Heart Disease?

Yes. Despite the highly advanced state of our technology, despite the information age, despite billions of dollars in health care and research.. one of the most preventable health concerns of all major inflictions has become a catastrophic epidemic, and the leading cause of death worldwide. (*source – World Health Organization).

How can this be? Unlike the plagues of the past, there is no single, clear-cut answer. No single virus or bacterium is to blame. It is not airborne, or contagious in any way. And it usually doesn’t reveal itself until it is too late to reverse the damage.

In the early stages, signs and symptoms may be those you are experiencing right now:

• A lack of pain.

• Usual levels of energy.

• No nausea, or feelings of sickness.

• Calm and unsuspecting

You see, the warning signs of heart disease often go undetected. They do not necessarily present themselves in every day life, so there is no perceived need to see a doctor. And some of the greatest contributing factors to heart disease are things or activities we consider good, or fun.

Hidden Warning Signs.

If your body presents so little indication of a possible cardiovascular problem, then how do you identify it before there are complications? The fact is there are warning signs, and you must know how to find them.

Taking a proactive stance is critical to preventing, diagnosing, and treating heart disease. Medical doctors can perform testing to analyze your total cholesterol levels, HDL & LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, Systolic and Diastolic blood pressure, and even genetic risk factors. Home kits also exist which can provide basic information about cholesterol, and triglycerides with digital units.

Regular testing is the only way to identify and prevent heart problems before they occur. High cholesterol, high blood pressure, and other symptoms do not reveal themselves until after the damage is done. And increasing age, typical diets, and increasingly sedentary lifestyles put almost everyone at risk for this problem.. even excluding many other risk factors. Ignore this at your own peril.

You may be experiencing these (or similar) symptoms:

• Sudden numbness or weakness in the face, shoulders, or extremities

• Sudden dizziness, vertigo, blurred vision, lack of balance and coordination

• Uncomfortable pressure, nausea, or pain in the chest lasting more than a few moments

• Shortness of breath, lightheadedness, fainting, sweating

• Persistent coughing and or wheezing

• Increased and/or irregular Heart rhythm

• Intuitive feeling of extreme danger

These are the signs of a serious impending risk to the health of your heart and body. They are often the result of a long term undetected problem. When these symptoms present themselves, it is critical that you seek immediate medical intervention.

Thankfully, the leading cause of death in the world today is also the most preventable. How you choose to live is also how healthy you choose to be. Science has proven beyond doubt the direct relationship between lifestyle and health, with diet, physical activity, habits, and happiness (low stress) being the keys.

LDL (Low Density Lipoprotein) Cholesterol Levels:

The range of LDL Cholesterol is as follows:

• Less than 100 mg/dL: Optimal

• Between 100 to 129 mg/dL: Sub-Optimal

• Between 130 to 159 mg/dL: Borderline High

• Between 160 to 189 mg/dL: High

• Over 190 mg/dL of blood: considered Very High

When Low Density Cholesterol is oxidized, or exposed to ‘free radical’ damage, it is capable of causing arterial hardening and clogging (atherosclerosis) and thus blood clots. High levels of LDL combined with poor diet and lack of exercise (poor lifestyle factors) therefore increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.

What are the Causes of High Cholesterol (a.k.a. Hypercholesterolemia)?

1. Age and Sex:

From around 20 years old to approximately the age of 65, cholesterol levels in both men and women (with a typical western diet: http://en.scientificcommons.org/1066048) tend to rise. Cholesterol levels remain lower in women until menopause, then rise similarly to men after due to hormonal changes. Some reasons for age related cholesterol increases include variations in diet, hormones, body mass index, and homocysteine levels.

2. Excessive Alcohol Consumption:

Some studies have found moderate consumption of alcohol, especially red wine, can actually increase HDL (high density lipoprotein) levels, or what is referred to as good cholesterol. However, alcohol can also increase triglycerides and blood pressure. Red wine also contains flavonoids and other antioxidants which may have an impact on conditions related to cholesterol. Of course, excessive alcohol consumption can lead to many other risk factors including cardiomyopathy and cardiac arrhythmia.

3. Poor Diet

High levels of saturated (animal) fats, trans fats (hydrogenated vegetable oils), and dietary cholesterol have a significant impact on blood cholesterol levels. This risk is increased when combined with low soluble and insoluble fiber, unsaturated fats found in plant foods, and high in sodium – the typical western diet. As a result, a western populations typically suffer from a greater percentage of heart and cardiovascular complications.

4. Heredity (The Impact of Genes on Cholesterol):

Certain genes have an impact on the production of LDL and its removal from the bloodstream.. and their malfunction can negatively impact these levels. In familial hypercholesterolaemia (affecting about 12 million people in the population), these genes stop the liver from removing fat from blood at all.

5. High Mental Stress:

Numerous studies have correlated long term high stress levels with increased bloodstream cholesterol. Hormones released during the ‘fight or flight’ response cause chemical changes within the body and directly impact the mechanisms associated with cholesterol. Also, dietary and lifestyle changes associated with fluctuations in mood can be indirect but powerful risk factors.

6. Weight:

Every extra two pounds of weight on your body has been correlated with an increase of one mg per dL of blood cholesterol. Excess weight has also been associated with an increase in LDL and triglycerides, and lower HDL.

7. Sedentary Lifestyle(lack of physical exercise):

One of the greatest current risk factors for high total blood cholesterol levels is a lack of physical activity, or sedentary lifestyle. Modern times have made much of the daily physical work required in jobs of the past obsolete, and is a contributing factor to the alarming rise in cardiovascular health issues. Poor physical condition ties in with numerous other potential factors to vastly increase the risks associated with high levels of cholesterol.