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3 Ways to Guard Against Heart Disease

Coronary heart disease is a leading cause of death in the United States for both men and women. While genetics and age can raise your risk for heart disease, the choices you make in your daily life can make a big difference in your heart health. Here are some tips to help you learn more about this disease so you can protect yourself and your loved ones.

Protecting Yourself Against Heart Disease
Protecting Yourself Against Heart Disease

Know your numbers associated with heart disease

People who are aware of their numbers typically make better lifestyle choices. Plus, keeping an eye on these numbers lets you take action when one inches toward the danger zone.

  • Blood pressure: Normal pressure is below 120/80.
  • Cholesterol: Your lipid profile consists of HDL, LDL and triglycerides. Your total cholesterol should be 200 mg/dL or lower.
  • Dr. Muth’s recent article, “Heart Disease: An Aging Problem,” points out tests needed for an accurate picture of total heart health.
  • Fasting blood sugar level: You’re in the healthy range when your fasting blood sugar level is below 100.

Choose a healthy living lifestyle

  • Making a few changes in your daily life can help protect your heart. Strive to make good habits part of your daily routine. A healthy lifestyle should include:
  •  Exercise: Play sports, go walking, join a gym—get moving enough to get your heart rate up.
  • Nutrition: Eat more fruits and vegetables, whole grain fiber and lean proteins. Eliminate or limit foods that are high in fats, sodium and added sugars.
  • The Simple 7: Developed by the American Heart Association, Simple 7 leads you toward developing a heart healthy lifestyle.

Assess your habits for American Heart Month

  • Many people are aware that excessive alcohol and smoking can lead to a heart disease or heart attack. But, other habits can wreak havoc on your heart too.
  •  Stop smoking
  • Limit alcohol intake
  • Reduce stress
  • Give the weekend warrior a break

Heart Disease: An Aging Problem

Heart Disease: An Aging Problem

Cardiac disease is a growing concern in our aging population 17.3 million people die a year from cardiac disease. By 2030 >23.6 million people will die from heart disease. People are developing heart disease at a younger age partially due to our poor quality food and lack of exercise. Decline in mitochondrial activity is also largely responsible for cardiovascular and neurological disorders as well as obesity and type II diabetes.

Heart Disease Health Facts

  • 50% of heart attack patients HAVE NORMAL LDL-C
  • SUDDEN DEATH is the first sign of cardiovascular disease in up to 50%
  • 10-24% of the world’s population has nonalcoholic fatty LIVER DISEASE
  • Metabolic Syndrome confers a twofold
increase in cardiovascular events and a 1.5X RISK OF DEATH

Loss of mitochondrial function in muscle tissue also leads to the familiar “flabby” body composition that causes muscle atrophy and increased body fat. Studies show that supplementation with carnitine can restore mitochondrial function to near-youthful levels. Total carnitine levels decline with aging and are roughly 20 % lower than in youth, leaving the mitochondria vulnerable to damage.

Heart muscles use fat as its primary form of energy source. This is why a no-fat diet is not recommended in Serenity’s heart health program. Carnitine is a fat-transporting compound that is absolutely essential for normal heart function. Carnitine increases nitric oxide that helps endothelial cells relax and increase blood flow, which can help lower blood pressure.

People with heart muscle damage from heart attacks or heart failure have especially low carnitine levels. Fortunately, carnitine supplementation has proven to be remarkable effective in fighting and even reversing the heart-weakening effects from that drop in carnitine levels. L-Carnitine supplementation prevents the progression of heart muscle damage in people with CHF and improves exercise with exertion.

Heart Disease Financial Facts

  • Yearly heart disease healthcare expenditure per individual $5693
  • Yearly fatty liver disease healthcare expenditure per individual $2600
  • Yearly metabolic syndrome healthcare expenditure per individual $2000

Do you want to save on your healthcare costs and better yet save your health? You must see the practitioners at Serenity Health Care Center to help you with your Cardiac Health. We can help you decipher your genetic information and create a plan for you that is as unique as you are.

If you have completed a lipid panel this is a great place to start but it is a basic group of tests to determine the risk for cardiovascular and related diseases. This test should always be combined with advanced testing to unveil a more accurate picture of total health. This will give specific information about your lipid profile so you will know if you should be worried about the abnormal lipid panel.

Lipoprotein particle size/number and Apolipoprotein concentrations reveal levels of good and bad cholesterol particles. Inflammatory processes are independent predictors of risk. Testing reveals the level of inflammation of blood vessels that may lead to plaque rupture, ultimately resulting in a heart attack or stroke. Advanced tests detect strain or other damage to the heart muscle. Metabolic markers can lead to early detection of diabetes and cardiovascular disease, which may reduce or eliminate a patient’s need for insulin. A Fatty Acid Profile is a potent indicator of the nutrients in a patient’s diet that can improve cardiovascular health.

Call today for an appointment to discuss Serenity Health Care Centers Cardiac Program 262-522-8640.

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