Preventing Your Biggest Health Risk – Heart Disease
February 15 2018
While January had many of us making resolutions to kick things off with a healthy start, February has traditionally been deemed “Heart Health Month”. Regardless of how this tradition started, it’s perhaps for good reason, since the health of your heart is one of the most important factors of maintaining good health and is often ignored until it’s too late.
There are many reasons to make sure you are taking good care of your cardiovascular health. Some of the most sobering are shown in these alarming statistics.
Here Are The Facts
From the Centers For Disease Control and American Heart Association:
- Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women
- 1 in 4 deaths is due to heart disease – every 40 seconds in the USA
- Only 54% of women recognize it’s the #1 killer
- Of those who die from heart disease, two-thirds (64%) of women and half of men die suddenly with no previous symptoms
- Only 54% have their high blood pressure under control.
- 9 out of 10 Americans eat too much sodium
Risk Factors
According to research identifying the primary causes of heart attacks sponsored by the World Health Organization and World Heart Federation, the primary risk factors for heart disease are (in no particular order): abnormal cholesterol, diabetes, high blood pressure, stress, smoking, abdominal obesity, inactive lifestyle, alcohol abstinence and not consuming enough fruits and vegetables.
Take a second look at the risk factors listed above. What stands out as the common link? In one word: Diet!
Yes, abnormal cholesterol, high blood pressure, obesity and lack of fruits and vegetables are all linked to a poor diet as a primary cause. Therefore, the most powerful thing you can do as an individual to avoid and reduce your risk of heart disease, is to take a closer look at what you are consuming on a daily basis!
The REAL underlying cause of heart disease is the food choices that we make each day.
The Ultimate Way To Treat And Prevent
Why is diet so important? The reason is that what you put in your body is closely associated with how your cardiovascular system works. Certain foods harm it, while others help repair and improve it. Consume too much of the bad foods, and not enough of the good and your heart health will be negatively impacted. The good news is that detrimental effects can to a great extent be reversed and/or improved by making smarter food choices.
In a nut shell, you’ll want to eat more unsaturated fats, ensure you are eating nutrient rich healthy foods, include foods with fiber content, eat calcium and high quality protein rich foods. And eat less processed foods, along with reducing consumption of foods that contain trans fats, saturated fats, salt and sugar.
▶ For help getting started please see our informative article on exactly what to eat.
Amazingly, by simply changing what you eat, you can make the biggest impact on your heart health and anyone can start today without delay. You’ll avoid and/or reduce your risk of becoming one of the unfortunate and completely unnecessary statistics. All it takes is a choice you make and then follow with each bit you take every day.
For the easiest way to help ensure your heart gets the attention it deserves, consider signing up for our Heart Healthy Meal Plan. MealEasy® was created to help anyone eat healthier without any guesswork, showing you precisely what to eat and providing a plan to ensure absolute success. The Heart Healthy plan follows recognized dietary guidelines to achieve better cardiovascular health for anyone who follows it. Try it today and you heart will love you for it!
