Are You Sitting on the Couch Smoking and Eating A Bologna Sandwich?
Many of us have begun to realize that heart ailments such as atherosclerosis, heart attack, or stroke can prevent us from achieving our long term goals and bring to the forefront quality of life issues. And that is the good news since almost half of those who have a heart attack die before they are able to get help. Additionally, all of the top 5 causes of death in the United States are either heart ailments such as heart attack or stroke or specific types of cancer.
The good thing about many heart ailments compared to cancer is that there are many different steps we can take to not only prevent their occurrence but also reverse prior damage.
One of the main components for achieving heart health is to reduce the drag placed on our hearts.
It is easy to think of the heart as an organ rather than a muscle which is working constantly to supply our cells with blood and oxygen. In many ways it is the engine that drives the car we refer to as our body to just about anywhere we want to go.
- Perhaps you have had a family member, relative, or friend who has never really recovered from a heart attack or struggles with the symptoms of advanced atherosclerosis. They may no longer be able exercise enough to keep mind and body healthy. Their mental sharpness may not quite be what it used to be. Their breathing may be labored. They may have fluid accumulation around the ankles or in the lungs. Their color may have become ashen signaling circulatory problems. They may experience chest pain or excessive sweating.
- On the other hand you may have a family member, relative, or friend who is still as sharp as a tack at even the most advanced age and still participates in rigorous daily exercise and is still as active today as they were years ago.
Which would you prefer?
No if you answered the first example you should immediately close this page and head to ice box for a high cholesterol/high fat snack of some kind. Maybe a bologna and double cheese sandwich with mayo on white bread. After eating go straight to the couch, light up a cigarette, and watch some really stressful news. After that go ahead and call emergency services and tell them to stay on the line because the big one is sure to hit any minute.
On the other hand if your goal is to avoid heart ailments and stay vibrant and healthy there are a number of steps you can take starting right now to achieve cardiovascular health.
These would include managing diabetes and high blood pressure successfully, stay as far away from cigarette smoke as possible, participate in doctor approved daily exercise, maintain weight in a healthy range, consume no more than 8 percent (16 grams) or calories from saturated fat, and consume no more than 200 mg of cholesterol daily.