Heart Disease
Facts:
- Heart Disease is America’s leading cause of death.
- One out of two Americans will die of heart disease.
- Heart disease effects both sexes, every race and all ages equally.
About the Heart:
The heart is the hardest working muscle in the body. Any problem involving the heart is a serious matter. A heart attack occurs when there is a buildup of fatty deposits along the inner wall of the heart arteries. The fatty build up inside blood vessels narrows them, reducing the flow from the artery to the heart muscle. The narrowed arteries may become totally blocked by fatty deposits and this causes a heart attack.
Warning signs of a heart attack:
The warning signs may be mild and easy to ignore. They may even take place days, weeks or months before a heart attack. The signs include:
- Uncomfortable pressure, fullness, pain or squeezing in the center of the chest
- Pain or discomfort spreads to the shoulders, neck or arms
- Dizziness, sweating, nausea or shortness of breath
- Any chest discomfort that causes anxiety or concern
- Any of the above the disappear with rest and return with exertion
- Pain that lasts 10-15 minutes while resting should be evaluated
Risk factors for heart disease
Inherited
- Men, women and children with a family history of heart disease before age 55.
- Men women and children with diabetes or hypertension (high blood pressure)
- Men, women and children with low levels of HDL (high density lipoprotein), the good blood cholesterol.
- Women, after the onset of menopause (men are at risk earlier in age, by the onset of menopause men and women are at equal risk)
Acquired
- People who smoke cigarettes or use tobacco products
- People who are overweight by 20 percent
- People with high blood pressure
- People who are under chronic stress
- People with sedentary lifestyles
- People who drink too much alcohol
- Acquired risk factors can be changed or managed with medication and by making lifestyle changes.
What is cholesterol?
Cholesterol is not a fat, it is a fat-like substance found in all foods of animal origin. Cholesterol is essential to life but after infancy our body manufactures all the cholesterol we need. The American Heart Association recommends that cholesterol is limited to 300 milligrams per day. This can be done by choosing leaner meats, eating smaller portions of meat, selecting low fat dairy products and using egg whites instead of whole eggs.
What is fat?
- Fat is the most concentrated source of calories, supplying more calories per gram than anything else in our diet. Fat contributes directly to health problems such as obesity, high cholesterol and heart disease. However, there are different types of fat.
- Saturated fat is usually solid at room temperature and is found in meats, shortening, butter, and coconut and palm oils. A diet low in saturated fatty acids is necessary to lower blood cholesterol and LDL (low density lipoprotein) cholesterol (bad cholesterol).
- Unsaturated fat is usually liquid at refrigerator temperature. These do not appear to raise blood cholesterol levels, and may even lower them.
Tips :
- Use 1% or skim milk instead of whole or 2% milk.
- Use lean cuts of meat and trim the fat instead of fatty meats and prime rib.
- Use two egg white instead of one egg.
- Use olive, canola or peanut oil instead of shortening, butter or lard.
- Bake, steam or broil food instead of frying it.
Resources:
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Last updated: 08/7/2011