cardio or pulmonary embolism when the thrombus gets stuck in a smaller vessel.

Platelets or thrombocytes adhere to collagen fibers, this is prevented by the inner endothelial lining of your blood vessels. As long as your inner, endothelial lining is intact platelets and collagen do not meet and no thrombus develops. When the lining is disrupted by injury or pathological change, platelets stick to the exposed collagen fibers. This starts a negative cascade and every platelet that now comes by becomes sticky forming a clot or thrombus. As more platelets get stuck the clot becomes bigger, the blood vessel becomes blocked and this is a thrombus or Deep Vein Thrombosis(DVT). This can cause a thrombosis at the site or break off and float around, called an embolism, until it gets stuck somewhere else usually in a small vessel in the heart or lungs causing a cardio or pulmonary thrombosis and death.

The simple math is this: Simple carbohydrates/junk food and junk drinks=Blood vessel irritation=Blood vessel inflammation=Blood vessel tearing=Platelets sticking/clotting=Blood vessel blockage=Thrombosis=Death.

The way to prevent this is as simple as adding more fruits and vegetables to your day, these protect your blood vessels, and avoid the packaged and processed bagged and boxed food. Also, if they handed it to you through the window you can bet it can kill you.