Difference between revisions of "Prevent Heart Disease"

Heart disease is an umbrella term that covers a variety of cardiovascular conditions, including blood vessel diseases, coronary artery disease, arrhythmia, congenital heart defects and infections of the heart.<ref name="rf1">http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-disease/basics/definition/con-20034056?</ref> Although heart disease is a serious condition, there are some simple steps that you can take to lower your risk of developing heart disease, such as eating a heart healthy diet, staying active, managing stress, and quitting smoking. Some factors are beyond control, but you can help to protect yourself from heart disease by taking charge of the factors that you can control.  

#Be aware of emerging science. It has been a long-held belief that certain things, such as saturated fats, should be banned from your diet; however, new studies are showing that saturated fats may not increase cardiovascular mortality.<ref name="rf2">http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24723079?access_num=24723079&link_type=MED&dopt=Abstract</ref><ref name="rf3">http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22592684?access_num=22592684&link_type=MED&dopt=Abstract</ref><ref name="rf4">http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/91/3/535?ijkey=4598b707f5b3a362c4d3e6dd4dffa97a3e688bb8&keytype2=tf_ipsecsha</ref> In fact, a low-fat diet may actually increase your risk of heart disease, because the fat is replaced by carbohydrates.<ref name="rf5">http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0033062015300256</ref> If you are concerned about eating for a healthy heart, stay abreast of the most current dietary information.

#* It still stands that trans-fat is very bad for your heart heath and is linked to a host of negative side effects. Decrease the amount of foods you eat that contain trans fats, such as fried foods, packaged foods, margarine, and processed baked goods.<ref name="rf6">http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/NutritionCenter/HealthyEating/The-American-Heart-Associations-Diet-and-Lifestyle-Recommendations_UCM_305855_Article.jsp</ref>

#Boost your intake of foods that contain Omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3s are a healthy type of polyunsaturated fat. Omega-3 fatty acids offer protection from heart disease and can be found in foods such as salmon, mackerel, flaxseed, and walnuts and in certain vitamin and mineral supplements.<ref name="rf6" />

#*Try to incorporate wild-caught fish into your diet twice per week (farmed fish are often not as high in Omega 3's).<ref name="rf7">http://www.doh.wa.gov/CommunityandEnvironment/Food/Fish/FarmedSalmon</ref>

#Increase the amount of fruits and vegetables that you consume each day. Set a goal of 10 servings of fresh or frozen produce per day. The healthy plant substances found in fruits and vegetables can help prevent heart disease.<ref name="rf6" />

#Opt for whole grains and cut back on carbs. They are an excellent source of fiber and contain several healthy nutrients that can help regulate blood pressure and improve overall heart health. Though whole grains are much better than refined grains, a diet that is low in carbohydrates been shown to improve cardiovascular health.<ref name="rf6" /><ref name="rf8">http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/osp4.23/full</ref>

#Keep your portion sizes under control. Although what you eat is important for heart health, how much you eat is also a factor in improving overall heart health. Refrain from overeating, which can lead to excess fat, cholesterol and calorie intake.<ref name="rf6" /> Keeping portion sizes under control is essential to healthy eating. Use measuring cups and spoons and weight scales to measure your portion sizes until you become familiar enough to recognize them by sight only. Some ways to remember appropriate portion sizes include:

#[http://www.wikihow.com/Lose-Weight Lose weight] if you are overweight. Carrying extra weight puts a strain on your heart which can cause heart disease later in life. You are at an even higher risk if you carry excess weight around your waist. Strive to maintain a healthy weight to avoid complications of being overweight now or later in life.<ref name="rf9">http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/WeightManagement/BodyMassIndex/Frequently-Asked-Questions-FAQs-about-BMI_UCM_307892_Article.jsp</ref>

#Exercise for 30 minutes five days per week. Getting 30 minutes of moderate physical activity five days per week will help you to protect yourself from heart disease. Developing good exercise habits from a young age and maintaining those habits for your lifetime will improve your chances of staying in shape and reaping the benefits of exercise for your heart.<ref name="rf10">http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/PhysicalActivity/FitnessBasics/American-Heart-Association-Recommendations-for-Physical-Activity-in-Adults_UCM_307976_Article.jsp</ref>

#Manage stress. Stress causes damage to your arteries which may lead to heart disease, so it is important to develop techniques for managing stress.<ref name="rf11">http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/StressManagement/HowDoesStressAffectYou/How-Does-Stress-Affect-You_UCM_307985_Article.jsp</ref> Try yoga, deep breathing exercises, meditation, or another relaxation technique to help control your stress levels.

#*One study showed that meditation effectively lowered systolic and diastolic blood pressure by an average of 4.7 and 3.2 mm Hg.<ref name="rf12">http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18311126</ref>

#Request regular health screening tests from your doctor. Keeping tabs on your blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and blood sugar can help to keep you in good health. Blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar are major factors in the development of heart disease, but you can keep them under control by having them checked often.<ref name="rf13">http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-disease/basics/prevention/con-20034056</ref>

#*'''Cholesterol'''. The information about cholesterol has become more detailed and is based more on smaller lipoproteins than on overall cholesterol. Therefore, ask your doctor to check your CRP, or C-reactive protein, levels. Elevated CRP levels are linked to inflammation of the arteries, which is linked to heart disease.<ref name="rf14">http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1046/j.1365-2796.2002.01019.x/full</ref> A simple blood test can check your CRP levels.  

#*'''Diabetes'''. The recommended age to begin screening for diabetes is 45, but you should ask your doctor when you should started having screenings based on your medical history and risk factors. Even prediabetes is now being treated by doctors as a risk factor for the development of diabetes and for cardiovascular disease as well.<ref name="rf15">http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2699715/</ref>

#Ask about metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome — which refers to a cluster of risk factors that increase your risk for heart disease, stroke, and diabetes — is becoming more common as more people live a sedentary lifestyle.<ref name="rf16">http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1108360</ref> Risk factors include excess fat around the waistline, a high triglyceride level, high blood sugar, or high blood pressure.<ref name="rf17">http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/ms</ref>

#*Combat metabolic syndrome by tackling any risk factors you may have. Exercise and change your diet to lose weight if you have abdominal obesity. Limit alcohol, manage stress, and follow other guidelines for a heart-healthy lifestyle.<ref name="rf18">http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/ms/prevention</ref>

#Talk to your doctor about the role of inflammation. Recent studies are showing that inflammation is a hugely overlooked risk factor for atherosclerosis. The best way to currently test for inflammation is to have your doctor check your CRP levels.<ref name="rf19">http://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/c-reactive-protein/basics/why-its-done/prc-20014480</ref>  

#*Inflammation may be caused by loss of muscle mass, cancer, inflammatory diseases (like rheumatoid arthritis or lupus), metabolic syndrome, and injuries to the artery wall, often caused by oxidized LDL cholesterol, smoking, high blood pressure, and high blood sugar.<ref name="rf20">http://content.onlinejacc.org/article.aspx?articleid=1140244#Conclusions</ref><ref name="rf21">http://www.cspinet.org/nah/articles/fighting_inflammation.html</ref>

#Get help to [[Quit Smoking|quit smoking]]. Smoking is a major contributor to the development of heart disease and it is the leading cause of preventable deaths. If you smoke, do everything that you can to quit. Ask your doctor about smoking cessation programs and medications that may help make quitting easier.<ref name="rf22">http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/QuitSmoking/QuittingSmoking/Why-Quit-Smoking_UCM_307847_Article.jsp</ref>

#*One study showed that smoking for two years increases one’s risk of death from cardiovascular disease by 36%.<ref name="rf23">http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24014389</ref>