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Coronary Heart Disease Guidelines
The symptoms of coronary heart disease can include shortness of breath, fatigue, weakness, swelling in the extremities, chest pain, and excessive sweating. These are generally considered to be late stage symptoms since no signs of the disease become obvious until the blood flow to the heart has become restricted. The underlying cause of coronary heart disease is a narrowing of one or more of the arteries surrounding the heart. The narrowing is caused by plaque (cholesterol, smooth muscle cells, fibrous proteins, calcium) accumulation in the arteries, which if allowed to advance will eventually result in total blockage, or the formation of a blood clot on the exterior of the of the plaque. If a blood clot forms it will either produce blockage or break loose and lodge in a smaller artery. After going back to school we can see that the focus of any list of coronary heart disease guidelines must focus on avoiding arterial plaque and central to the goal will be to lower LDL (bad ) cholesterol through lifestyle modification. Coronary heart disease guidelines *Watch what you eat: Saturated fat is the primary culprit in the formation of arterial plaque and reducing its consumption could not only halt the progression of CHD but might possibly reverse the condition. According to the American Heart Association saturated fat consumption should be no more than 10 percent of calories to maintain the status quo and less than 7 percent to possibly reduce existing plaque deposits. Currently almost all foods are required to have labels stating the amount of saturated fat present. So the best advice is to make heart healthy choices based on information provided right on the label. *Stay away from cigarettes and cigarette smoke: Both first and second hand smoke raise bad cholesterol, lower good cholesterol, and cause the arteries to constrict. Smokers are up to four time more likely to have a heart attack compared to non smokers. *Don’t let yourself become inactive: Regular moderate to vigorous physical activity helps prevent heart and blood vessel disease. The more vigorous the activity the greater the benefits. Nevertheless, even moderate intensity activities such as vacuuming and walking help if done regularly and long term. *Watch your weight: Being as little as 20 percent overweight increase a person’s chances of heart attack or stroke. The more overweight the greater the risk. Excess weight also increases the amount of artery clogging LDL cholesterol as well as other blood fats, while reducing the HDL (good) cholesterol. What else? Above are listed four of the primary guidelines for coronary heart disease but it should be pointed out that both excessive and frequent drinking and/or high stress levels have been indirectly linked to CHD. Additionally, some feel they need a little bit of help when reducing levels of artery clogging LDL cholesterol. If this is you a natural cholesterol reduction supplement could be a safe and effective option worth considering. Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com R.D. Hawkins is an enthusiastic advocate for the use of natural health products and natural living with over 10 years experience in the field. Learn more about natural remedies and natural health at Purchase Remedies.com |
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