Heart disease is the number one cause of death in the United States, and men are at automatic greater risk for developing it simply because of their gender. Men also start showing signs of heart disease at an earlier age than women and have more of the known, controllable heart disease risk factors than women. Heredity and family history are examples of uncontrollable risk factors.
The risk factors that can be controlled include:
– High blood pressure, which makes the heart work harder, causing it to be exhausted and can lead to heart failure.
– Smoking.
– High cholesterol levels, which causes fatty deposits and plaque to build up in artery walls.
– Sedentary lifestyle. Exercise controls the weight and may help to lower the blood pressure. Exercise also works to control the cholesterol.
– Diabetes. Over 80% of diabetics die from disease of the blood vessels or the heart in some form.
– Obesity. Excess weight puts additional strain on the heart and leads to high blood pressure and higher levels of cholesterol in the bloodstream. Excess weight that is carried in the middle of the body, like around the waist, is especially considered to be dangerous even if the rest of the body is relatively thin.
– Stress. Constant, chronic stress raises the blood pressure, and also raises the chance of other risky behaviors such as smoking or overeating.
(Source: The American Heart Association)
Deaths caused by cardiovascular disease fell 40% and stroke deaths fell 35% between the years of 2000 and 2010, but risk factors for these diseases did not fall as dramatically in that same period. Smoking fell only 16%; obesity fell by only 2.5%. Childhood obesity has increased dramatically and could change those statistics negatively once these kids reach middle age (Source: Macready 2010). It is a sad fact that the term “adult onset” diabetes needs to be changed because it is no longer only seen in those who are in their thirties and forties. Children as young as ten and eleven are being diagnosed with Type II diabetes simply because they are obese!
Heart disease comprises a number of various conditions. Arteriosclerosis is the hardening of the arteries – a number of minerals and fatty deposits collect and make the walls of the artery become rigid and hard. Atheriosclerosis is the most common condition and is caused by plaque, which is a buildup of fats, cholesterol and other substances. The more plaque that accumulates, the narrower the arteries become, which reduces the amount of blood that can make it to and from the heart. The heart must work harder to pump and maintain blood flow or, worse, may not be able to get blood to certain areas of the body at all. There are no real symptoms of atheriosclerosis beyond angina pectoris.
Angina affects nearly three million American men and is a painful condition caused by an oxygen deficiency in the heart in turn caused by the narrowing of the arteries related to artheriosclerosis. Angina is one of the first and possibly the only warning sign of impending heart disease and should be heeded. The symptoms of angina pectoris include:
– A heavy, strangling or suffocating pain.
– The location of the pain is under the breastbone on the left side of the chest.
– Pain may radiate to the other parts to the body, including the throat, neck, jaw, left shoulder and left arm.
– Pain may reach the right side of the body.
– Pain from angina may be more common at night.
– Angina may be caused by a heavy meal, stress, emotional excitement, cold weather and physical exertion.
– Angina episodes may last between five and 30 minutes. If pain is lasting longer, it may be a heart attack.
(Source: Bednash, PhD, RN, FAAN 2001)
Angina is definitively diagnosed by both physical exam and electrocardiogram (EKG). In rare cases, a doctor may do further testing, which may include angiography, an invasive test involving injected dye and X-rays. Angina is treated with medications such as beta blockers, vasodilators, calcium channel blockers and thiazides. Moderate to severe angina pectoris may eventually require surgery to restore normal blood flow.
Heart attack symptoms include:
– Crushing pain that starts in the chest and then radiates into the left arm, back or shoulder
– Cold and clammy sweating
– Vomiting
– Pain that lasts longer than fifteen minutes and/or is not affected by nitroglycerin medications
Healthy Diet and Heart Disease
One of the easiest risk factors to control is weight. Simply by losing weight, you can:
– Lower the blood pressure
– Control blood sugar
– Get better control of cholesterol
– Reduce the need for medications used to treat these conditions
The more of these risk factors that you can control, the lower your chance of developing heart disease and the lower your risk of having a heart attack or stroke in the first place. Losing weight can be as simple as a few changes in the diet, including a slight reduction in the amount of fat. The typical diet gets 20-30% of its overall calories from fat, while lowering that amount down to 15-20% instead provides enough fat calories without being extreme. Increasing protein intake slightly allows for better feelings of satiety without deprivation, which is one of the reasons that “diets” may fail (Source: The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition). The American Heart Association recommends that the diet not have more than 35% protein, however.
Case Study
Timothy is 35, a non-smoker and former athlete (he played goalie on his high school hockey team and until recently played on several leagues, often as many times as five times a week.) He is suffering from depression, which leaves him making poor choices for his food and he does not sleep enough. His father died from a massive heart attack when he was only 21, and his mother, a lifelong heavy smoker, has been recently diagnosed with diabetes. A visit to the doctor reveals that Tim is now more than 40 pounds overweight, borderline diabetic himself and suffering from high blood pressure and high cholesterol. He is prescribed Metoprolol, a high blood pressure medication, as well as a cholesterol medication and is given strict orders to lose at least half of his excess weight and to have repeat labs in six months. At this time, if he has made no improvement, the doctor fears that he will be adding diabetes medications as well.
Tim, who has been unemployed for over a year, finally lands a job, a more physically demanding job than he has ever had in the past. In addition, he returns to the goalie position in a city league, playing hockey twice a week and doing several stretching exercises every day so that he can be limber enough to give it his all. He will be the first to admit that his first week ended with muscle-ripping pain, but as he gets back in the groove of things, he is feeling better.
He does not have the time to sit around eating junk food now, making healthier choices for foods that he can eat during his very busy day. One of his changes has been to add Profect, a protein supplement from Protica, twice a day, using the 50 gram size to save himself a little money while still getting the perfect amount of protein in a variety of flavors. Thanks to his new movement and renewed zeal for life, plus the fact that he no longer feels compelled to get burgers and fries from the drive thru windows, he has shed about twenty pounds and added another ten pounds of sheer muscle. His doctor is thrilled.
Tim is no longer borderline diabetic, his blood pressure is normal and his cholesterol is greatly improved.
Protica Research (Protica, Inc.) specializes in the development of Capsulized Foods. Protica manufactures Profect, IsoMetric, Pediagro, Fruitasia and over 100 other brands, including Medicare-approved, whey protein bullets for cancer patients. You can learn more at Protica Research – Copyright