News flash: Ninety percent
of all heart attacks are completely preventable. A
recent Canadian study of nearly 30,000 men and women --
half of whom were heart attack survivors and half of
whom were healthy people of similar age and race --
has revealed nine essential risk factors that are to
blame for the vast majority of heart attacks. All of
them are risks you can control.
We have discussed most of these
risk factors in prior issues of Daily Health News --
smoking.. abnormal cholesterol.. lack of exercise..
eating too few fruits and vegetables.. and high-stress
living. Stress -- once considered a "soft" risk factor
for heart disease -- actually doubles your risk for heart
attack. The other heart attackers -- high blood pressure,
diabetes, abdominal obesity and abstaining from alcohol --
all are within your control through lifestyle and/or
medical intervention.
To me, this is very exciting news.
Sure, it may require some "un fun" lifestyle changes,
but I think it's empowering to know that you are in the
driver's seat when it comes to slashing your risk for
heart attack by more than half.
For most people, the secret of
living much longer is as simple as making minor
adjustments, such as taking a 10-minute walk at
lunchtime, listening to soft music in the evening or
having a serving of nuts instead of chips as a TV snack.
These lifestyle adjustments buy you years of healthy,
vital living.
Seven Easy Steps
Here now, from the upcoming book
30 Minutes a Day to a Healthy Heart, are seven of the
easiest fixes (you can institute one a day until they
become habitual) to slash your risk. (Note: This advice
is not designed to replace regular medical care. You
should continue taking any medications and maintain
a relationship with your doctor.)
1. Start the day right.
Choose a breakfast with the highest fiber count
you can find. Studies show that every gram of soluble
fiber you add to your diet cuts your LDL's (bad cholesterol)
by two points. If you eat cold cereal for breakfast,
switching to a bran cereal packed with 10 g of fiber
can lower your LDL's by 20 points. Don't forget the fresh
fruit for even more healthy fiber.
2. Make the whole-grain switch.
Whole grains are filled with heart protective vitamin E,
fiber and antioxidant phytochemicals. Switching completely
from refined to whole grains could cut your heart attack
risk by 30%.
3. Aim for nine. Forget five a
day. Fruits and vegetables are so crucial, you should
aim for nine daily servings. It's easy if you sneak them
into every meal and snack.
4. Get good fats. Even better
than going low-fat is eating good fats. Whether in the
form of nuts, olive oil or avocados, monounsaturated fats
help lower LDL "bad" cholesterol.. slightly increase HDL
"good" cholesterol.. and reduce triglycerides. Use olive
oil for scrambling eggs, basting meats and flavoring savory
dishes. (Caution: Frying or high-temperature cooking with
canola oil transforms the oil into the bad peroxidized
compounds that cause heart disease.)
5. Brush up. People with
periodontal disease, a chronic bacterial infection
of the gums, are nearly twice as likely to have a fatal
heart attack as those with healthy gums. Toxins from the
bacteria can contribute to heart disease. Brush twice a day,
floss before bed and use an antibacterial mouthwash to protect
against the ill effects of plaque.
6. Shhhh. You can't change the
world, but you can change your response to it. Carve out
a quiet place in your house where you can escape, collect
your thoughts, listen to some relaxing music and decompress.
Spending more time relaxed instead of stressed can cut
your heart disease risk in half.
7. Move. A Harvard study of nearly
40,000 women over the age of 45 showed that walking,
even leisurely, for as little as one hour per week
makes you half as likely to have a heart attack or be
hospitalized for heart disease as those who rarely walk.
Walk to the mail box... take the stairs whenever possible..
park in the farthest parking space. Every little bit helps.
In fact, Johns Hopkins researchers found that people who
snuck small bouts of activity -- parking in the far spots,
yard work and walking the dog -- every day achieved the same
improvements in fitness, blood pressure and body fat as people
who took structured aerobics classes. More good news: Studies
show that walking up two flights of stairs a day can shave
off six pounds a year. Take advantage of every little
opportunity to move.
These lifestyle practices aren't so
hard, are they?
Sources.
Adapted from the upcoming book: 30
Minutes a Day to a Healthy Heart, co-written by Frederic
J. Vagnini, MD, FACS, executive medical director, Heart,
Diabetes, and Weight Loss Centers of New York and Pulse
Anti-Aging Center. The book is available from Reader's
Digest by calling 800-846-2100 or at its Web site,
www.rd.com
