Heart disease remains the leading killer of Americans.   Nonetheless, we are making substantial progress against this disease. Over the last 30 years, the rate of deaths due to heart disease has declined 52%! The rate of deaths due to stroke went down 63% in the same period of time.[i]

This incredible decline in heart disease fatalities is due in part to the enormous scientific progress we’ve made in understanding how to keep your heart healthy. Much of what we thought was true, like diet being the source of your high cholesterol, turns out to be NOT true! At the same time, we’ve discovered new risk factors that can be easily detected--and corrected--through simple lifestyle changes.

In this report, you’ll discover which risk factors you should be on the look out for. You’ll also learn eight simple habits that will help keep your heart healthy for life.

Are you at risk?

One of the reasons that death rates from heart disease have gone down so dramatically is that we have made a great deal of progress in identifying what factors put you at increased risk.  Some risk factors cannot be changed. But many can be changed through diet, lifestyle, nutrition, and other interventions.

Risk factors that can’t be altered include your age, gender, and family history. Your risk of a heart attack goes up dramatically as you get older. Men are more likely to have heart attacks than women.  (While men are more likely than women to have heart attacks, women are more likely to have fatal heart attacks) You are also more likely to have heart disease if other people in your family have had it.  However, many people with these risk factors do not have heart disease, and you can be one of them. If you are at increased risk of heart disease because of your age or your family history, you can reduce that risk by lowering your controllable risk factors.

You may be surprised to learn that one of the biggest controllable risk factors for heart disease is your stress level. A recent survey by the National Consumers League found that 80% of Americans say that they have a “significant” amount of stress.  The top sources of stress were work, home life, health problems, and worries about money.

When you experience any kind of physical, emotional, or mental stress--whether it is triggered by tight deadlines at work, caring for a sick child or parent, or even just getting stuck in rush-hour traffic--your adrenal gland secretes stress hormones (cortisol and adrenalin).  These hormones, are intended to help you cope with emergencies, by channeling all your energy towards ‘fight or flight” responses. 

When you feel stress, your heart beats faster, your breathing gets shallower, your muscles tense, and your blood sugar goes up. At the same time, “non-essential” functions like digestion, tissue repair, and immune surveillance slow down.   All of this might be helpful if you really did have a “fight or flight” situation on your hands…such as a shark attack or erupting volcano. But this state of agitation doesn’t help much if you are stuck in grid-lock or accidentally delete an important file from your computer. 

What’s worse, having these stress hormones constantly circulating through your body can be dangerous, even deadly.  All that cortisol not only leaves you feeling stressed out and fatigued, it also increases your risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes, and reduces your ability to fight infections and cancer.[ii]

Sic ways to reduce your risk

1. Avoid tobacco smoke. Smokers are twice as likely to die from heart disease as nonsmokers.  And if you have other risk factors, such as a family history, the risks go up exponentially. Even if you don’t smoke yourself, remember that exposure to second-hand smoke can increase the risk of heart disease.

2.  Manage cholesterol.  High cholesterol, especially high LDL cholesterol is a significant risk factor for heart disease. There are many ways to manage cholesterol, including diet, nutritional supplements, and, as a last resort, cholesterol-lowering drugs

3. Manage high blood pressure.  High blood pressure puts stress on the heart and the blood vessels, increasing the risk of strokes and heart attacks.  Monitor your blood pressure regularly. Exercise, reduce stress, and maintain a healthy weight to keep blood pressure in healthy ranges. Blood pressure lowering medications can be used as a last resort.

4. Stay active.   People who have sedentary lives are at increased risk of heart disease.  Regular physical activity helps to keep your heart and blood vessels healthy and youthful, and also helps you maintain a healthy weight.

5. Maintain a healthy weight.   Obesity is the fastest growing health crisis in America. In fact, although death rates from heart disease are on the decline, death rates from obesity-related conditions are on the increase.[iii]  Being overweight puts stress on your heart and increases your risk of heart disease. If you carry your extra weight around your waist and abdomen, this is a particular risk for heart disease. Even a small weight loss can substantially reduce your risk.

6. Reduce stress.  Stress is linked to heart disease, whether it comes from work, relationships, or even from medical crises.  Sometimes we can’t avoid the things that stress us. In those cases, it’s important to manage that stress. Exercise is a great way to relieve stress and reduce its negative impact on your health.  Relaxation exercises like breathing, stretching, or meditation have been medically proven to lower stress hormones and reverse some of the damaging physical effects of stress.[iv] Listening to music, making time for hobbies and social activities all help lower stress levels, as well. You can consider all of these part of your “prescription” for heart health.

Once you’ve done everything you can to reverse risk factors, you are ready for my 8 Point program for building a healthy heart.  My program is not about giving things up, it’s about adding to your vitality and enjoyment of healthy, nutritious foods.

Eat your way to a healthier heart

1. Eat more fiber.   Most Americans don’t get the recommended amount of fiber (25 grams per day.) But those show do reduce their risk of heart attack by one third, according to a Harvard University study.[v]   To get more fiber, eat several servings of fruits and vegetables each day. Other sources of fiber include whole grains, nuts, oatmeal, and bran.

2. Eat more beans.   Beans and legumes have many things going for them. They are high in fiber (see #1), plus they also provide folic acid. Folic acid helps to prevent a build up of homocysteine, a compound that contributes to heart disease. Legumes also help to control excess cholesterol, apparently by binding to cholesterol and escorting it out of the body.  According to James Anderson, a researcher at the University of Kentucky, as little as one serving of cooked beans per day can bring high cholesterol levels down 10 to 20%.[vi]

3. Eat more fat.  Of course, I’m talking about heart healthy fats!  It is still true that saturated fats (found in meat, cheese, butter, and dairy products) can clog your arteries and raise your cholesterol levels. But the new wisdom is that you don’t have to eat a low-fat diet to reduce your risk of heart disease. Heart-healthy fats, such as those found in olive and canola oils, olives, nuts, and avocados, are actually good for your heart.  Your best strategy is to replace saturated fats with heart healthy fats.[vii]  To avoid weight gain (which is bad for your heart,) keep your total fat consumption moderate, or no more than one-third of your daily calories.

4. Eat plenty of fish.   Fish contains omega-3 fatty acids, another type of fat that is good for your heart, raising good HDL cholesterol and helping to prevent blood clots. The most plentiful sources of omega-3 fats are the cold water fish like salmon, tuna, mackerel, herring, and sardines.  People who eat fish two or three times a week have a reduced risk of heart disease, heart attacks, and strokes.[viii] Fish oils also powerfully reduce inflammation (a recently-revealed risk factor for heart disease).[ix]

5. Cook with garlic.  Garlic, whether eaten fresh, powdered, or even taken as nutritional supplements, can decrease the risk of heart disease.  It acts to reduce cholesterol, abnormal blood-clotting, and inflammation   A half-clove a day, incorporated into your favorite dishes, is enough to produce benefits.

6.  Add more flavor.  In addition to garlic, other spices, including ginger, curry powder, hot chiles and onions all help to reduce inflammation and protect you from heart disease. (They are such powerful inflammation fighters that they can even help reduce joint pain!) Use these spices liberally in your cooking and enjoy both the culinary and health benefits.

7. Go for the flavonoids.  Grapes, grape juice, and fermented grape juice (wine) are high in flavonoids that protect your heart.  Studies suggest that a glass or two of grape juice or red wine every day can decrease the risk of heart disease.[x]  Wine may even help to counteract the harmful effects of saturated fats.[xi]  But keep your intake of alcohol moderate--more than two drinks a day can increase your risk of heart disease.[xii]

8. Enjoy tea time.  Tea, both green and black varieties, contains anti-oxidants and flavanones known to protect the heart and reduce the risk of heart disease.[xiii] Tea appears to fight against the tendency for cholesterol to clog arteries. Two or three cups a day (with or without caffeine) are enough to produce benefit.

6 warning signs you can’t afford to ignore

When you follow my healthy heart program, you will significantly decrease your risk of having a heart attack. Nonetheless, you should know the warning signs of a heart attack.  Getting help without delay can make the difference between life and death.

Some heart attacks come on so suddenly and are so severe that there is no doubt about what is happening.  The affected person may have crippling pain in the chest or lose consciousness. Obviously, the person needs immediate medical attention. Usually, calling 911 is the fastest way to get help.

But most heart attacks are not that dramatic. The signs may start gradually or start and stop. Sometimes, the symptoms are mild enough that people aren’t sure whether they need help or not. Waiting to get help for a heart attack can be fatal.

If you experience any of these warning signs, or observe them in someone else, it may be a heart attack. If chest pain lasts more than a few minutes or is accompanied by other warning signs, get medical help immediately.

1. Chest discomfort, ranging from intense pain, to pressure, squeezing or a sensation of fullness

2. Pain in other areas of the body, including the arms, back, neck, jaw, or stomach

3. Sudden shortness of breath, with or without chest pain.

4. Sudden cold sweat

5. Nausea

6. Dizziness or light-headedness.

If you have already been diagnosed with heart disease, there is a great deal you can do to slow the progression of the disease and reduce your risk of a fatal heart attack or stroke. Here are six essential steps to take if you have heart disease.

1. Avoid tobacco smoke.

2. Monitor your blood pressure

3. Reduce saturated fats

4. Stay physically active

5. Maintain a healthy weight

6. See your doctor regularly

Click here to read about a new exciting breakthrough in cholesterol health!

Resources:

American Heart Association.
National Center
7272 Greenville Avenue
Dallas, TX 75231
1-800-242-8721
www.americanheart.org

[i] Jemal A, Ward E, et al. Trends in the leading causes of death in the United States, 1970-2002. JAMA. 2005 Sep 14;294(10):1255-9.

[ii] Rosmond R, Bjorntorp P.The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity as a predictor of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and stroke. J Intern Med. 2000 Feb;247(2):188-97. 

[iii] Jemal A, Ward E, Hao Y, Thun M. Trends in the leading causes of death in the United States, 1970-2002. JAMA. 2005 Sep 14;294(10):1255-9. 

[iv] Blumenthal JA, Jiang W, Stress management and exercise training in cardiac patients with myocardial ischemia. Effects on prognosis and evaluation of mechanisms. Arch Intern Med. 1997 Oct 27;157(19):2213-23. 

[v] Jensen MK, Koh-Banerjee P,  et al. Intakes of whole grains, bran, and germ and the risk of coronary heart disease in men. Am J Clin Nutr. 2004 Dec;80(6):1492-9. 

[vi] Anderson JW, Smith BM, Washnock CS. Cardiovascular and renal benefits of dry bean and soybean intake. Am J Clin Nutr. 1999 Sep;70(3 Suppl):464S-474S. 

[vii] Hu FB, Manson JE, Willett WC. Types of dietary fat and risk of coronary heart disease: a critical review. J Am Coll Nutr. 2001 Feb;20(1):5-19. 

[viii] Oomen CM, Feskens EJ, et al. Fish consumption and coronary heart disease mortality in Finland, Italy, and The Netherlands. Am J Epidemiol. 2000 May 15;151(10):999-1006. 

[ix] Danesh J, Wheeler JG, et al. C-reactive protein and other circulating markers of inflammation in the prediction of coronary heart disease. N Engl J Med. 2004 Apr 1;350(14):1387-97. 

[xiii]Stensvold I, Tverdal A, Solvoll K, Foss OP. Tea consumption. relationship to cholesterol, blood pressure, and coronary and total mortality. Prev Med. 1992 Jul;21(4):546-53.