Your Heart: The Melody of Your Life

As February is heart month, I was surfing the internet this morning and found a book called The Healthy Heart Handbook for Women. Written by the experts at the National Institutes of Health, it's a great read but I was shocked by some of the stats they presented:

• Heart attack is the #1 killer of women in the US

• 1 in 4 women dies of heart disease

• For every 100 survivors of heart attack: about 23 will die within a year of the attack, 35 will never completely recover and 46 will be disabled with heart failure within 6 years of the attack

Heart Disease

Heart disease is caused by a buildup of plaques (fats and cholesterol) on artery walls, narrowing them and slowing blood flow, oxygen, and nutrients to the heart. Healthy arteries are elastic flexible tubes that move blood and nutrients through your body. As arteries age, they harden and lose elasticity. If blocked completely, a heart attack can occur and cause permanent damage your heart muscle. Other heart diseases include high blood pressure, stoke, and rheumatic heart disease.

Factors that can increase your risk of heart disease are:

• smoking

• second hand smoke

• excess weight

• high blood pressure

• high cholesterol

• diabetes

• sedentary (inactive) lifestyle

• being over 55 years of age

• stress

• depression

• oral birth control

• menopausal hormone therapy

• alcohol consumption

• sleep apnea

Scary? Personally, I find that to be a brutal awakening! My friends, family, and I currently have more than one factor putting each of us at risk. With our current lifestyle, the list could get longer within the year.

How to help prevent heart disease

Lifestyle modification should be your resolution to prevent heart disease this New Year. Simple steps can help your heart and your overall health in the long run.

• Aim for a healthy weight. Maintaining a body mass index (BMI) of less than 25 kg/m2 is recommended. But if you are overweight or obese, any weight loss (as little as 10%) can effectively lower blood pressure. Click here to calculate your BMI.

• Exercise regularly. Feel good about yourself and maintain health. Employ small tricks to work exercise into your routine: walk the extra few feet instead of searching for a close parking spot, take the stairs, garden, or even join a fitness class.

• Stop smoking. It's one of the hardest addictions to quit, but smoke damages arteries and is bad for your heart. It is also a huge risk factor for cancer. Get addicted to life!

• Eat for your health. Choose fresh fruits and veggies that are rich in nutrients and antioxidants. Generally the brighter they are, the higher the content of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Try alfalfa sprouts (Medicago sativa) on your sandwich; the seeds have shown to help reduce plaque formation and cholesterol levels. A caution though: the FDA suggests that those with weak immune systems avoid alfalfa due to risk of bacterial contamination.

• Cut the salt. Almost all of us eat too much salt (a source of sodium). The average American eats almost twice the safe level each day. Packaged, processed foods are a significant source of sodium, as are many drugs. Be sure you read labels looking for sodium content (in the nutrition and supplement facts panels). Aim for less than 2000 mg daily, or whatever your doctor advises. Look for low-sodium table-top salts that have less sodium but taste and bake like salt.

• Fill up on omega-3. Research has shown omega-3 fatty acids, specifically EPA and DHA, to reduce triglycerides (fats in your blood), increase “good” cholesterol levels, and reduce plaque buildup. They also have an anti-inflammatory effect. Fish is a good source, but for maximum benefit and to ensure you get enough, supplement daily with DHA and EPA.

• Bulk up on fiber. Unfortunately almost all women are fiber-deficient. Fiber helps lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels, improving circulation and reducing the risk of stroke and heart disease. Experts suggest a daily intake of 25–38 grams of fiber daily, but the typical Western diet only provides about half of that. Try a daily supplement you can add to your food and drinks.

• Get your vitamin D. If you are deficient in vitamin D, then you are twice as likely to have a heart attack or stroke. Adequate vitamin D also facilitates absorption of some forms of calcium, a mineral that is vital to women all throughout their lives.

• Don't forget your coenzyme Q-10. Also called CoQ10, ubiquinone, or ubiquinol. Evidence shows that CoQ10 helps reduce your risk of atherosclerosis and heart disease by improving energy production in cells and inhibiting blood clot formation. Additionally, it is an exceptional antioxidant.

• Drink your green tea. Numerous clinical trials show that regular consumption of green tea reduces risk of atherosclerosis and heart disease. It lowers your total cholesterol and raises your "good" cholesterol.

• Eat garlic. Traditionally, garlic has been used for its antibacterial and antiseptic properties. The active component found in garlic is a sulfoxide as well as other active metabolites when the bulb is ground. Many studies have shown reductions in total blood cholesterol and particularly “bad” cholesterol with regular consumption of garlic, particularly in those who regularly consume it raw.

• Have some hawthorn. The flowers, leaves, and fruit of the hawthorn plant (Crataegus oxyacantha) have all been used for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. The plant contains cardiotonic amines that help regulate heart beat (antiarrhythmic effect), lower blood pressure, and increase coronary flow. Hawthorn can also help your heart build a tolerance to oxygen deficiency due to stress, excitement, or narrowed arteries.

A large number of diseases can be prevented if we maintain a healthy lifestyle. Making manageable changes one small step at a time goes a long way towards good health!