Heart Health
Index of Diseases / Health Conditions ... Medicinal Foods, Herbs, Spices & Household Items
The below provides a general overview on this topic and may not apply to everyone. Any treatment protocol should be discussed with a qualified healthcare practitioner ... Please refer to: Medical & Legal Disclaimer.
Did you know?
- Heart disease is the #1 killer in the United States.
- Heart attacks kill nearly a million Americans a year
- Strokes kill over 160,000 a year
- 64 million Americans suffer from some form of cardiovascular disease (and 39 million of these folks are age 65 or younger)
- By the age of 40, your odds of having coronary heart disease is one out of three if you are a woman and one out of two if you are a man
- Heart disease (like high blood pressure, diabetes and stroke) can increase your risk of dementia. What damages the blood vessels that feed your heart may also harm the blood vessels that nourish your brain. (Ref. Nutrition Action Healthletter, March 2008)
The importance of preventing heart disease is obvious.
Factors that raise your risk for heart disease:
- Genetics: having a first-degree relative (parent or sibling) who developed heart disease before age 55 for men or age 65 for women
- Age: a man age 45 or older, a woman age 55 or older, or a woman with premature menopause who is not taking hormone replacement therapy
- Lifestyle: Smoking; lack of exercise; being more than 30% over ideal body weight
- Diseases such as high blood pressure and diabetes (diabetes poses as great a risk for heart attack as heart disease itself)
- HDL cholesterol level below 40 mg/dL.
Typical Symptoms of Heart Attacks
Angina is a common and serious heart problem that is caused by inadequate oxygen to the heart, which can lead to chest pain or discomfort on exertion that typically goes away with rest. The condition can result from partially blocked heart arteries or decreased flexibility of the cardiac arteries.
According to a new study, the findings of which were published in the March 25 issue of the journal Circulation, women have a 20 percent higher prevalence of stable angina. This conflicts with conventional medical wisdom.
For the new study, Dr. Harry Hemingway, a professor of clinical epidemiology at University College London Medical School in Great Britain, and his colleagues collected data from 74 studies involving 401,315 people living in 31 countries, including the United States. The prevalence of angina varied from country to country. Among women, the prevalence varied from 0.73 percent to 14.4 percent, with an average of 6.7 percent. Among men, it varied from 0.76 percent to 15.1 percent, for an average of 5.7 percent, the study found.
While risk factors for heart disease, such as smoking, differed from country to country, once the researchers compensated for those risk factors, they found that the prevalence of angina was still higher among women. In fact, the prevalence of angina was 20 percent higher overall among women than men. While the study doesn't show that women with angina are under-diagnosed or under-treated, Hemingway thinks that, overall, women with heart disease are less likely to receive appropriate treatment.
"This is consistent with many observations which suggest that women with suspected or confirmed heart disease are less likely to go for further investigation or treatment," Hemingway said. "This study shows that that general issue may be even more important than we suspected."
For Heart & General Health - Read The Labels!
Cathy Fitzgerald, registered dietitian with MFit, the University of Michigan Health System's health promotion division suggests "reading the labels is a great way to be guided toward healthier choices for your heart, and for general reduction of all chronic diseases today." "So think about using the front of the package as well as the nutrition facts on the back when you are out shopping."
Start by educating yourself on what food label language truly means. Fitzgerald offered these tips:
- The claim, "May reduce the risk of heart disease." A company can only put this statement on a food if scientific evidence exists that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has decided is strong enough to support it.
- Nutrient content claims. The government regulates how a company can use terms such as "high," "low" or "reduced." For example, a food must have 3 grams of fat or less to be considered low fat, and a product that is high in a certain nutrient provides 20 percent or more of the daily value suggested by the FDA.
- Foods with fiber. Fiber helps the digestive system and lowers cholesterol. Look for the claims "high in fiber" or "excellent source of fiber," as these products have at least 5 grams of fiber per serving. A food listed as a "good source" of fiber has 2.5 grams of fiber or more.
- Omega-3 fats. Omega-3 fats have been shown to benefit the heart. Fish such as salmon, tuna, mackerel and trout are good sources of omega fats and are low in saturated fat.
Sterols and stanols. Plant sterols and stanols are cholesterol-lowering substances often added to products like margarine and salad dressings. Review the label carefully to make sure a product states it offers the cholesterol-lowering benefits of plant sterols and stanols. - Sodium. Look for phrases like "low sodium" or "reduced sodium." This is especially important in processed and canned foods. If a food is labeled as "reduced" in sodium, it has 25 percent less salt than the regular product.
- Trans fats. Eat trans fats sparingly, as they raise your bad cholesterol and lower your good cholesterol. Fried foods and processed foods that have a long shelf life are often loaded with them. The term "partially hydrogenated oil" on an ingredient's list indicates the food contains trans fats.
- Saturated fat. Butter, fatty cuts of red meat, and cheese made from whole milk are among foods with the highest amount of saturated fat -- a main dietary cause of high blood cholesterol. Opt for low-fat or non-fat dairy products, lean meats such as loin or round cuts, and liquid margarines instead of butter.
For Optimal Heart Health, choose the following food items:
Incorporate heart-healthy foods into your diet:
- Organically grown fruits & vegetables
- Kiwifruit help lower triglyceride levels, and they reduce platelet clumping. The platelet effect could be particularly good for your ticker: Although platelets aid in blood clotting, when these cells stick together too much, it could set the stage for a heart attack or stroke.
- Sweet Potatoes aka Yams: High source of the antioxidant beta carotene, which is linked to preventing heart disease, cataracts, and numerous cancers, and is considered a nutritional boost for eye health ... Nuts are highly valued for its anti-cancer and heart-protective properties.They aid in insulating and storing food for the body and are necessary for the normal utilization of the fat-soluble vitamins, including A, D, E, K.
- Asparagus ... Bell Peppers ... Beans* ... Beets ... Carrots ... Corn ... Cranberries ... Garlic ... Grapes ... Grapefruit ... Shiitake Mushrooms ... Olives ... Papaya ... Peanuts ... Romaine Lettuce ..... Winter Squash ... Swiss Chard ... Tomatoes ... Turnip Greens ... Walnuts
- Health Benefits of Flax Seeds
- Nuts & Seed: Walnuts, Almonds, Sesame, sunflower and pumpkin seeds; Walnuts
- Pistachio Nuts & Sunflower Seeds: Researchers discovered that pistachio nuts and sunflower seeds contain unique phytosterols that can block cholesterol from being absorbed into your bloodstream. These phytosterols could also help prevent cancer and heart disease, treat enlarged prostate, and control blood sugar in diabetics.
- Choose whole grains oats for their high fiber content and unique antioxidants
- Cod Liver Oil ... Cold Water Fish (including salmon, tuna, herring, mackerel and halibut for their beneficial omega 3 fatty acids) ... Olive Oil (cold - pressed, instead of other oils)
- Eggs
- Drink more: Tea; Tomato juice; Concord grape juice
- Coffee & Heart Health
Typical Symptoms of Heart Attacks (Myocardial infarction)
Men:
- Sudden stabbing pain in the chest
- Cold sweat
- Grabbing the chest
- Dropping to the floor
Female Heart Attacks:
- Nausea
- Extreme Fatique
- Sensation of indigestion
- Squeezing motions up the spine (the aorta spasming), racing up and under the sternum (breast bone)
- Radiating pain in the jaws
If you would like to add to or correct any of the above information, or would like to share with the AvianWeb visitors your own experiences, please e-mail the AvianWeb Webmaster.
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