Causes and Prevention of Heart Disease

By: Tara Smith..

There has been a slight decline in the death rate from heart disease over the last two decades as a portion of the population has heeded the warning and taken steps to modify their lifestyle to reduce the risk factors and thus reversing heart disease that would otherwise have progressed within their bodies. The heart consists of a muscle that pumps blood. Arteries supply blood to the heart muscle, and the valves make sure that the blood within the heart is pumped in the right direction. Problems can occur in any of these areas.

A patient suffering from the Coronary Artery Disease has arteries which grow both narrow and hard. As a result the heart does not get the required amount of blood. Saturated fats are one of the villains when it comes to the bad fat part of the formula and this type of fat is commonly found in almost all foods. Unsaturated fats are far less harmful. A diet high in fats has been recognized as a primary villain and risk factor in cardiovascular disease.

Dietary habits contribute to obesity as well and have changed greatly over time. Vitamin C deficiency has been related to elevated cholesterol levels and is necessary to maintain adrenal function through the production of hormones such as corticosteroid and aldosterone. While non-fat and low-fat dairy products can play a role in advancing a healthy diet, fatty dairy products can have an adverse effect on the heart, other organs and certain bodily functions over time.

Heart problems were almost non-existent in most Asian countries where the typical diet consisted mainly of fish, vegetables, rice and other foods low in saturated fat. Tragically, as these countries have become industrialized and traditional diets are being replaced with Western diets, there has been an alarming rise of coronary heart disease. Unfortunately, most of these types of foods are high in salt, sugar, fat or calories and have low nutrient content.

Excessive cholesterol can cause buildup of atherosclerotic plaque. Accumulation of plaque in arteries can block blood flow and lead to a heart attack. The second fat to decrease is Trans Fats which are found in many packaged convenience foods including certain margarines, crackers, and chips. Trans Fats are now located on the nutrition label under "Fats".

The diseases and conditions that affect the heart are in a group known as heart disease. People suffering from diabetes have a higher chance of having heart disease. There is high level of blood sugar or the blood glucose itself in diabetes patients. Cardiomyopathy is yet another form of heart disease which impairs the heart's function. Cardiomyopathy form of heart disease often damages and weakens the heart.

Another worrying problem is the high obesity rate among the young population today and its associated health problems, of which heart disease is only one. It may start from a simple form of throat infection which when not taken care of or when not treated may lead to the ultimate damage of the heart valves.

Angina has often been described as a heavy feeling or aching, burning, fullness and squeezing. The symptoms often resemble those of heartburn or indigestion. Get emergency treatment if the feeling lasts for more than about 15 minutes. There are other places that the discomfort or pain can be felt including the left shoulder (because your heart is on the left side of your body), arms, neck, throat, jaw or even your back.

The power that each individual has to ensure their own heart health is amazing, when you consider the factors that play a role in the variety of diseases that target the heart. The fact, then, that one out of every twenty people under the age of 40 suffers from some form of heart disease indicates that too many people aren't taking their heart health seriously.

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