5 Powerful and Tasty Heart-Healthy Fall Foods

Eating with the seasons is not only one of the keys to long-term health in general but long-term heart health in particular. When you eat food in season and preferably local too it is fresher, tastes better, and usually contains more heart-healthy antioxidants which help prevent cholesterol from oxidizing. I believe one of the reasons the traditional people of the Mediterranean region (particularly the people of Crete) experienced a low incidence of heart disease had a lot to do with the fact that they ate food that was seasonally available and locally grown versus highly processed or shipped from afar.

One way to determine what foods are seasonal is to shop at a local farmer’s market, but what happens in late fall and winter? In my area, there are no farmer’s markets because the growing season is over. What foods help lower cholesterol and are in season during this time of year? Late fall and winter foods are the ones that are harvested (fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds) or caught (fish) in the fall. For a list of the top 5 heart-healthy fall foods see below:

Apples have been shown to have a very positive cardiovascular effect due primarily to the water-soluble fiber (pectin) that they contain and their unusual mix of polyphenols. By eating just one apple a day it is possible to lower your total and LDL cholesterol. In addition, apples contain quercetin which has strong anti-inflammatory properties. Reducing inflammation in the body is necessary to help prevent cholesterol from oxidizing. Quercetin is found at its highest levels in the skin of the apple so be sure to buy organic.

Oranges contain limonin which is currently being researched to see if it has cholesterol- lowering effects when eaten. It appears that limonin reduces the production of a structural protein needed for LDL production. It is possible that higher levels of this structural protein may in fact lead to higher LDL levels and vice versa. In addition to limonin, special compounds in orange peels may also lower cholesterol, and they are thought to lower it as effectively as statin drugs. Buy organic oranges and grate some peel on cooked whole grain cereal in the morning or grate it over salad at lunch.

Pears are high in soluble fiber. Soluble fiber coats the intestinal lining so that the body absorbs less cholesterol into the body. In addition, soluble fiber has the added benefit of reducing the amount of cholesterol that the liver produces. The end result is lower cholesterol levels.

Almonds lower total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol due to the heart-healthy monounsaturated fats that they contain. Eating almonds on a daily basis in conjunction with an overall healthy eating plan magnifies the beneficial cholesterol-lowering effects of almonds. In addition to lowering cholesterol, almonds can reduce the risk of heart disease in general. This is possibly due to the antioxidant vitamin E as well as the heart-healthy minerals potassium and magnesium. Almonds also protect against diabetes because they help regulate blood sugar levels. Diabetics are at much greater risk of developing heart disease than the general public.

Lake trout is one of the fish with a relatively high amount of omega-3 fatty acids that is not talked about as often as wild Alaskan salmon. Omega-3 fatty acids are amazing in that they reduce blood pressure and the risk of blood clotting. In addition, they slow the build-up of plaques in the arteries and lower the risk of heart disease in general. It is true that eating more foods containing omega-3 fatty acids can raise the amount of cholesterol in LDL, but it lowers the amount of overall LDL particles circulating in the body. All in all, the heart-healthy benefits far outweigh any negative increase in the amount of cholesterol in LDL.

Need more tips to lower your cholesterol naturally without medication? Check out this free audio “Top 3 Secrets to Lower Your Cholesterol Fast without Drugs or Drastic Dieting” at http://www.cutcholesterolnow.com. Sandra is a certified Heart-Healthy Food Coach.

The Gum Disease and Heart Disease Relationship

Cardiovascular disease is a class of disease that affects the heart and/or blood vessels. It is estimated that more than 80 million people in the United States have one or more forms of cardiovascular disease; these forms include high blood pressure, coronary heart disease (acute heart attack and angina pectoris), stroke, and heart failure. Studies have shown that there is a link between cardiovascular disease and dental periodontal (gum) disease, the chronic inflammation and infection of the gums and surrounding dental tissue. Forms of dental gum disease, such as gingivitis (gum inflammation) and periodontitis (dental bone loss), can be indicators for cardiovascular problems, which is why it is important for individuals at risk for cardiovascular disease to visit a dentist on a regular basis, practice good dental hygiene, and keep their dentist informed of any dental and overall health issues.

How are gum disease and cardiovascular disease connected?

It has been suggested that the inflammatory proteins and bacteria associated with dental gum disease enter a person’s blood stream and can cause various effects on the cardiovascular system. A study published in the Richmond Dental examined the presence of bacteria known to cause dental periodontitis and the thickening of the blood vessel wall typically seen in heart disease. After examining samples from more than 650 dental patients, the Richmond Hill dental researchers concluded that the presence of the same bacteria known to cause dental periodontitis was associated with an increase level of blood vessel thickening. Some Richmond Hill dentists argue that the link between gum disease and heart disease has to do with bacteria in the mouth. People with severe dental disease often experience bleeding gums, and nicks and cuts in the gums can provide a way for bacteria to enter the bloodstream. If the bacteria is not attacked by the immune system in time, it can reach the heart and may cause an infection such as endocarditis or damage other organs.

What can I do to keep my gums and heart health?

Practicing proper dental hygiene is essential to maintaining health gums and teeth. This includes flossing regularly, brushing twice a day with antibacterial toothpaste, and visiting a Richmond Hill dentist at least every six months. A healthy diet and regular exercise can help both your cardiovascular health and your overall health. Obviously, no one wants gum disease. Since prevention of gum disease may also lower your risk of heart disease, it’s a good idea to floss and brush regularly, and to visit a dentist on a regular basis for teeth cleaning and checkups. In some cases, people may also need to take antibiotics before Richmodn Hill dental procedures, to reduce the risk of endocarditis; this is something you should discuss with your dentist.

What do my physician and dentists need to know?

It is important to keep all medical professionals up-to-date on your oral and overall health issues. Inform your physician if you have been diagnosed with a form of periodontal disease or are experiencing any issues with gum inflammation. Likewise, inform your Richmond Hill dentist if you have been diagnosed with any form of cardiovascular disease, have experienced any cardiovascular problems, or have a family history of heart disease.

Dr. David Cheng is a Richmond Hill dentist who’s goal is to educate the public that dental health and overall health are related. Visit the Richmond Hill Dental website for more information.

Choose Exercise To Improve Your Health

What if by chance, someone walked up to you one day and asked you if you would like to be thinner and be able to live a longer life. What would your answer be? Hopefully, the answer would be yes. This almost sounds like it is too good to be true, but it is and the key to achieve this is through exercise. Much research has been done and it is a proven fact that exercise is the key ingredient to living healthier and longer.

When you exercise on a regular basis, it not only helps you to lose weight, it reduces your risk factor for disease and other medical conditions. You must be able to find some type of exercise that you enjoy and fit it in to your daily routine schedule. The benefits of daily exercise will be a long and healthy life.

It is a proven fact that the more exercise you do, the more benefits you reap from it. It does not make any difference what age you are, as exercise benefits everyone who does it. How long should your daily exercise workout be? According to several studies, you should strive for one hour each and every day. You are not required to do the whole hour at once. It can be broken up into increments and you still receive all the health benefits from it as long as you do it!

When you are on a weight loss program, physical exercise plays a major part in it because it allows you to lose as much body fat as possible while maintaining your muscle mass. As previously stated, exercise has many other health benefits and it can help prevent or improve many conditions.

One of these conditions is heart disease. Regular exercise can strengthen your heart muscles and it can lower your blood pressure. It can also increase your good cholesterol and lower your bad cholesterol along with helping your blood flow which in turn helps your heart to operate properly. This helps to reduce the risk of stroke, high blood pressure and other heart diseases.

Researches have concluded that regular exercise reduces your risk of having a stroke and dying from it. They found that people who did moderate exercise, were 20% less apt to have a stroke then people who did not exercise.

Another benefit from exercise, is reducing your risk for type II diabetes. This is a disease that is increasing at an alarming rate. There are over 17 million Americans suffering from this disease. By physical exercise, you can lose weight and help prevent or control this condition. It also helps to improve your blood sugar and cholesterol levels and helped control your blood pressure and these are all important factors for people with type II diabetes. In a study performed by the school of public health, it was found that by walking one hour a day , it could reduce the risk of developing type II diabetes by 34%.

If you suffer from back pain, then exercise can benefit you also. It can help manage your back pain or prevent it . You need to get yourself into a fitness program that strengthens your muscles and increases your flexibility. The key to guard against back pain is to have good posture and a strong abdomen.

Exercise can also prevent some women from developing osteoporosis. They can strengthen their bones by walking, lifting weights, jogging , or stair climbing and this greatly reduces their risk of developing this disease.

These are just a few of the benefits that you can get from regular exercise. If you are considering making a positive change in your lifestyle, then please visit my eating healthy web site where you will find great information on living a long and healthy life.

I am a 52 year old retired mill worker from Maine. I am happily married with 3 wonderful boys. I enjoy hunting, fishing, and reading. My main interests are my family and God. I own a healthy living web site designed to help people live healthy and long lives.
http://eatinghealthyhub.com

Ways of Using Adequate Exercising to Live Better While Pregnant

It is not always proper to prescribe medication for a pregnant woman. The reason is because whatever medication is taken by the expectant mother usually affects the little one inside her so that should be considered at all times. The obstetricians and gynecologists are in better positions of knowing which of the medications that would be most appropriate in check-making any health challenge of a pregnant woman without subjecting the unborn baby to unnecessary risks.

Apart from medication prescription, suggesting the types of exercises that a pregnant woman should undertake isn’t something that will be handled with laxity. There should be complex considerations regarding the general health of the expectant mother, the age of the pregnant, the delivery issues and others. It is also important to note that the exercise program that is fit for one pregnant woman may not be the best for another.

There is absolute need to take proper care of the mother-to-be through adequate antenatal care. The pregnant woman shouldn’t be subjected to any sort of strenuous or harsh physical activities but care should also be taken so that the expectant mother doesn’t stay inactive during pregnancy. The obstetrician’s advise and recommendation is necessary for the pregnant woman so that she doesn’t do anything that would adversely affect the unborn baby.

While visiting the doctor during antenatal, the pregnant woman’s health factors such as the body weight, level of blood pressure, and others are usually monitors so the issue of proper exercising shouldn’t be relegated to the background because it is one sure way of maintaining the appropriate body weight and keeping high blood pressure at bay. Apart from these, the pregnant woman needs to have enough stamina as well as the emotional preparedness needed for safe delivery.

There are numerous health benefits of engaging moderate but normal exercises while pregnant, such as reduced backaches, gaining the needed defiance against fatigue, and an increase in the amount of body oxygen, etc.

It has been noted that certain forms of exercises help to take-in more oxygen into the body system. This oxygen isn’t just needed in the bloodstream but they are required for more energy combustion in the internal body system. This kind of energy combustion is what produces the required strength we need for our day-to day activities. This is even more essential for the pregnant woman who needs more energy to be moving around due to the unborn baby inside her.

Exercising moderately at regular intervals would enable any pregnant woman to have the needed strength and stamina that is required to shove off fatigue and live healthier during pregnancy. It should be the pregnant woman’s priority to ensure that she engages in some form of body exercise so that her muscles don’t get so tired with time.

Proper exercising can be very helpful in curtailing the extent of backache experienced by many pregnant women. You simply have to ask your physician the best form of exercising that would be appropriate for you.

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Vital Benefits of Detoxifying For Fitness and Health

Human bodies are capable of storing some unwanted wastes thereby decreasing the entire body’s health and fitness level. You may begin to feel uneasy and unnecessarily tired without any cause. Some people who aren’t well informed may start thinking that they have some sort of sickness in their body when the truth is that their bodies are filled with undesirable toxins. In some cases, some people whose bodies’ needs detoxification start having some clumsy or dizzy feelings as well as being unable to lose the excess weight that is gained rapidly. Some others may start having some signs of constipation, etc. All these may simply translate to mean that your body is full of unwanted toxins which are clamoring for ways out of your body system.

You may like to know that these toxins and usually stored and are found in the human fat cells. It isn’t uncommon to realize that majority of those that are eating American diets are constantly filling their body systems with unnecessary garbage. For one to effectively detoxify his or her body system, there are certain organs in the human body that specialize in waste management, so there should be special attention given.

A.The consideration is the human liver because it is the organ that specializes in recycling the unwanted chemicals in the body. It works by sorting out what the body needs and those toxins that should be placed in some of the elimination organs for onward excretion from the body system.

B.The lymph glands are also required for proper elimination of toxins from the human body. The excess wastes of the cells in the human body are brought out from the body to the various eliminating organs through a network of tubing. Some of the major lymph glands in the body are spleens, tonsil, appendix and thymus. All these organs play some role in detoxing and cleaning the internal parts of the human body system.

C.The water management of the body is done by the kidney. Drinking plenty of water is advisable because it helps the kidney to properly manage the chemistry of the blood alkaline by eliminating the dissolved acid wastes in the body.

D.The blood air in the human body is purified by the lungs. The waste gasses that are usually found in every cell of the body are normally removed by the lungs. This is done by allowing the oxygen to go through the bloodstream. It is always advisable for one to deep-breath regularly so that there would be enough oxygen in the body system for proper cleansing of the toxins.

E.Another solid waste management organ in the human body is the colon. The majority of the people that are overweight are that way because they are retaining huge amount of waste in the walls if their colons. It is always advisable to clean and detoxify the colon even though it isn’t always easy to do but it really helps in enhancing the individual’s health and fitness level.

Are you looking for more information regarding How To Gain Muscle Fast ? Visit How To Build Muscle Fast today!

The Natural Approach To Reducing The Risk Of Heart Disease

Are you One of the Millions of Folks that is Suffering from Heart Disease or Even Worse?

Have Already Experienced a Heart Attack?

These days it’s not easy not to be acquainted with someone who is either suffering from heart disease, has had a heart attack or has been told they are at risk for heart disease. It’s truly about as ordinary as meeting someone with brown hair. Unfortunately, the media and even many well-meaning doctors are completely misinformed on how to tackle this growing epidemic. It’s the number one killer in the US and plaguing many other countries as well.

What are We to Do?

The top strategy of attack is to combat the risk factors the best we can. Practice the following 5 tips to get you started on a heart healthy plan:

First, dump the smokes. Yes, smoking has been shown to be one of the biggest risk factors in heart disease, mainly because of all the toxic chemicals added to cigarettes (not that I’m recommending tobacco or anything.)

Second, Walking: walking may seem like not much of a challenge right now, solely start by walking. I have known many folks who have strengthened their heart and reversed serious conditions by getting outside and walking. If you can, locate a scenic route. There’s nothing more soothing than the outdoors. (I highly suggest whistling and singing while you stride. It makes for happy thoughts.)

Third, calm down. By this I mean, don’t stress regarding the stuff you don’t have to. This is actually a very funny statement coming from me who used to stress just about everything! Deadlines, laundry, work, family… you name it, I stressed about. Not until I realized that this would kill me no matter how healthy my food was did I drop the stress and pick up the laughter. Right now as I write this newsletter, I’ve got more things that need to get done at present than are by any means possible.

Forth, do not and I reiterate, do not go on a low-fat diet. Your heart condition may get worse in your attempts. Abandon the bad fats (like hydrogenated oil and the nasty oil in French fries and donuts) and start eating more healthy fats like coconut oil, olive oil, salmon, walnuts and whole organic eggs

Fifth, do not be afraid to eat saturated fat. Published medical reports show that eating saturated fats is not what is causing individuals to get heart disease. It is processed foods, sugars and an overabundance of refined carbohydrates that is making this nation so sick. Even tackling each one of these tips one at a time will get you closer to a healthy heart and a lifetime of good health.

Find Out how to take control of your own health by using these Healthy Weight Loss Tips. Learn the Best Nutrition Information on the web.

Good Luck and Good Health

** Losing weight can be fast, easy and fun.** Brad Ohm shows you how. Get his FREE report “Quick Weight Loss Action” today -Please Visit .. http://www.bestdietsolutionprogram.com

Know Your Facts About Fat

It’s age old adage “How can something so good be so bad?” In this case, the bad is the potential lethal combination of hydrogen mixed with liquid oils. This potion (otherwise known as trans fats) is often used for baking, adding texture, and extending the shelf life of food. It is also a key ingredient in many items on a fast-food restaurant’s menu. Unfortunately, it is also known as the heart’s most formidable nemesis.

By knowing which fats are the most harmful to your health, you can begin to make wise decisions about the foods you consume. Heart disease remains one of the most common causes of death. Educating yourself about the types of fat that are most harmful to your health is the best defense heart disease.

Saturated fats and trans-fatty acids are fats found in foods from animals (beef, lamb, veal, pork, lard, poultry fat, butter, cream, milk, and cheeses) and some plants (coconut oil, palm oil, and cocoa butter). These substances are commonly known to raise your LDL cholesterol a.k.a the “bad” cholesterol which is the main dietary cause of blood cholesterol. LDL cholesterol is also produced naturally by your body. These ingredients can also be responsible for hindering the increase of HDL cholesterol a.k.a the “good” cholesterol. When the natural LDL cholesterol forges an alliance with the cholesterol found in trans and saturated fats, the result can potentially clog your arteries and increase your risk of heart disease.

To reduce the risk of heart disease, it is recommended that you limit your total saturated fat consumption to less than 7% of your allotted daily calories. You should also limit your trans fat consumption to less than 1%. If you refrain from eating saturated fats commonly found in doughnuts, cookies, and muffins, you will consume very little, if any, trans fats. Your body does require a certain amount of fat to maintain its normal health and energy levels. The remaining fat your body needs should come from healthier fats known as monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. This comes from foods such as nuts, seeds, fish, and vegetable oils. These fats have been known to increase HDL cholesterol.

The Food and Drug Administration requires food manufacturers to list the amount of trans and saturated fats on food labels. However, restaurants are not held to the same regulatory guidelines. A list of ingredients and nutrition labels rarely accompany the meals you order in food establishments. The one upside is that when trans fat started coming under attack as a health risk, food manufacturers and restaurants replaced trans fat with saturated fats. They also experimented with various cooking oils and fat substitutes hoping to not sacrifice flavor and texture for the sake of a healthier cuisine. This is a step in the right direction, but there is more work to be done.

Restaurants and food manufacturers are doing more to serve healthier foods and even providing special menus to accommodate people who might be vegetarian, have food allergies, or are simply more conscious about the content of their food choices. Still, the onus of discerning what kinds of foods you should consume to promote a healthy, risk-free lifestyle is on you. Paying more attention to the ingredient and nutrition labels on the items you select in the grocery store is important. But educating yourself about the fat content of the different foods you eat is a better way to take control of your dietary health and wellness.

David Jensen is a freelance writer specializing in health and fitness. Click here to learn how to take control of your diet and nutritional needs and enjoy a healthier and more energized lifestyle.

Heart Disease – 6 Heart Symptoms You Should Not Ignore

Heart disease is a normal phrase that we are aware of. It denotes a wide variety of problems relating to the heart. Surveys have provided the necessary evidence that heart diseases are claiming a large number of lives all over the world. In United States of America alone the mortality rate due to heart diseases is stunning one person per 30 seconds.

There are debates and research about the ways to defend this catastrophic phenomenon. The only way to effectively counter that pathology is to know the various symptoms of it. There are some common and under normal circumstances unnoticed heart symptoms for the several heart disease. If you are able to realize it, then there is every chance that you will be able to prevent it to a certain extend, provided that the surrounding circumstances are also favorable.

There are mainly 6 heart symptoms that you should not ignore. The various minor and major heart symptoms are named and explained a bit for the sake of understanding;

Chest Discomfort:

This is a common aspect among people irrespective of their age or health condition. For the same reason, it is usually not taken that seriously. But it is to be realized that it is one of the main signs of heart disease. It could be caused by many reasons, but should never be ignored. It can cause different feelings in different people like a disturbance or uneasiness, severe or slight pain or as a burning sensation. Whatever be the type of feeling if there is a chest discomfort, it should be considered as a heart symptom which you should not ignore and it is advisable to consult a physician as soon as possible.

Consciousness Problem:

You may feel like loosing your consciousness, medically called as syncope, which is another heart symptom. Normally it can be caused by other reasons like low blood sugar and blood pressure problems which are not associated with heart disease. It can also be a symptom of grave heart disease.

Fatigue:

Fatigue can be simply defined as the incapability of a human body to carry out its functions under the normal circumstances. This is also one of the familiar heart symptoms which you should not ignore. Another form of fatigue is sleepiness. If you feel over tiredness, its better to consult a physician and get a heart check up done. This could bring to light the fact of any heart disease you may be having.

Breathlessness:

Difficulty in taking in air could be the symptom of a problem with your heart. When the person is lying with his back on the surface and feeling a bit difficult to take in air, it could be one of the six heart symptoms which you should not ignore. It is easier to confuse this heart symptom with mild asthma. But this could actually be due to any of the heart disease.

Sweating:

The person who is having a heart disease will sweat even though the surrounding temperature is normal to other individuals. He will feel uneasy due to this. This is also one of the heart symptoms which you should not ignore.

Heart Failure:

A heart failure or a cardiac arrest is an apparent symptom of heart disease.

Abortion Clinic Dr. James S. Pendergraft opened the Orlando Women’s Center in March 1996 to provide a full range of health care for women, including abortion clinic, physical examinations, family planning, counseling, laboratory services and sexually transmitted disease screening.

The Imperative Aspects of Heart Ailment

Let me first enlighten you on some crucial aspects of cardiovascular condition. Firstly, you should know that center sickness kills most range of families in America; it’s the killer quantity 1. Second crucial point: if you’ve three elements in your body, you may possibly be prone to having center attack. The other fact is that ailments of cardiovascular attack differ in gentlemen and women. I shall explain all this in detail so that it will benefit you or any of one’s loved one particular to take required action for preventing a center assault.

Three major demons that will cause heart illness are diabetes, higher cholesterol and high blood pressure. They’re the real threat components you will need to be aware of. Though you will find other causes as well that might probably be beyond your handle like your genes. Citizens using a family background of heart conditions are at a greater threat. At the very same time it is easy to make efforts to lower risks as a result of loved ones predisposition. For instance, you’ll be able to control your diet plan or your activity regimen. Also you make your own lifestyle choices. Smoking and excessive drinking also put you in a danger zone where center diseases are concerned.

You ought to test and keep your blood stress at 130/80 or less than that. In scenario you suffer from diabetes or you have a kidney illness make certain that your blood stress doesn’t exceed 140/90. As for your cholesterol levels, try and lower your bad cholesterol referred to as LDL and work towards increasing levels of your perfect cholesterol termed as HDL. Having a right exercise and eating habits regimen it is going to be feasible for you to restrain your cholesterol. Or in event your scenario is severe, your doctor may possibly put you on medicines. In situation you don’t have a history of diabetes, you need to still be aware with the different indications associated to it. Sadly a lot of citizens within the United States without a spouse and children history are obtaining affected by diabetes because of lack of exercise and inappropriate diet.

There’s superior documentation of discomforts of coronary heart attack for adult men and for a pretty long time the assumption was that the ailments were similar in both adult men and ladies. With advancement of medical science it has been proved that the discomforts of heart diseases in ladies aren’t the very same as in adult males. In gentlemen, symptoms include severe discomfort in chest – a feeling like somebody is standing on the chest or discomfort in neck, chest, upper back combined with fatigue and shortness of breath. At times these indicators come with emotional or stressful experience or too much physical activity. In scenario of girls some discomforts are dizziness, feeling of burning in chest or stomach, cold sweats, nausea, irregular heartbeat and some male-related signs or symptoms like pain in both arms, shortness of breath or chest pain.

Women may report few of these symptoms even a month before actually the heart strike happens. Typically when adult males reach 50, doctors begin to appear for problems of heart invasion. Usually females do not have center invasion till they reach 60 years of age unless might possibly be they use a family members background of heart related ailments in which scenario it has to be dealt with from patient to patient. The most essential thing in everybody’s regulate for preventing cardiovascular condition would be to use a suitable balanced diet, a decent successful activity regimen and stay away from excessive drinking and smoking.

Brent McNutt enjoys networking with healthcare professionals online. He also likes talking about Urbane Scrubs and Landau Shoes and also likes writing articles about various topics.

Are You Getting Enough Of This Crucial Heart-Healthy Vitamin?

Vitamin L stands for love and laughter. One of the main reasons love and laughter help the cardiovascular system is because love and laughter reduce stress. When your body is under stress the hormones adrenaline and cortisol are released. If these hormones remain in the body at elevated levels over a period of time, the cardiovascular system is harmed. People who are under constant stress without social support or another form of connection are more likely to show early signs of atherosclerosis. Other risk factors for heart disease are also negatively affected by stress. Blood pressure levels go up and weight is gained.

Let us take a look at six ways you can increase the love, laughter and connection in your life.

Animals: Owning pets can help your health. While it is true that owning a pet can be extra work and perhaps worry at times, the rewards are huge. Owning a pet gives you something outside of yourself to care for and love. Pets often bring joy, laughter and even ward off a sense of loneliness.

Nature: People who are afraid of nature and the outdoors are missing out on one of the greatest ways to connect to something amazingly beautiful, mysterious, and powerful. In addition, when I am in nature, I feel a connection to spirit that I don’t feel at other times. Being in nature reminds me how all living things and non-living things are connected. I feel part of something much greater than myself. In addition, my mood always improves.

Selfless Service: Reaching out to help others with no expectation of anything in return is a great way to feel connection to others. One way to selflessly serve is to join a volunteer group that supports a cause of interest to you. Or you can find ways to selflessly serve as you go through your everyday life. For instance, smile at a stranger, pick up something that someone ahead of you dropped, or pay the toll for the car behind you that let you in line.

Humor: What makes you laugh? Your friends? Comedy? Funny cat and dog videos? Society? Or simply nothing much at all? Take a moment to think about what makes you laugh, feel happy, and jump for joy. Once you have identified what tickles you pink, make sure you get more of it in your daily life. Laughter is a great way to reduce stress, improve mood and even heal.

Touch: Countless studies have shown the positive effects touch can have on our ability to cope with the world. Countries where touch is not as much a part of the culture tend to have higher levels of violence. Touching and holding others is a wonderful way to lower blood pressure, reduce stress and to gain a sense of connection and love. All of us should try incorporating more touch into our everyday lives.

Spirit: Connecting to and believing in a higher power can help you to heal faster and even possibly live longer than you would have otherwise. This higher can be anything and can have many names. Perhaps for you it is a universal energy, God, spirit, mother nature or something else entirely. The important thing is to believe in something greater than yourself that sustains you and gives you comfort.

Sandra is a Heart-Healthy Food Coach. She received her nutrition and coaching training from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in NYC. Sign-up for a FREE special report “Top 3 Secrets to Reduce Your Cholesterol Fast” at cutcholesterolnow.com to learn about some less talked about yet highly effective ways to lower your cholesterol naturally without the use of drugs or surgery.

What Are the Risk Factors of Heart Disease?

A common concern of heart disease is the risk factors. There are factors of heart conditions and people whom fit into these categories are more likely to obtain it in their lifetime. Some causes of this condition are grouped into two different categories; one being uncontrollable and the other being controllable. With it categorized it is easy to understand the things you can do to prevent it.

Some of the uncontrollable factors are age, family history and race. People that are of older age are more likely to have this illness than someone that is younger. If someone in your family has had this condition, it is common that you will also have it as it can be genetic. If you are African American, American Indian, or Mexican Indian you are more prone to it than Caucasians. Another common uncontrollable signs is sex. A male is more applicable to have problems than a female; however females that are post-menopausal are more applicable than those that are pre-menopausal. All of these are uncontrollable situations, but it is important to remember that anyone can get it even if they do not meet these criteria listed above. It’s important to follow your physician’s orders if you feel you may be at risk.

There are many more controllable factors than there are uncontrollable. The most common are smoking, obesity, stress and inactivity. It’s important to incorporate some type o physical activity into your daily routine. As little as 30 minutes a day several times a week can play a significant part in leading a healthier lifestyle. A person that smokes on a daily basis has more than twice the risk of having a heart attack. Being obese can put strain on your heart, as well as worsen several other things. Stress or depression, when poorly controlled, can lead to strokes and attacks. Inactivity can lead to obesity and multiple other health issues that are directly related to this condition. Some of the other controllable factors are hypertension, high LDL as well as diabetes. Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, is the most common known cause. If you have this you should follow your physician’s instructions to the best of your ability. High LDL, or bad cholesterol, should be monitored at all times as it can be directly related to problems in the future. If diabetes is not kept under control it can lead to significant damage which, in turn, can lead to heart disease. The majority of these controllable risk factors can be influenced by maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle includes eating correctly, exercising on a daily basis and avoiding harmful substances.

To sum it all up, this is a serious disease and should be handled with care. Some of the things you cannot control, however the majority of them you can. Keeping yourself healthy can make a world of difference when it comes to your heart and all the necessary precautions should be taken. When evaluating this you should concentrate more on the things that you can control rather than those that cannot.

Christine Crotts likes to travel a lot and makes sure that her dog can travel with. Christine has written a site containing reviews on small pet carrier models, as well as a pink pet carrier.

Learning About Coronary Heart Disease

Heart disease is a very broad term and can be linked with many others diseases. Most commonly it is associated to coronary heart disease which is a disorder that causes the small blood vesicles to narrow. When these blood vesicles narrow it causes a restriction of the blood supply and oxygen that is sent to this vital organ. If this vital organ does not get enough blood and oxygen it will ultimately quit working properly. There are multiple symptoms, risk factors and tests for this type of disease. Many precautions can be taken to prevent it, however, if diagnosed there are also multiple treatments. This article will briefly outline this type of illness.

Some of the signs and symptoms of it are shortness of breath, extreme fatigue and chest pain or discomfort. Chest pain is the most common sign and it this type of chest pain can vary among many people. Some people have reported that it feels as if someone is squeezing their heart. Others only notice the pain when performing physical activity. Chest pain can come in multiple forms and is commonly misdiagnosed.

There are multiple risk factors associated with it. Among these are age, heredity, diabetes and high blood pressure. It is most common in men over the age of forty. It can also be passed down through generations. Diabetes and high blood pressure are causes but with proper medication they may not pose as high of a threat. Other risk factors are obesity, stress and alcohol abuse.

Multiple tests can be run to detect if you are at risk. The more common tests are electrocardiogram, stress test, nuclear scan or an echocardiogram. An electron-beam computed tomography or a coronary angiography can also be used. An electron-beam computed tomography is used to find a buildup of calcium in the arteries. The coronary angiography takes an x-ray of the heart to evaluate the arteries. All of these procedures can detect problems with your vital organ. Most doctors will use a combination of these tests to get the most accurate and up-to-date diagnosis.

Many precautions can be taken to keep you healthy. Getting the correct amount of daily exercise and eating a heart healthy diet are two of the most common precautions. Simply adding physical activity to your daily routine can significantly improve your chances. Eating a more balanced diet will keep your body functioning at optimal performance. Other precautions include controlling stress levels, not smoking and keeping your blood sugar under control. When these precautions are used it can be prevented.

The treatments may vary depending on the physician. In some circumstances all that is needed is daily exercise and a healthy diet plan. Other times doctors may prescribe medicine or even recommend various procedures. You should know it is treatable and does not always have to be fatal.

It can cause some complications such as a heart attack, sudden death or heart failure. It is recommended that a doctor is contacted if you have any of the risk factors or symptoms so that prevention and procedures can be discussed.

Christine Crotts actually enjoys being on the road, traveling around from meeting to meeting. Christine has written a site containing reviews on promotional duffel bags, as well as monogrammed tote bags.

Learning About Heart Disease in Women

Heart disease is just as common in men as it is in women, but women normally have more questions and concerns. Many questions come to a woman’s mind when thinking this. Some women do not know the risk factors at all. A lot of women think that only older women can become subject to this severe illness. Many even wonder if depression can cause them to obtain it. Females are often concerned about the symptoms it may cause them. It is wondered if the symptoms are the same in men as women. Finally, the most common question asked by females is what they can do to lessen their chances of getting this terrible disease.

Many of the signs are the same in both males and females. These include high cholesterol, high blood pressure and obesity. Some risk factors however are predominately factors for women. Women with low levels of estrogen after menopause, mental stress, metabolic syndrome, and females that smoke are at a higher risk of this type of disease. All of these things can play a big factor in development of this silent killer.

It can affect people of all ages and race. It is a myth that it can only affect women over the age of 65. This is one of the top three leading causes of death in females of all ages. IT should not be looked over by anyone regardless of age or race.

Some are concerned that depression can play a role in it. This is true because with depression it is often difficult to obtain a healthy lifestyle, and a non-healthy lifestyle can lead to a multitude of problems. If you are experiencing depression it is suggested that you stick to your daily treatment to avoid health issues.

The most common symptoms are chest pain and discomfort. This is common among both men and women. However some symptoms are more dominate in females than males. Girls are more likely to have shortness of breath, nausea, sweating, unusual fatigue, lightheadedness, and shoulder, neck, abdominal or back discomfort. These all can occur in men; however they are more commonly reported in girls. These symptoms can be subtle, and sometimes they may even go unnoticed. It is recommended that if any of the previous symptoms occur, medical attention should be sought out.

As stated above the most common heart disease question is what she should do to prevent it? You should attempt to maintain the healthiest lifestyle possible. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle involves exercise, keeping a healthy weight, and stopping or not starting smoking. All of these things can be easy to factor into your daily routine and should be considered to you’re you on a healthier track. Doing all of these things will significantly improve your changes of obtaining these health conditions.

You can just as easily get it as males. The symptoms should never be ignored and the risk factors should be evaluated. Depression should be monitored by a doctor and a healthy lifestyle should be maintained. Also remember that regardless of age you can be at risk. It should never be ignored.

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Steps to Help Prevent Heart Disease

Heart disease can be prevented without medication. Sometimes it is unpreventable, but simple prevention techniques can be used to lessen your chances for this type of condition. Four of the more common techniques are maintaining a healthy weight, regular health screenings, getting active and also dieting. By taking these four simple actions you can help the silent killer.

If you are an adult and you put on weight it is more likely to be fat than muscle. Many children that gain weight are putting on muscle because it is part of their natural growing process. Putting on weight as an adult is particularly dangerous because it can lead to high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol or all three. All of these conditions are directly related to heart disease and will heighten your chances of having it. The most common way to see if you have a healthy weight is through the body mass index, or BMI. The BMI takes your height and weight into consideration and decides if you have a healthy percentage of body fat. By knowing your percentage of body fat you can determine if you are at risk for problems.

Regular health screenings can help to prevent this because when you see a physician your blood pressure and cholesterol levels will be tested. If your blood pressure or cholesterol levels are too high you may be at risk for many conditions. It is said that the average adult should have their cholesterol levels tested every five years and have their blood pressure tested every two. Blood pressure testing begins during childhood, but should be obtained on a regular basis in adulthood. Having regular health screenings will notify you if your tests are irregular therefore you can seek the attention needed.

Being active plays a key part in preventing the silent killer. When a person is active it means they have less chance of becoming obese or having detrimental health issues such as diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure. It is recommended that you have 30 to 60 minutes a day of vigorous exercise on most days of the week. However, if that is not possible as much physical activity as you can commit to is recommended. It is also important to remember that physical activity does not always mean exercising. Performing simple tasks such as walking the dog, taking the stairs and gardening are all considered being active.

Dieting is another key component of preventing disease. Eating a proper diet will directly reduce your chances of this condition. When you eat a more conscious diet you can avoid having health conditions such as high cholesterol. A heart healthy diet consists of eating foods that are low in fat, cholesterol and salt. Just by making adjustment to your daily food intake you can prevent problems.

All of these are effective and proven methods. It is important to remember that other factors can contribute as well and just because you take these preventative methods you could still be at risk. By maintaining a healthy weight, getting regular health screenings, being active, and dieting you can lessen your risk tremendously. Also remember that these are just a few of the ways to prevent this condition.

Christine Crotts really enjoys the holidays, the family gathered around the dining table with a feast in front of them. Christine has written a site containing reviews on red table runner, as well as gold table runner.

What Are the Many Fish Oil Health Benefits?

Clinical studies and scientific research were conducted on account of the diverse health benefits that fish oil can offer, although its educational impact on people may vary. It would be useful to study the causes of why fish oil is beneficial for our health and why taking a fish oil health supplement should be considered important, if you haven’t already done so. You will find out how fish oil health is better than just health!

First, let us make it clear that fish oil is not the miracle substance here, but rather the active ingredient in fish oils which are the vital source of fish oil health benefits — the Omega-3 fatty acids. These essential substances, specifically DHA and EPA, possess anti-inflammatory effects that can assist to combat chronic inflammation. Increasing the production of the prostaglandins that inhibit inflammation is one of the specific means that Omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil that benefit you. Recurring inflammation has been associated with chronic diseases including heart diseases and cancer.

Despite the fact that Omega-6 fatty acids form vegetable oils have been connected to inflammation, the body still needs these substances to perform well. We just have to bear in mind that, in order to stay healthy, a ratio of 1:2 pertaining to Omega-3 and Omega-6 amounts should be consistently kept. However, the ratio or Omega-3:Omega-6 in the average American diet is upwards of 1:20!

Many experts believe that alterations in our diets have corresponded to a rise in the number of cases of heart disease, cancers and inflammatory conditions. Fish oil undoubtedly provides hope not only therapeutically, but also by reducing inflammation. With fish oil, we can help diminish the threat of developing a significant number of health disorders in the first place.

The health benefits of fish oil include, but are not limited to:

* Reduce the chance of cardiovascular disease

* Lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels

* Diminish the risk of Cancer

* Minimize the risk of Diabetes

* Stop hair loss

* Reduce symptoms of ADHD

* Improve mood

In summary, omega-3 fatty acids help to lessen the risk of a variety of chronic diseases by reducing the incidence of inflammation. It is possibly the anti-inflammatory effects of high-quality fish oils that gave them such widespread benefits for our health. In particular, it is the EPA and DHA that can be believed as the most valuable for enduring physical health and mental wellness. Several experts believe it is EPA that is required for the brain to function well specially in the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease and Dementia. Several studies also suggest that fish oil can help to remedy depression as well as Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD).

Fish oil supplements provide the most suitable and safest way to acquire the crucially important Omega-3 fatty acids. Rather than consuming large amounts of fish, which the government has warned us against consuming a great deal of, fish oil supplements can give the exact amounts of these substances so we can reap the wide array of fish oil health benefits. Now you will have an adequate idea of exactly what “fish oil health” is and why it’s so much better than typical health!

Brittany Q. Wallace has been studying health and nutrition for a decade, especially fish oil health benefits. You can read more about the benefits of fish oil at her site.

Stress Test…what You Need to Know

Heart disease is one of the top killers for people of all ages. Heart disease can be caused by a poor diet, a lack of adequate exercise, from smoking or engaging in other harmful activities; and it’s also caused by stress. If you want to remain as healthy as possible, you should have a stress test conducted every few years. Heart disease is often called the silent killer because people will have it and not even know it. It’s only when they keel over from a heart attack that the heart disease makes itself known. You don’t want to be one of these people. That’s why you should make an appointment with your doctor immediately.

There are typically two types of stress tests. There’s the exercise stress test, and then there’s the generalized stress test. The exercise stress test is where the doctor will study how your heart handles general exercise. This is usually performed on a treadmill under the doctor’s supervision. The other type of stress test involves measuring your blood pressure; your muscle tightness as well as a written test gauging how stressed you are during your daily activities. Both of these tests can let you know if you are at risk for heart disease, or some other stress related illness. That’s why you want to keep on top of your health as much as possible by having one or more of these tests done regularly.

Exercise Stress Test

With the exercise test, the doctor will monitor your heart while you walk or run on a treadmill. This test is designed to see how your heart works under normal exercise. If your heart struggles to keep up, you might have high blood pressure, and/or heart disease. There are medications and other treatments available for you so that you can get your heart back to normal. This type of test is needed for those who don’t get a lot of exercise, and for those who are considering an exercise program. It’s smart to have this test done by your doctor whenever you feel that your heart isn’t working at its best, as you don’t want to be one of those people that just falls over because your heart couldn’t handle the stress you put on it.

Other Stress Tests

We live in stressful times. The economy is down, unemployment is increasing and most people have to juggle one or two jobs, a family and school or other activities. That’s a lot of stress to put on one person. Your doctor can test you either using the test above, or some other stress test to ensure that your body handles stress correctly. Not being able to cope with stress can wreak havoc on your body. So if you feel stressed, and you’re worried about your health, see your doctor so that you can have a proper stress test performed. You owe it to yourself so that you can prevent heart disease and live a happy life for as long as possible.

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Heart Disease

Many people with chest pain fear a heart attack. However, there can be many possible causes of chest pain. Some are mildly inconvenient, while others are serious, even life-threatening. Any organ or tissue in your chest can be the source of pain, including your heart, lungs, oesophagus, muscles, ribs, tendons, or nerves

When a heart condition is diagnosed your normal existence is rudely shattered.

Suddenly there are lots of questions to be answered:

• What happens now,
• Can it be treated,
• Does it require an operation,
• Will I be able to continue working – or am I on my way to becoming a permanent invalid?

There are also new emotions to be faced; the panic-type fear every time pain strikes and brings you to a panting halt; the anxiety of suddenly not being in full control of your life and your future; and the anger that all this is actually happening to you!

Your family will have their questions and anxieties too. Like you, they want to understand what is happening to you and to be reassured everything will be all right. Joining your local hospital’s cardiac rehabilitation programme will help. You will discover other people experiencing the same anxieties and worries. (Because it does help to discover other people are in the same boat!) There may also be a local cardiac support group you can join, (I would suggest you join it, as it can give you lots of support).

In the UK, the British Heart Foundation has a list of affiliated support groups and will be able to tell you how to contact your local cardiac rehabilitation programme. http://www.bhf.org.uk/ (For US Groups see Useful Resources)

The Heart

To look at it simply, the heart is just a mechanical pump, made up of very powerful muscles. Its job is to pumps blood around your body constantly every day of your life. Like any muscle in your body, it requires its own blood supply which brings it oxygen and nutrients to keep it alive, and able to do its job.

This blood supply travels to the heart muscle by way of small coronary arteries. These are normally able to respond to varying demands which the heart muscle makes by dilating (opening wider) or constricting (narrowing). When the heart speeds up, it requires more energy to do the extra work; so the coronary arteries dilate and deliver more oxygen to the heart muscles.

As the heart returns to its resting mode, less oxygen is required and the coronary arteries constrict to their original size. However, things sometimes go wrong with the coronary arteries, and the outcome can be either angina or a heart attack.

Tests, Investigations and medications for heart problems

The following tests may reveal a heart attack and the extent of heart damage:

• Electrocardiogram (ECG) – usually repeated over several hours
• Echocardiography
• Coronary angiography

The following tests may show the by-products of heart damage and factors indicating you have a high risk for heart attack:

• Troponin I and troponin T
• CK and CK-MB
• Serum myoglobin

A heart attack is a medical emergency! Hospitalisation is required and intensive care is usually needed. When admitted, continuous ECG monitoring is started immediately. Life-threatening arrhythmias, (unstable heart rhythms) are the leading cause of death in the first few hours of a heart attack so it’s essential patients are closely monitored.

The goals of treatment for heart attacks are to stop its progression by reducing demands on the heart so it can heal, and prevent complications.

Medications and fluids are inserted directly into a vein using an intravenous (IV) line. Various high tech monitoring devices are also used to monitor the hearts status. A urinary catheter is sometimes inserted into a patient’s bladder to closely monitor fluid status

Oxygen is usually given, even if blood oxygen levels are normal. This ensures oxygen is readily available for the tissues of the body and assists in reducing the workload on the heart.

Pain Control

Intravenous nitro-glycerine or other similar type medicines are given for pain and to reduce oxygen requirements for the heart. Morphine and similar medicines are very effective pain killers usually prescribed for those suffering a heart attack.

Blood Thinning Medications

Thrombolytic therapy

If the ECG recorded during acute chest pain shows a change called "ST-segment elevation," clot-dissolving (thrombolytic) therapy should be initiated within 6 hours of beginning of chest pain. The initial therapy is administered as an IV infusion of streptokinase or tissue plasminogen activator, and is followed by an IV infusion of heparin. Heparin therapy usually lasts for 48 to 72 hours. Additionally, warfarin taken orally is often prescribed to prevent further development of clots.

Thrombolytic therapy is not appropriate for people who have had:

• A major surgery, organ biopsy, or major trauma within the past 6 weeks
• Recent neurosurgery
• Head trauma within the past month
• History of GI (gastrointestinal) bleed
• Brain tumour
• Stroke within the past 6 months
• Current severely elevated high blood pressure

Thrombolytic therapy can also be complicated by significant bleeding.

Emergency coronary angioplasty may be required to open blocked coronary arteries. This procedure can be used instead of thrombolytic therapy or in cases where Thrombolytics should not be used. Often the re-opening of the coronary artery after angioplasty is ensured by implantation of a small device called a stent! Emergency coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) may be required in some cases.

Platelets collecting and accumulating is the initial event often leading to clot formation. So a cornerstone of therapy for a heart attack is antiplatelet medication. This medication can prevent the collection of platelets at the site of injury in a blood vessel wall (like a crack in an atherosclerotic plaque) and is very useful. One antiplatelet agent widely used is the common aspirin! Two other important antiplatelet medications are ticlopidine (Ticlid) and clopidogrel (Plavix).

Other Medications

Beta-blockers (like metoprolol, atenolol, and propranolol) are used to reduce the workload of the heart.

ACE Inhibitors (like ramipril, lisinopril, enalapril, or captopril) are used to prevent heart failure.

Factors affecting heart disease

Include

• Smoking
• High Blood Pressure
• Diet
• Stress
• Family History

The following sections deal with various aspects of your life-style which you may need to give greater consideration to. Advice is also offered to substantially reduce the risk of worsening heart disease.

Read each section carefully and seriously consider what changes should apply to you – and think about carrying them out!

Stress & Heart Disease

Stress can come from any situation or thought that makes you feel frustrated, angry, nervous, or even anxious. What is stressful to one person is not necessarily stressful to another. Anxiety is a feeling of apprehension or fear. The source of this uneasiness is not always known or recognized, which can add to the distress you feel.

Stress

• Blood clots may form during time of stress.
• Nervous system releases extra hormones that raise blood pressure.
• Increase heart rate brings a need for more oxygen, thus can bring chest pain in people who already have heart problems.

This is how stress can affect your behaviour….

There is never enough time to do all the things you have promised to do…. Let alone anything you want to do…. You’re snappy and irritable…. Can’t remember the last time you had a good night’s sleep … or a good laugh…Black coffee and cigarettes become your diet…

This is how stress can affect your physical well being….

You’re constantly weary… By the end of the day you ache all over… You’ve lost your appetite, or can’t stop eating… At times you feel light headed or dizzy, and notice your heart is pounding… You hate shaking hands with other people, because your hands are so sweaty…and you have yet another headache…

This is how stress can affect your thoughts and feelings….

You sometimes feel panicky and afraid for no reason… You can’t concentrate when reading or watching TV…. You feel low and everything you do seems such an effort….

Sudden stresses such as anger or great exertion are obviously undesirable where heart disease is already present. The heart has to beat harder and faster to prepare for coping with the situation. If the arteries feeding the heart muscle are damaged or diseased, they can’t bring enough blood for the heart to do its necessary work.

Living with too much stress over a long period of time means both your mind and body doesn’t get the rest they need. Fatigue is often ignored and mental or physical exhaustion can result. If you are already exhausted then you are less able to cope with additional sudden stress.

It hardly needs saying, but having a heart attack causes stress in its own right – and can bring on feelings of depression and anxieties about the future.

It’s also likely to cause anxiety for family and friends, and being aware of this can increase your worry. It’s not unusual for you to feel low, anxious or emotional for a while after a heart attack and care should be taken to ensure the stress involved doesn’t interfere with the recovery process.

A Stressful lifestyle is a pattern or habit hard to break. It takes determination to find out why or how you’ve become overloaded with cares or worries, and then it requires even more determination to change your lifestyle to reduce the stress.

Stress can build up in three main ways:

• Major life events
• Personality
• Unbalanced lifestyle

Events such as bereavement, moving house, changing job, major illness, a family crisis etc. can take a hidden toll. If a number of these events happen together in a short space of time, say within a year, either to you or to someone close to you, the stress level soon begins to rise.

Some of these events are completely beyond our control. However of those events youcan plan or control, try not to make too many major changes in one year. When such events do occur, don’t expect to be able to “carry on as normal” or “put on a brave face”; because you may not have the energy to do so.

Other people may not realise the pressures you’re under and they won’t make allowances for you if you pretend to be unaffected by what is happening to you.

Take time off work if it’s necessary; cry on someone’s shoulder if you feel like it; show you’re upset rather than bottling it up!

Certain people, by their nature, are more prone to stress. ‘Perfectionists’ and ‘born worriers’ are two examples.

Perfectionists have a high expectation of themselves and others so their stress level rises when they are let down by others or disappointed in themselves.

Worriers often anticipate problems before they arise, raising their stress levels before an event has even taken place!

When we can’t find ways of controlling our stress, it builds up and ‘overflows’ into what we call the ‘stress symptoms’ described at the beginning of this section.

So what can you do about it?

If you’re the kind of person who experiences stress regularly it is important to

Do something positive about it!

• Learn to be aware of the signs and signals that stress is building up.
• Try using relaxation techniques.
• Learn to dissipate tension with exercise and breathing techniques.

• Eat a well-balanced, healthy diet. Don’t overeat.
• Get adequate amounts of sleep.
• Exercise regularly.
• Limit caffeine and alcohol.
• Don’t use nicotine, cocaine, or other recreational drugs.
• Learn and practice relaxation techniques like guided imagery, progressive muscle relaxation, yoga, tai chi, or meditation.
• Take breaks from work.
• Make sure to balance fun activities with your responsibilities. Schedule some leisure time every day. Spend time with people you enjoy, including quality time with your family.
• Try learning to make things with your hands (like woodwork, or knitting), playing an instrument, or listening to soothing music.

Perfectionists set high standards for themselves and everyone else, but these standards are not always realistic. Learn to accept yourself and others as people with faults as well as good points. Remember, anger is a self-destructive emotion and rarely puts the situation right!

Find someone to talk to whose opinion you respect who will listen to you and give you new light on a worrying situation.

Worriers know they worry – yet often find it hard to pinpoint what they are worried about. This results in their worries being impossible to tackle and never really disappearing. Spend time identifying what really concerns you – writing them down can often help. Then decide which of your worries you can do something about.

These strategies can help! Remember, if you the Perfectionist are determined to change, you will make a really good job of it! Worry is self destructive and doesn’t solve problems

Anger and Stress

Does anger increase your risk of heart problems?

The hormone Adrenaline (sometimes referred to as the "flight or fright" hormone) increases when you are angry or stressed. High levels of adrenaline and similar stress hormones raise your blood pressure and cholesterol, both of which are risk factors for heart disease. Stress hormones can even damage your heart directly and make you more likely to engage in unhealthy behaviour’s like smoking or overeating. Therefore it’s best to try and not get too angry!

Unbalanced Lifestyles

To get the balance back into your life, you must take the advice given in this book, particularly in the sections on exercise, diet and smoking. In addition, it’s vitally important to include time for proper relaxation in your daily routine. Just half-an-hour each day is all that you need, time which is yours to do nothing but relax without feeling guilty!

Take a positive attitude to relaxation; it’s not being idle; it gives your body time to rest and repair, both physically and mentally. It also reduces the heart rate and, if practiced regularly, will lower your blood pressure.

What you can do about it!

• Learn to be aware of the signs and signals stress and anxiety are building up.
• Try and identify what is concerning you – sometimes writing it down helps!
• Avoid being an ostrich, problems rarely disappear by themselves. Try and deal with problems as they arise.
• Don’t be afraid to ask for help and advice. Sometimes, talking to someone whose opinion you respect may be all you need.
• Try using some relaxation techniques.
• Learn to dissipate the tension with exercise and breathing techniques.

Smoking and its effects on heart disease

If you are a smoker it’s hard to convince yourself that smoking cigarettes is NOT good for you, especially if you enjoy your cigarettes. Unfortunately for smokers medical research is convincing enough to believe it is always top of the list as a main contributory factor towards coronary artery disease.

Carbon monoxide and nicotine are probably the most dangerous substances in tobacco smoke affecting the heart as…

• Nicotine stimulates the body to produce adrenaline which makes the heart beat faster and encourages the build-up of cholesterol deposits in arteries more quickly.

• Carbon monoxide attaches to red pigment in the blood, called haemoglobin, thus reducing its ability to carry oxygen to the heart and all other parts of the body. Also nicotine and carbon monoxide may both encourage thrombosis (blood clotting).

Facts and Figures about Smoking!

• If you smoke you stand a greater chance of having a heart attack.

• Cigarette smoking is a major cause of disease in the arteries of the leg, which can lead to pain on walking (Claudication) and further complications.

• Filter cigarettes are just as dangerous for the heart as plain cigarettes.

If you have just had a heart attack, it is particularly important to stop smoking, as this will halve the chances of another attack.

Passive or involuntary smoking is when non-smokers inhale other people’s smoke; it can be as harmful as if you actually smoked a cigarette therefore passive smoking should be avoided as much as possible. Heavy passive smoking can be very harmful to those who suffer with angina or heart disease and should be totally avoided.

Most smokers accept the risk, and they hope to get away with it! Unfortunately heart patients haven’t got away with it and for them to continue smoking is to deliberately cause further damage. Giving up, is the first step to a healthier heart, and a healthier heart means a much healthier and happier you (and your family).

Below are some tips to help you quit smoking.

• First and foremost, set a quit date and quit COMPLETELY on that day,
• Identify the times you are most likely to smoke. For example, do you tend to smoke when feeling stressed? When you are out at night with friends? While you are drinking coffee? When you are bored? While you are driving? Etc.
• Keep a diary to help you determine these risky times. Record each time you have a cigarette, including time of day and what you are doing.
• Make a plan about what you’ll do instead of smoking at the times you are most likely to smoke. For example, drink tea instead of coffee; tea may not trigger the desire for a cigarette. Or, take a walk when feeling stressed. Remove ashtrays and cigarettes from the car. (Place pretzels or hard candies there instead.)
• Pretend smoke with a straw!
• Let all of your friends, family, and co-workers know of your plan to stop smoking and your quit date. Just being aware that they know can be a helpful reminder and motivator.
• Prior to your quit date, start reducing your cigarette use, including decreasing the number and strength of the cigarettes.
• Get rid of all of your cigarettes just prior to the quit date and clean out anything that smells like smoke, such as clothes and furniture.

Other tips that help you quit and stay quit include:

• Enrolling in a smoking cessation programme (hospitals, health departments, community centres, and work sites frequently offer this type of programme).
• Ask your health care provider for help, they may think medication is appropriate for you.
• Find out about nicotine patches, gum, and sprays.
• Try hypnosis (It works for some people).
• Avoid smoke-filled settings and situations in which you are more likely to smoke.
• Exercise helps to relieve the urge to smoke.

QUIT Help line Number (in the UK): 0800 665 544

This free phone number connects you to the Health Information Service, which provides a complete counselling, and support service for those wishing to give up smoking.

In short, smoking is bad for your heart. Cutting down is not enough; smoking should be given up altogether.

High blood pressure (hypertension)

Hypertension is when your blood pressure frequently goes over 140/90. It is a disorder characterized by chronically high blood pressure and occurs when blood is being pumped with more force than usual. This force is transmitted to delicate organs such as the brain and kidneys . Prolonged untreated excessive force can be very damaging if the arteries carrying the blood to these organs are hardened (i.e. furred up with cholesterol deposits), thus transmitting the full pumping force rather than partially absorbing it.

High blood pressure should be monitored, treated and controlled by medication, lifestyle changes, or a combination of both.

Pre-hypertension is blood pressure readings from 120-139 over 80-89 on most measurements. If you have pre-hypertension, you are likely to develop high blood pressure at some point, unless you make lifestyle changes to lower your blood pressure to normal.

High blood pressure can affect all types of people. However many people feel no symptoms with uncomplicated high blood pressure. Essential hypertension (hypertension with no known cause) is not fully understood, but accounts for between 90-95% of all hypertension cases in people over 45 years of age.

About 1 in every 5 adults in the U.K and U.S has high blood pressure. It occurs more often in men than women and in African type races almost twice as often as in Caucasians.

Even though high blood pressure often doesn’t have a known cause, it can still be treated effectively with both lifestyle modification and medications. Many people with high blood pressure remain undetected for years, often until it is too late! If you or your relatives have never had their blood pressure checked, perhaps you should suggest it next time a visit is made to your health care provider.

Once high blood pressure is detected and confirmed, treatment is likely to be life-long. Continued regular blood pressure checks are essential even if the blood pressure returns to normal. You should never stop your treatment suddenly without the advice of your health care provider.

Management of this silent yet potentially dangerous condition is a life-long programme of supervision, prevention and protection.

Lifestyle modification include

• Following a low sodium diet,
• Exercising,
• Stop smoking,
• Losing weight,
• Avoiding excessive alcohol intake.

Untreated raised blood pressure can

• Lead to a stroke.
• Cause the heart to thicken and enlarge
• Cause the heart muscles to outgrow their own blood supply resulting in angina, heart failure and heart attack.

Family History and Heart Disease

If you’re born into a family in which your blood relatives have a tendency to heart trouble this may increase your risk, but in no way does it mean you’re pre-destined to serious heart disease.

By taking positive steps to eliminate the other risk factors mentioned in this book and adopting a healthier life-style, the total risk can be reduced dramatically.

While maintaining good health habits can’t guarantee a longer life, it can improve the quality of your life. The following are a few simple factors, if practiced regularly will help minimize the risk of illness and enrich your life:

• Exercise regularly
• Avoid smoking and drug abuse
• Drink no more than a moderate amount alcohol, if any. (Don’t drink any alcohol if you have a history of alcoholism.)
• Control your weight
• Keep a balanced and healthy diet
• Take care of your teeth
• Control of high blood pressure
• Follow good safety practices

Diet, Obesity & Heart Disease

Remember your heart never gets a rest; it has to keep pumping 24 hours a day, 7 days a week etc. So think how much harder it has to work if you are overweight. Obesity can put a great strain on an already very hard working organ.

Obesity increases a person’s risk of illness and death due to

• Diabetes,
• Stroke, coronary artery disease,
• Hypertension,
• High cholesterol,
• Kidney and gallbladder disorders.

It may also increase the risk for some types of cancer and is also a risk factor for the development of osteoarthritis and sleep apnoea.

Genetic factors play a part in the development of obesity — children of obese parents are 10 times more likely to be obese than children with parents of normal weight!

Rates of obesity are climbing. The percentage of children and adolescents who are obese has doubled within the last 20 years. (It’s a demographic time bomb just waiting to go off)!

The basic nutritional needs of most people are approximately 2,000 calories a day for women and 2,500 for men. However, very active people, such as professional athletes or manual labourers may need 4,000 calories or more. Pregnant women and nursing mothers require about 300-500 more calories/day than women who are not pregnant or nursing.

The body can’t store protein or carbohydrates, so excess intake is converted to fat for storage. (One pound of fat represents about 3,500 excess calories.)

A sensible healthy eating pattern is needed, which is a diet low in fat, low in sugar and high in fibre.

Achieving and maintaining a health body weight

Carrying extra weight puts an additional strain on the heart, so aiming for a healthy eating plan is the best way to reduce it. This is usually a low fat, low sugar, high fibre diet. You can still allow yourself occasional treats, but try to be sensible most of the time. Losing weight also helps lower blood pressure therefore further reducing the strain on your heart.

A healthy eating plan will help to reduce your weight as well as help reduce blood fat levels such as Cholesterol and Triglycerides. These are fats which build up in the blood vessels, narrowing them so the heart has to work harder to pump the blood around the body.

Cholesterol

Cholesterol is made from saturated fat in the diet; these are animal fats i.e. in meat (beef, pork, lamb etc) and dairy products (milk, butter, cheese etc.)

Certain foods also contain natural cholesterol; such as eggs, offal (liver kidney etc) and shellfish (prawns, fish roe etc). It’s best to limit intake of these to 2-3 eggs a week and no more than one portion of either shellfish or offal weekly.

Triglycerides

Triglycerides come from too much sugar or sugary foods in the diet. Any sugar, taken in your diet but not needed by the body, at the time as energy, is stored as Triglycerides. You should try and limit your sugar intake as outlined in “Decrease Sugar Intake”. Alcohol can also affect Triglycerides, and increased intake can cause an increase in Triglycerides.

Reduce your fat intake by:

• Using unsaturated spreads to suits your taste e.g. Olive/Rapeseed Oil spread etc sparingly.
• Decrease your fried food intake. Grill, stew, bake or casserole instead. Try not to add fat but if used, use unsaturated fats such as Olive or Rapeseed Oil.
• Limit your snacks. Crisps and savoury snacks contain large amounts of fat, so keep these to occasional treats.
• Use low fat dairy products i.e. semi-skimmed milk, low fat cheese and diet yoghurts.
• Keep chocolate, cakes and biscuits as treats as they are high in both fat and sugar.
• Increase oily fish intake to 2-3 portions weekly. This includes tuna, salmon, pilchards, sardines and herring. Remember to get fish tinned in brine or tomato sauce (not tinned in oil, as it is the oil that is within the fish that is good for you, not the oil that it is tinned in)!

Decrease your sugar intake

• Replace sugar with sweeteners.
• Choose sugar free puddings i.e. diet yoghurt, fruit (fresh or tinned in fruit juice), sugar free whips and sugar free jelly.
• Keep sweets, chocolates cakes and biscuits to occasional treats, snack on plain biscuits (rich tea, morning coffee), fruit or diet yoghurt instead.
• Choose diet or sugar free fizzy drinks and squashes.

Increase your fibre intake

• Try and eat 5 portions of fruit and vegetables daily.
• Use wholemeal/fibre enriched bread.
• Use wholegrain cereals (weetabix, shredded wheat, bran flakes and oats/porridge).
• Potatoes (boiled or baked), brown rice and wholemeal pasta are good sources of fibre.

Salt

Salt raises your blood pressure by encouraging more fluid into the blood stream. It gives the heart more work by pumping the extra volume around the body.

Limit salt by:

• Only add salt whilst cooking and not at the table. (Or vice-versa)
• Always taste your food before adding salt.
• Use herbs and spices to season food such as pepper, garlic, sage, thyme or lemon juice etc before reaching for the salt.
• Limit your intake of salty foods such as crisps, bacon, cheese and processed foods.

Remember to enjoy your food!

Eating a diet low in fat and sugar and high in fibre, fruit and vegetables is one of the factors, which helps look after your heart and general health.

Changing your eating habits is not easy, but improving your regular routine can help your heart and your health, so it’ is very worthwhile and tends to be less traumatic than you think!

Effects of Alcohol on your heart and body

Alcohol is absorbed into your bloodstream quickly, but the absorption rate depends on the amount and type of food in your stomach. For example, high carbohydrate and high fat foods lessen the absorption rates and a carbonated alcoholic drink such as champagne, will be absorbed faster.

The effects of alcohol can manifest within 10 minutes and peak at approximately 40 to 60 minutes and it remains in your bloodstream until broken down by the liver. If you consume alcohol at a faster rate than it can be broken down by the liver, the blood alcohol concentration level rises.

Alcohol depresses your breathing rate, heart rate, and the control mechanisms in your brain. Effects of this include:

• Lessened ability to drive and perform complex tasks
• Reduced inhibitions, which may lead to embarrassing behavior
• Reduced attention span
• Impaired short-term memory
• Impaired motor coordination
• Prolonged reaction time
• Less rapid thought processes

During the initial six-week recovery period from a heart attack, it’s best to limit alcohol intake. However if you really miss it, small quantities such as 1 unit a day should do you no harm.

Always check with your doctor/pharmacist that it’s okay to take alcohol as it can react with certain medications. Alcohol is high in calories and increases triglyceride levels so it’s best to keep your intake moderate and use sugar free/diet mixers.

Recommended weekly intakes are not more than 14 units for a woman and 21 units for a man. One unit of alcohol is 1/ 2-pint beer/lager/cider, 1 single pub measure of spirits or 1 glass of wine.

Acute Coronary Syndrome

Acute coronary syndrome is a comparatively new term being used by health care professionals to describe chest pain and discomfort caused by a decline in blood supply to the heart.

These two types of chest pain, fall into two main categories:

Angina

Angina is a specific type of pain in the chest caused by inadequate blood flow through the blood vessels (coronary vessels) of the heart muscle (myocardium).

It is brought on by exercise or effort and eases at rest or by using medication e.g. GTN spray or tablets.

Symptoms include:

A feeling of tightness, heavy pressure, or squeezing or crushing chest pain that is

• Under the breastbone or slightly to the left
• Not clearly focused in one spot
• May radiate to shoulder, arm, jaw, neck, back, or other areas
• May feel similar to gas or indigestion.
• Is precipitated by activity, stress, or exertion
• Lasts 1 to 15 minutes
• Usually relieved by rest or nitro-glycerine

The pain varies from a dull ache to a sensation often described as a tight band around the chest and it rarely lasts longer than fifteen minutes on complete rest.

The cause of angina is simple to understand. When it’s at rest, the heart is quite happy pumping slowly. However, exercise, effort and exertion cause the heart to pump faster and more forcefully. The heart muscle then requires increased oxygen supply. Usually this is freely available from the coronary arteries, which dilate on demand. But if the coronary arteries are hardened or partially blocked, then the supply of oxygen to the heart may be restricted. Cholesterol or fatty deposits generally cause these types of blockages.

Unstable Angina

Exactly as the name implies; the angina pain may occur at any time. It usually happens at rest and very commonly occurs during the night, waking you up. The pain is usually the same type as angina, (or more severe,) but in this instance it doesn’t go away with rest and medication.

Alternatively, you may have been told you’ve had a heart attack!