Heart Disease

What is Coronary Heart Disease?

It’s the leading killer of both men and women in the U.S.  Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) is a group of related risk factors that predispose a person to sudden blockage of blood vessels in the heart.  When arterial plaque restricts blood flow, the narrowed passages are prone to blockages.

What are the symptoms?

Unfortunately, the first symptom of heart disease is often a heart attack!  A person may feel short of breath, have pain or tightness in the chest or back, pain around the jaw or down the left arm. Women’s symptoms may also include indigestion.

What are the other risk factors?

Diet and lifestyle choices are at the root of most CHD.  Making positive changes in the risk factors listed below can reduce your risk dramatically.  Blood tests can also help you to quantify risk levels and track your success.

 Excessive intake of saturated fats from animal products and transfats from hydrogenated vegetable oils can cause high levels (over 160) of artery-clogging LDL (bad cholesterol).  Soy protein and soluble fiber (from oats, apples, pears, plums, legumes, and carrots) as found in Heart-Thrive, have been shown to reduce bad cholesterol.

 Obesity is a risk factor, and losing weight can raise levels of artery-clearing HDL (good cholesterol).  However, a low fat diet that merely replaces saturated and transfats with carbohydrates (even whole grains) can actually lower your HDL, so be sure to include avocadoes, raw nuts, canola, and/or olive oil in your diet. 

 The stress we face and how we deal with it are important contributors to heart health.  Stress can raise blood pressure or cause us to compensate in other ways that aren’t beneficial, like over-eating and over-drinking.

 Exposure to smoke, even second hand smoke, causes susceptibility to CHD.

 Couch potato syndrome.  Avoid it!  Even moderate exercise, like walking for 30 minutes a few times a week, can contribute to a healthy heart.

Isn’t heart disease hereditary?

Many people are genetically predisposed to heart disease.  But even if it runs in the family, it is preventable!  In fact, the heart can to some extent repair and regenerate, make new blood vessels, and even get stronger given proper nutrition and exercise.