Posts Tagged ‘Heart Disease’

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Heart Patient Diet: Follow These 8 Tips for A Stronger Heart

Sunday, July 31st, 2011
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There are many who struggle with heart disease and are seeking a good heart patient diet to follow. There are actually many things a person can do naturally to improve their condition. If you follow the tips, you can be well on your way to having a healthier heart.

Tip #1: Add antioxidants to your diet. When it comes to heart disease, the real culprit is oxidized LDL cholesterol that invokes an inflammatory spot from the body’s immune system which can lead to plaque buildup in the arteries. Antioxidants can help prevent this. Here are some you can choose from: vitamin E, toctrienols, vitamin c, coenzyme Q10, grape seed extract, and green tea.

Tip #2: Take bromelain each day. Holistic practioners are finding that bromelain assists in breaking down fibrous plaques in the arteries which are from fatty deposits. This results in increased circulation.

Tip #3: Increase calcium intake. All those on a heart patient diet should make sure it includes calcium. By taking calcium supplements, the body will excrete more saturated fat which is a factor that contributes to heart disease. The other good thing about taking calcium is that the absorption of cholesterol will decrease at the same time which will lower your levels.

Tip #4: Take cayenne every day. This herb has been known to reduce the risk of heart disease by decreasing cholesterol and triglyceride levels. It also is a natural blood thinner and assists in increasing optimal circulation through the arteries of not only the heart, but also through the entire body.

Tip #5: Experience the benefit of fish oils. There are many studies which show how beneficial fish oils if for not only preventing heart disease, but also increasing circulation. Fish oils reduce cholesterol and triglycerides and also thin the blood.

Tip #6: Eat flaxseed every day. Everyone who is working on developing a strong heart should be eating flaxseed every day. The omega-3′s in the flaxseeds works can help thin the blood which in turn helps prevent strokes and increases circulation to the heart and other areas of the body.

Tip #7: Discover gingerroot. Not only is root a great natural blood thinner, recent animal studies have also shown that it helps the pumping action of the heart.

Tip #8: Add soy to your daily diet. Eating soy is a great way to lower cholesterol. It can be taken as a food or in the form of isolated isoflavone supplements. It has actually been found t hat just taking 25 to 50 grams of soy daily can reduce cholesterol levels.

The above 8 tips are some of the many things you can do to have a nutritious and healthy heart patient diet. It would be beneficial to discuss the correct dosages with a doctor who specializes in alternative and traditional medicine. By doing so, you can come up with the correct regimen for you that will help promote healing!

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Heart Patient Diet Plan-Two Easy Tips to Heart Health

Sunday, July 17th, 2011
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The best way to prevent heart problems in the future is to begin now by keeping your heart healthy. It’s actually pretty easy to do if are willing to make a commitment.

I just was reading a recent article about what a healthy heart diet plan looks like along with a couple of easy things a person can do to include it in their lifestyle. Below are a few brief excerpts from the article.

What Does A Healthy Heart Diet Consist Of And What Health Benefits Will You Gain By Following One?

By 

To keep the body working, you need to have a healthy heart. It is the main organ of the body and when your heart is not functioning well, it means that your health is at risk. In America, diseases related to the heart are a leading cause of death. In fact, a healthy heart diet can prevent all of these things from happening.

Taking good care of yourself especially with what you are eating can result in a healthy heart. Below you are about to find out on what comprises a healthy heart diet.

Exercise is one of the essentials for a healthy heart. It is through exercise that you maintain normal heart function and burn excess fats that can cause cholesterol build up blocking your arteries.

Getting into a regular exercise regimen guarantees a healthy lifestyle and of course a healthy heart.

With regard to your exercise regimen, different bodies require different exercise regimens; therefore, you need to consult your fitness instructor on what is the appropriate exercise regimen for you.

When you need to lose weight because of excess fat, which is a risk factor for cholesterol build up, your goal in exercising is really to lose that excess fat.

On the other hand, the counterpart of exercise is a healthy heart diet. It is essential to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Surprisingly, a person who maintains a healthy diet will not be susceptible to heart disease even when they age. Avoiding cholesterol-rich foods is the first thing that you need to do.

There was lots of other good things in this article you will want to take a look at. To read the article in its entirety, go to http://ezinearticles.com/?What-Does-A-Healthy-Heart-Diet-Consist-Of-And-What-Health-Benefits-Will-You-Gain-By-Following-One?&id=5512808

 

To Your Heart’s Health,

Monique Hawkins

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Heart Disease Prevention Tip-Why to Watch the Pop

Sunday, June 19th, 2011
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Did you know that one of the easiest heart disease prevention tip to follow is to just “watch the pop”? You are probably wondering, what is that!

Well, in the June 2011 issue of the magazine, “Women’s Health“, there was a blurb on diet drinks. Many of us think that it is good to use diet sodas because they are zero calories and sugar. However, new research has found something interesting.

Those who drink one or more servings of diet soda a day were a whopping 48% more likely to suffer from vascular problems like a heart attack or stroke than those who steer clear of them.

How in the world can diet soda cause heart problems? As it turns out, it’s because diet soda consumers think of it as a healthier beverage. This false mindset in turn causes them to end up eating way too much  of other foods such as fat, sugar, and salt. Hannah Gardener, Sc.D was the lead researcher in this study.

You probably don’t need to totally can the diet sodas, however. The best heart disease prevention tip I can give you is to just make sure to make better heart healthy food choices during the day.

Your heart will be better for it!

To Your Heart’s Health,

Monique Hawkins

 

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Heart Disease Prevention Tip:Why Nuts Are Good for Heart

Sunday, May 29th, 2011

Today’s heart disease prevention tip has to do with nuts and how you should include them in your diet.

This came from a recent article in the May 15, 2011 issue of “Bottom Line Personal.” It says:

” Nuts are among the most potent remedies for heart health. Research shows that people who eat up to five times a week can reduce their risk for heart disease by 30% to 50%, according to the Harvard Nurses’ Health Study and other medical trials. People who eat nuts regularly have better heart health even when they eat unhealthy amounts of saturated fat or consume few fruits or vegetable.

The omega-3 fatty acids in nuts reduce arterial inflammation and the risk for clots. Nuts also contain oleic acid which improves cholesterol.

One small handful of nuts daily is good. Any kind of nut is fine, (including peanuts, which actually aren’t a nut), roasted or raw (no salt.)”

The bottom line, make sure you include nuts as part of a heart healthy diet plan everyday. Your heart will greatly benefit from it!

To Your Heart’s Health
Monique Hawkins
540-858-2885 anytime
Skype: Monique371

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Heart Disease and Women – Heart Attack Warning Signs

Monday, May 9th, 2011

We have all seen the movies where the actor clutches his chest and falls to the ground, a victim of a heart attack. Did you know that it doesn’t always happen this way? Some people, many of them women, have no idea that they are having a heart attack because the symptoms simply don’t fit the stereotypical view most of us have of what a heart attack is like.

Women are especially prone to having different symptoms and many times feel no chest pain at all. Even some emergency rooms don’t immediately realize what is occurring in some patients. Women have even been turned away from emergency rooms because the symptoms are so unlike those of most men. A female friend recently had a heart attack and all the pain was concentrated in her jaw, no chest pain at any time! Luckily, the local hospital knew the signs for females.

The classic symptoms that we all know about include a great pressure or pain in the chest area that can extend to the left shoulder and arm. It may also spread to the neck and jaw area. Nausea, sweating and shortness of breath often accompany the chest pain. These are all quickly recognized as being the signs of a heart attack in progress. Quick medical attention is imperative!

But what if there is no chest pain? How can you recognize them so you can quickly get the attention you desperately need? Medical professionals and women themselves need to be aware of the common signs so they can act quickly to prevent further damage to the heart.

About half of women have no chest pain which is quite a surprising number. The most common signs are shortness of breath, feelings of extreme weakness, and great fatigue. Some women report that for several weeks before the heart attack they feel unusual fatigue and discomfort in the upper back.

Many females are misdiagnosed with gastrointestinal problems because only nausea or a feeling of indigestion might be present. Stomach pains may be felt as long as six weeks before the problem reveals itself, and shortness of breath can occur as well. These are common signs among women that a coronary artery is dangerously blocked.

Although warning signs may occur, the actual attack is usually more severe and the symptoms appear even while resting or sleeping. Time is of the essence, and there should be no delay in calling 911 to have an ambulance take you to the hospital. This is the best choice, as they can begin treating the heart attack immediately. Each minute of help improves the chances of minimizing heart damage.

Heart attacks in women can sometimes be difficult to detect. Now that you know these warning signs, they could very well save your life!

To Your Heart’s Health
Monique Hawkins
540-858-2885 anytime
Skype: Monique371

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Heart Patient Diet Plan-Why Salt Is Dangerous for Heart Health

Sunday, April 17th, 2011

For those who are seeking to change their lifestyle after having heart problems, and desire to incorporate a healthy heart disease diet, beware of salt!

Even if you never pick up a salt shaker at the dinner table, you may be getting an unhealthy amount salt in your diet. An abundance of studies indicates that too much salt puts people at risk for not only heart disease, but also cancer, osteoporosis, obesity, diabetes and the health problems that accompany high blood pressure.

There is some controversy about salt’s role in raising blood pressure, but research indicates that at least half of the people with high blood pressure are salt sensitive. These people benefit greatly from reducing the amount of sodium in their diets. As for the other half who isn’t salt sensitive, reducing salt intake can help lower the risks for other problems that affect those who get too much sodium.

The evidence for negative health impacts is so great that the FDA is in the process of revising its sodium guidelines to encourage people to protect their heart and health. It is possible that the new recommendations will be as low as 1,500 mg of sodium daily, which is the equivalent of about two-thirds of a teaspoon of table salt. Prior to this revision, the recommendation was for less than 2,300 mg. Statistics show that Americans consume an average of 3,400 mg of sodium every day, a frighteningly high number.

High blood pressure is a complex problem that may have compound causes. It may not be as simple as just cutting salt in the diet but this is a great first step to take in taking control of managing your high blood pressure. It is well proven that high blood pressure increases the risk for heart attacks and stroke and causes damage to the blood vessels. This damage can lead to kidney failure and hardening of the arteries, both of which further raise blood pressure.

Recent studies have indicated that those with high salt intake have increased calcium loss in the bones causing weakening and eventually osteoporosis. Other studies have shown that too much salt can increase insulin resistance, possibly leading to Type 2 diabetes. Certain cancers have even been linked to eating a diet overabundant in salty foods.

So what can you do to protect your heart by lowering sodium intake? First, be fully aware that salt is hidden in almost all processed foods. Without ever picking up the salt shaker and eating a normal diet of whole grains, salads, pasta with pre-made sauce, sandwiches, and flavored yogurt for a snack, daily sodium content can exceed 6,000mg.

Where is it all coming from? Even heart healthy foods seem to be packed with salt. The biggest culprits are pre-made soups, sauces, frozen foods, canned goods, and boxed meals. Read the nutrition label and ingredients, noticing how just one cup of soup or a half of a cup of spaghetti sauce can have one-third or more of the daily recommended amount of sodium. Read labels carefully, even labels of foods that you wouldn’t think have added sodium like diet pop. Look for salt and sodium in the ingredients.

A healthy heart disease diet means eating most meals at home and cooking from scratch. This way you can control the amount of salt in your diet. Season with pepper, garlic, herbs and spices and buy low-sodium products whenever possible.

Try a cleansing diet for a week to clear the excess sodium from your system and to reprogram your taste buds. You’ll be amazed at the difference you’ll see in not only your health, but your enjoyment of the subtle flavors of richly seasoned foods.

To Your Heart’s Health
Monique Hawkins
540-858-2885 anytime
Skype: Monique371

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Obesity and Heart Disease – Why Being Overweight Can Damage Your Heart

Sunday, April 3rd, 2011

There is a strong correlation between obesity and heart disease. Study after study shows a strong connection between being overweight or obese and the development of cardiovascular disease. Not only is an increasing risk found as weight increases, but it has also been discovered that the distribution of the excess fat also plays a role in promoting heart disease.

Recent findings conclude that belly fat is the most dangerous when it comes to cardiovascular health although the mechanism for this is not entirely clear. The importance of understanding the links between heart disease and being overweight are more critical than ever as an estimated two-thirds of American adults are overweight.

Obesity increases the risk for high blood pressure which damages arteries and leads to atherosclerosis. Additionally, hypertension can cause damage to the kidneys and direct damage to the heart. There is even a link between obesity, sleep apnea and heart disease. Many health care professionals fear that the epidemic rise in obesity rates will lead to a huge increase in heart disease in the United States and much of the Western world.

One long known factor in heart health and obesity is that the increased volume of blood means the heart must work harder and harder to adequately pump blood through the body leading to eventual heart failure. But what hasn’t been known until recently is the link between belly fat and heart disease. One possible cause of the increased heart health risk is that an accumulation of belly fat can increase the risk for Type 2 diabetes, a known cause of heart disease. Other ideas are that belly fat actually secretes damaging hormones that cause cardiovascular problems.

And if that weren’t enough, recent research is also showing an increase in congestive heart failure. This happens when the left ventrical of the heart becomes enlarged as it is overworked. Stress to this part of the heart is associated with high blood pressure but is seen in obese people without hypertension. The end result of congestive heart disease is heart failure.

All of these studies are discoveries are quite frightening, but something can be done about it! Health professionals are recommending that adults maintain a Body Mass Index BMI of less than 25. You can figure your BMI by dividing your weight in kilograms by the square of your height in meters. Not as tricky as it sounds with metric unit conversion tools and calculators everywhere! So make it a goal to reach this BMI and maintain your weight at or below this level. Also keep in mind that the BMI alone says nothing about the distribution of fat on the body. Belly fat is the most dangerous as it attaches to internal organs and secretes hormones that can damage the body.

Losing weight is really quite simple if you remember the one simple rule that weight loss only occurs when calorie output exceeds calorie intake. There are no magic bullets, it takes managing your diet and increasing exercise. And do you know what? Eating a diet full of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean meats and fish and getting regular exercise has definitely been linked to a reduced risk of heart disease! Even small amounts of weight loss can reap heart-health benefits.

To Your Heart’s Health
Monique Hawkins
540-858-2885 anytime
Skype: Monique371

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Congestive Heart Disease-4 Easy Tips to Prevent It

Sunday, March 27th, 2011

Congestive heart disease is a growing problem in our society. However, there is good news. If you are someone who has developed congestive heart disease, it runs in your family, or you just want to know how to prevent it, there are lifestyle changes you can do to develop a healthy heart. Here are 4 easy tips to prevent it from Mr. Andrew Bicknell.

Preventing Congestive Heart Disease
By Andrew Bicknell

For most people who have it congestive heart disease is preventable or even reversible if caught early enough. Its causes and effects are directly related to lifestyle choices and in some cases to other underlying diseases that can cause it symptoms. Smoking, obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, physical inactivity, metabolic syndrome, and diet are all risk factors for this most deadly of diseases.

These risk factors can cause atherosclerosis, which are lesions in blood vessels. This can lead to arteriosclerosis, which is a thickening, hardening, and calcification of arterial walls leading to a decreased blood supply. This affects the ability of the heart to do its job in an efficient manner. These risk factors can also damage the heart, weakening the muscle itself.

Preventing congestive heart disease is a matter of living a healthy lifestyle. By following some rather simple rules the majority of people can keep this disease from ever touching their lives. Here are some things to consider in the fight against this disease.

Tip #1: Eat oatmeal every morning. There are studies that show that oatmeal helps remove excess fat from the body. Not only is it good for your heart but it is high in fiber and complex carbohydrates, helping to provide sustained energy through out the morning.

Tip #2: Eat more Omega 3 fatty acids. These come from fish in the form of fish and are known to fight LDL (low-density lipoproteins) cholesterol and lower triglyceride levels.

With this in mind it makes sense to eat more fish, like salmon, that are high in Omega 3s. These types of fish contain no bad cholesterol, unlike red meat. If you do eat red meat stick with lean cuts to help cut down on the fats and bad cholesterol that is known to clog and harden arteries, which is a leading cause of congestive heart failure.

Tip #3: Getting daily exercise is also a good way to keep the affects of congestive heart disease at bay. Cardiovascular exercise keeps the heart strong and healthy. The heart is essentially a muscle and needs to be worked as such. If your overall body condition is weak chances are the heart is weak as well. Aerobic exercise works the entire cardiovascular system, including the heart, lungs, and circulatory system. It can be as simple as going for a walk or as you get stronger jogging, biking, or even swimming.

Tip #4: Learning to relax is the last thing you can do to help prevent congestive heart disease. Stress is known to increase the risk of congestive heart failure so taking time to de-stress is important in fighting this disease.

To learn more about congestive heart disease please visit the website Heart Disease by clicking here http://heart-disease.health-choices-net.com/Congestive-Heart-Disease.html

Andrew wrote about some very easy tips any of us can follow to prevent congestive heart disease from developing. Take some time and begin to implement at least one tip and you will be well on your way to keeping your heart healthy!

To Your Heart’s Health
Monique Hawkins
540-858-2885 anytime
Skype: Monique371

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Heart Disease Causes and Effects-How to Reverse Effects Naturally

Sunday, March 6th, 2011

Everybody knows that heart disease causes and effects is an ever growing problem in our society today. The good news is that there are natural things you can do to treat heart disease if you have developed it and if you have not, strategies to follow to prevent heart disease from ever developing. Let’s take a look at what those are.

Heart Disease Causes – Reverse the Effects of Heart Disease Naturally!
By Ken Hansen

Heart disease causes are many and varied. Among the most common are those caused by lifestyle changes that can be easily managed, such as eating a healthy diet and exercising, managing your weight so that it stays within the healthy range, and keeping up on family risk factors for heart disease, thus the need to work with your doctor to minimize or even eliminate them.

Heart defects:

Heart defects, for example, usually develop while the baby is still in utero, and are usually structural imperfections that may or may not be able to be fixed with surgery, or managed with medication.

Cardiomyopathy:

Cardiomyopathy is a very common type of heart disorder where the heart muscle thickens or enlarges. There are three major types. Dilated cardiomyopathy is the most common type, and with this type of cardiomyopathy, the left ventricle, which is the main pumping chamber, becomes enlarged so much that its pumping ability is compromised and blood flow is also minimized.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy occurs when the heart muscle grows or thickens abnormally, again mostly within the main pumping chamber, the left ventricle. As the heart thickens, it tends to get stiffer, such that pumping is less effective, and the chamber itself shrinks. This reduces the heart’s ability to pump blood effectively throughout the body.

With restrictive cardiomyopathy, the heart itself simply becomes less elastic, which means that it doesn’t expand properly and fill with blood between beats. This is the least common type of cardiomyopathy and often occurs for no apparent reason.

Infections and viruses:

Heart infections can cause heart disease, such as myocarditis, endocarditis, and pericarditis. In these cases, bacteria or viruses enter the bloodstream and can cause damage. With endocarditis particularly, poor oral health could be the cause because as you brush your teeth, bacteria can enter your blood stream through infected gums. Bacteria that cause Lyme disease can also bring on myocarditis.

Viruses, too, can cause heart infections, such as those that cause influenza, mononucleosis, measles, and the human parvovirus. In addition, sexually transmitted diseases can also travel to the heart muscle and cause infection there.

Parasites:

Parasites can be another cause of heart disease, such as toxoplasma.

Therapeutic interventions:

Certain therapeutic interventions for other diseases like cancer may also damage the heart, such as radiation treatment or certain chemotherapy drugs.

Allergic or toxic reactions:

Medications and drugs can cause allergic or toxic reactions that can damage the heart. Antibiotics like penicillin and illegal drugs like cocaine can also damage the heart; especially with the administration of needle-based illicit drugs like heroin, infection can also be introduced to the heart via this mechanism.

Autoimmune disorders:

Finally, there are certain autoimmune disorders that can cause heart disease, like lupus or Wegener’s granulomatosis.

Fortunately, the vast majority of heart disease causes can be entirely managed by managing your own lifestyles of the East and stay as healthy and fit as possible. Although these aforementioned heart disease causes certainly do exist, by far the most common reason for heart disease is the presence of lifestyle factors like obesity, lack of exercise, diabetes caused by poor diet and lifestyle, high blood pressure, and so on.

For most other heart disease causes, the conditions can at least be managed with medication and lifestyle changes, if not cured, through interventions like surgery to correct congenital defects.

http://www.heartattackwomen.net/
http://www.heartattackwomen.net/heart-disease-causes/heart-disease-causes

As you can see, as Ken states there are numerous heart diseases causes and effects. However, by making some simple lifestyle changes, you can achieve optimal heart health and life!

To Your Heart’s Health
Monique Hawkins
540-858-2885 anytime
Skype: Monique371

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Heart Disease Causes-The Link Between Emotional Stress and Cardiovascular Disease

Sunday, February 6th, 2011

It seems to be one of those common knowledge assertions, that stress can cause heart disease. Although this is a general belief, there really isn’t much medical literature related to the connection between emotional stress and cardiovascular disease. At least, not until recently.

The body’s reaction to a stressful event is programmed into us to save our lives. Over the long course of human evolution, finding yourself in a potentially dangerous situation demanded an adrenaline surge allowing the body to respond in a quick and powerful way. We still have that response, although much of what triggers it is no longer life-threatening wild beasts!

An overdue bill, an annoying phone call, a cranky boss, all can trigger the body’s fight or flight response causing the adrenaline to flow. Over time, this can lead to problems with the cardiovascular system including high blood pressure and a weakened heart.

What is interesting is that although we may all share the fight or flight response to similar events, each person reacts in a different way. Our distant ancestors went into a fast sprint to avoid the danger, dissipating the effect. Today, many internalize their fear or frustration and have no healthy way to get rid of the anger, the fear, and the anxiety of modern life.

There is also a connection between damage to the cardiovascular system and the exact type of emotional stress. Those that suffer the most damage are the people who feel they have little to no control over their situation, whether it is personal or workplace. Although a clerk may have little actual control over their workplace situations, they can try to have mental control over their reactions by looking at the whole situation in a different light. Rather than taking everything so seriously, a lighter mood and a feeling of less desperation can be achieved by mentally stepping back from the situation. It is like the old “go with the flow” attitude, easing back a little and not fighting the situation.

Studies are showing that people undergoing the exact same type of stress react differently, and the way they react influences a host of biochemical reactions in the body. Remember the Type A personality that is characterized by impatience and a chronic sense of urgency? These are the people who have a higher risk of artery disease and subsequent heart problems. The more patient Type B personality has a less urgent view of time, is less competitive, and less easily angered.

Avoiding stress may be an impossible goal, but dealing differently with everyday stress can be a life-saving goal. If you find yourself impatient in a line or traffic jam, try looking at it as a time to relax instead. After all, while you are stuck in line you really have nothing to do, you can just stand there and relax for a moment while taking a few deep breaths before the line moves along and you have to get back to work on something. Those few moments relaxing and deeply breathing can lower blood pressure, reduce your heart rate, and refresh your mind.

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