Heart Disease Affect People of All Ages

When asked which disease they fear most of all, most people answer unhesitatingly, “cancer.” Now, cancer is to be feared, but it doesn’t kill as many people as heart disease. Heart disease is not limited to very aged, frail little old men and women. Anyone can have it, even strong athletic young men and women, even little children. True, some people are genetically predisposed to heart disease, while others are not, but even the best genes in the world can not protect you forever from the effects of overindulgence in rich, fatty, salty or sugary foods combined with a carefree refusal to exercise.
Heart disease occurs when the arteries become hardened and narrowed, and are unable to carry a sufficient volume of blood. Less blood is pumped to all parts of the body, including the heart itself. The heart becomes starved for oxygen and begins to pump less efficiently. A vicious circle of less oxygen leads to lessened efficiency leads to still less oxygen, and so on. Eventually this may lead to a cutoff of oxygen to a portion of the heart muscle, resulting in a heart attack.

There are many factors which encourage the development of heart disease, including:

Growing older, as age causes arteries to become less elastic which leads to high blood pressure.
Having high blood pressure.
Having diabetes.
Having high blood cholesterol which can lead to buildup of fatty plaques which narrow the arteries.
Being a smoker; tobacco constricts the arteries which leads to oxygen deprivation.
Obesity makes your heart work harder than it should.
Lack of exercise or physical activity.
Having certain ethnic backgrounds.
Genetic inheritance which shapes your body.
Persons who tend to put on weight around their waists (“apple” shape) have a greater risk of developing heart disease than persons who put on weight around the hips (“pear” shape).

Heart disease is not always obvious. The heart can be starved of blood without causing dramatic symptoms. Sometimes an angina after exercise may be a sign of a developing problem but often the first sign that there is a heart problem is a heart attack. There are well known symptoms which suggest developing heart disease. If you are experiencing a combination of the following symptoms you should see your physician. He or she will order tests to discover their cause.

Shortness of breath: it may come on after mild exercise or even when you are inactive.
    Forceful, rapid heartbeat (palpitations) which may last for several hours and can be accompanied by dizziness and shortness of breath.
    Retaining fluid in the body which leads to swelling of the ankles, legs, abdomen and the lungs.
    Attacks of angina. This is a sudden, severe pain in the chest which spreads to the arms, neck, face, etc. Angina may come on while you are working hard or under stress.
    A bluish tinge to fingernails or the area around the lips. It is a sign that the blood is not carrying enough oxygen.
    Tiredness is a symptom of diseases other than heart disease, but if fatigue is combined with other symptoms of heart disease, you should certainly mention it to your physician.

If you should find yourself suffering a very severe, crushing pain in the chest, a pain that lasts longer than 15 minutes, does not go away with rest and is accompanied by excessive perspiration, giddiness, a feeling of nausea and shortness of breath, be aware that you might be suffering a heart attack. Women may not experience quite the same symptoms as men. They are more likely to have a chest pain that radiates into the abdomen, mid-back area, to one or both arms, shoulder, neck or jaw. Other symptoms may include extreme fatigue, anxiety and fluid retention as well as the same symptoms suffered by me. You should go to the emergency room immediately. Women frequently delay calling for help for longer than men. No one should wait if they feel that they are having a heart attack. The sooner treatment is started, the less damage will be done to your heart.

The best way to deal with heart disease is never to develop it. The keyword here is prevention, and it is much better than cure. Even people who already have heart disease can make simple changes in their lifestyle which will improve their chances of not having another heart attack.

If your physician agrees, try some of the following suggestions:

Start a moderate exercise program; even taking a walk every day is highly beneficial.
Make some changes in your diet. Enjoy fresh fruit, wholesome vegetables, whole grains, fish, poultry and lean meat in moderation.
If you still smoke, stop, stop, stop NOW.
Lower your high blood pressure.
Reduce your blood cholesterol level.
If you are overweight, try to attain a healthy weight.
If you have diabetes, follow your physician’s instructions to control your disease

Find more information:

Find a lot of interesting things and facts about human’s heart – Usehealthguide.com

Dietary Changes for a Healthy Heartbeat – Nutritional-Habits.com

What should we eat to have a strong and healthy heart? – Nutritional-Habits.com

“Black marks” of a disease are easy to identify – Just-Healthy.net

Men Should Often Consult a Physician – Longlifetips.net

Great motivational facts about benefits of exercising regularly article

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