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We can only imagine how frightening it is to learn we have heart disease. Prevention is always better than cure and there are many factors to consider in the prevention of heart disease such as diet, exercise, and controlling stress.
The diet needs more fiber, as well as fruits and vegetables. Cut back on the salt, if your family has a history of heart disease, it may be a good idea to cut out salt altogether. Avoid foods with high levels of cholesterol. Foods with the wrong kind of fat content can clog the arteries. The worse kinds of fats are the LDL's and VLDL's. It is necessary to have your cholesterol routinely checked by your physician.
Exercise is another important factor in preventing heart disease. Adequate exercise Is necessary for getting the heart pumping and maintaining a healthy heart. It is important to build to an exercise level of at least 30 minutes a day, 3-4 times a week.
Stop smoking! If you don't smoke that is great. If you do smoke. Quit, it will immediately reduce your chances of heart disease to a non-smoker level.
Keeping high blood pressure in check because we have all heard it called The Silent Killer. Exercise, weight control, lowering salt intake, and lowering alcoholic intake will ultimately help reduce high blood pressure.
Keeping your weight down is another key element in preventing heart disease.
Stress is another factor to heart disease. Learn to relax. All the above suggestions pertaining to diet, smoking, exercise, etc. will also lower stress levels.
If you are a woman at the menopause stage, it is a good idea to increase estrogen. Estrogen is a key factor for women being less prone for heart disease.
It is also recommended that an aspirin a day will help in heart attack and stroke prevention.
Treatment for heart disease due to clogged arteries, causing heart a heart attack is bypass surgery. In severe cases it may be necessary to have a heart transplant.
These suggestions come from the American Heart Association. My mother has been a heart patient stemming from her diabetic condition for many years. Through the years we have learned many beneficial facts about the prevention of heart disease. Information that we wished had been available to us many years earlier. She's had major heart surgery and still suffers from congestive heart failure, which is controlled by medications. It is never too early to begin preventive care concerning heart disease, even if you aren't diabetic.
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