My suggestion is to continue to get off the good ol' boy diet and smokes asap and learn to love the wonderful world of mostly raw or lightly steamed veggies and fruits and then consider the following supplements (I'll give you a bit more than just a replacement for Plavix ):

For the Heart:

The following are all essentials for optimum heart health:

• Hawthorne Berry Syrup (I use Dr. Christopher's and love it)

• Cayenne

• CoQ10

• Calcium and Magnesium (supplement two to one)

and take a look at the following for further suggestions and information:

http://www.tbyil.com/Heart_Disease.htm

For High Cholesterol:

• Sure gel apple or grapefruit pectin (jam & jelly stiffener).  Take one heaping teaspoon in a cup of hot water nightly before bed.  Two acids in the Sure gel help dissolve cholesterol deposits in the blood vessels.  In about a month or less, the bad cholesterol should be much lower, and as a side affect, any heavy metals (generally, industrial toxins) should be flushed from your system. Sure gel Grapefruit pectin is 100 times stronger, but tastes awful and oxidizes and interferes with many medications.

• Vinegar, apple juice and white grape juice.  Mix 1 to 2 cup of apple cider vinegar, four cups of apple juice and three cups of white grape juice.  Drink six ounces every day before breakfast.  Used very effectively by Pennsylvania Amish families.

• Garlic.  Is cholesterol’s natural enemy.  Eat three cloves daily to lower blood pressure, build immune system and guard against cancer.

• Pomegranate juice.  New studies indicate that pomegranate juice not only appears to prevent hardening of the arteries by reducing blood vessel damage, but the antioxidant-rich juice may also reverse the progression of this disease.

• Green Tea.  Drink one or more glasses a day.  Powerful antioxidant and anti-cancer properties too.

• Turmeric.  Found in curry seasoning and plain yellow mustard.  Lowers cholesterol, helps guard against Alzheimer’s and may help protect smokers from cancer.

• Walnuts.  Eat a half cup of walnuts every day.  Almonds are also good.

• Oatmeal.  Eat a bowl of oatmeal every day for breakfast. Top with walnuts or almond bits and blueberries.

• Cinnamon, water and honey.  Take 10 pieces of cinnamon sticks (one inch each).  Powder and then boil in five teacups of water. Add a teaspoon of honey and have a hot cup of this mixture every day.  From India.

• Onion juice reduces cholesterol and works as a tonic for nervous system. It cleans blood, helps digestive system, cures insomnia and regulates the heart action & helps in lowering cholesterol.

• Sunflower seeds contain a substantial amount of linoleic acid which is helpful in reducing cholesterol deposits on the walls of the arteries. Substituting oil of sunflower seeds for some of the solid fats like butter & cream will, therefore lead to a great improvement in health & lower cholesterol.

• Other good foods to help lower cholesterol:  Flaxseeds, soy (due to concerns about unfermented soy products increasing the risk for certain cancers, use only fermented soy products such as miso and tempeh), lentils, beans, salmon, avocado, spinach and other dark green leafy vegetables, margarine with no trans-fats or hydrogenated ingredients, other nuts, dark chocolate, whole wheat and other grains.

• Omega 3 oils such as fish, borage and flax oil.  Lower bad cholesterol and raise the good cholesterol levels.

For the diabetes and low blood sugar:

In addition to sensible dieting and physical activities, the following have all shown the ability to help with diabetes:

• Iodine - Iodine is a key element in fighting diabetes because it helps regulate the thyroid and is essential for a healthy liver, gallbladder, pancreas, spleens and more.  While it is well known that diet, obesity, food allergies, viral infections, and stress are all contributing factors for diabetes, it is less widely recognized that these factors are often either a cause of or caused by a weak liver, spleen, and pancreas.

• GTF Chromium (Glucose Transport Factor Chromium) - The primary role of insulin is glucose transport is the primary role of insulin, chromium's main function is increasing insulin's efficiency in regulating blood sugar levels.  In one study of 180 men and women with Type II diabetes, researchers divided the subjects into three groups, each receiving twice daily doses of either 200 mcg or 500 mcg of chromium or a placebo. The patients were allowed to continue with their usual diet and medications. At the end of two months, those who took 1,000 mcg of chromium daily showed significant improvement in insulin response, the number if insulin receptors, and levels of blood lipids (fats and cholesterol)0. It took four months the group taking 400 mcg chromium daily to improve as much as the higher dosage group. However, all the patients taking chromium showed measurable improvement in their diabetes-related symptoms

Source: "Chromium in the Prevention and Control of Diabetes" by Richard A. Anderson, PhD, Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 1998

• Pycnogenol -  Pycnogenol is a powerful antioxidant derived from French maritime pine tree bark and the subject of more than 180 studies over 35 years which has been shown to reduce high blood pressure, LDL cholesterol and blood glucose without affecting insulin levels. Of particular note is its ability to reduce leakage into the retina by repairing capillaries in the eyes. While still largely unknown to American doctors, Pycnogenol is the leading prescription for diabetic retinopathy in France.

• "Oleander Extract" - A carefully prepared aqueous extract of the oleander plant made according to the directions at

http://www.tbyil.com/oleandersoup.htm

http://www.tbyil.com/tips.htm

Note:  Oleander is highly toxic in raw form, but safe when boiled and strained according to the directions in the book.

• Bitter Guord - Make a watery juice of a small Bitter Guord (remove seeds) and drink every morning.  Bitter Guord also helps to clear pimples and maintain a good skin, and is good for de-worming the intestines.

• Cayenne Pepper - Cayenne Pepper is hypo-glycemic, which means it lowers blood sugar levels. It also relieves diabetic complications like nerve damage and heart disease

• Gymnema Sylvestre -  Is a plant that grows in the tropical forests of central and southern India and in parts of Africa. Herbalists in India have used the leaves of this long, slender plant as a treatment for diabetes for more than 2,000 years. The Hindu word "gumar," which means "sugar destroyer," describes the primary use of the herb in traditional Indian medicine. So strong is this herb that powered gymnema root has also been used to treat snake bites, constipation, stomach complaints, water retention, and liver disease. Doctors in India note that Gymnema Sylvestre is used in the treatment of diabetes mellitus and in food additives against obesity and caries.

• Prickly Pear Cactus (Nopal) - Prickly pear could reduce blood sugar rises after a meal by up to 50 per cent according to a recent study.  Prickly pear cactus is widely used to control blood sugar and diabetes and the cactus pads are consumed regularly in Mexico,.

• Blackseed Oil (Nigella Sativa) -  Also called black cumin seed (be sure that it is Nigella sativa regardless of what it is referred to as).  Blackseed oil is legendary for its medicinal properties and has been used for thousands of years (Click here for more information). Preliminary research in animal trials has shown that that an extract from Nigella sativa seeds can reduce elevated blood sugar levels and the antioxidant activity of the extract may prevent the complications associated with uncontrolled type II diabetes.

• Fenugreek seed - Soak fenugreek seeds in about one teaspoon in water at night, drink that water in the morning and chew and eat the soaked seeds.  Helps reduce blood sugar.

Sources:

http://www.tbyil.com/Heart_Disease.htm

http://www.tbyil.com/High_Cholesterol.htm

http://www.tbyil.com/Diabetes.htm

The Hawthorne Berry Syrup and Cayenne alone should make him feel considerably better, but don't stop there!

All the best,

Tony