Heart Disease - What Signs Should You Be Looking for?

There are a variety of symptoms and signs that are commonly associated with heart disease and the suffering it can cause. Considering that it is unlikely that every sufferer will be aware of their existing condition until it culminates in a more serious event, such as a heart attack, it is crucial that we as a population become more aware of the signs that can literally be a life saver when it comes to early detection of heart disease. These signs can vary depending on the individual experiencing them and everybody may react different to the conditions, however, as a general rule, there are some very prevalent signs that can be a strong indication of the existence of heart disease.

Some of the more obvious signs and symptoms include a shortness of breath during movement that would not otherwise be expected to leave you exerted. This can be compounded with heart palpitations or an irregular rhythm which is unusual to yourself. Another common symptom can be a nauseas sick feeling accompanied by sweating for no explainable reason. Some individuals with heart related problems may also become aware of periods of weakness in either side of their bodies. All of these conditions are worrying enough in themselves but this is made much more concerning by the fact that the indicators for heart disease are also the same symptoms that are associated with the onset of a heart attack. The key here is to understand that any of these signs should not be ignored and should be referred to a physician as soon as possible.

While some signs and symptoms may not necessarily mean that the individual currently suffers with heart disease, there are certain factors which are beyond the control of us as a population. For example, statistics have shown that men are more prone to be sufferers of heart disease. Age can also be a deciding factor beyond our control and influence, so this should be considered when thinking about visiting a doctor to check on the health of your heart. Whilst heart disease is a huge concern, there are in existence a range of very effective treatments which can be used to address heart disease. In addition, there are many lifestyle options which can help to reduce the impact and also act as a preventative measure for those considered to be in at risk groups. Having a better understanding of the signs associated with heart problems will undoubtedly leave you in a better position to care for the health of your heart and take action quicker should you have a concern.

The Royal Brompton Hospital is one of the world's leading heart disease centres, renowned for its expertise in the diagnosis and treatment of lung and heart related illness. If you're looking for more information about the Royal Brompton's heart risk clinic in London, visit us today.

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Heart Disease Prevention Starts in Childhood: What You Can Do to Protect Your Child

On the front page of the December issue of the Pediatric News journal is the new recommendation to test all 9 to 11 year olds for cholesterol level. According to this article, "...heart attacks, strokes, and other cardiovascular problems in adulthood are often the end result of cardiovascular risk factors that went unrecognized throughout childhood..." (Splete)

I'm glad to see that we, as pediatricians, are acknowledging the fact that heart disease, like many other diseases, really starts in childhood. And while I fully support the screening process, I'm much more interested in prevention. What should we do during that first decade of our children's lives to make the screening unnecessary? It's all about diet and lifestyle.

For the past thirty years, child health has been going in the wrong direction. Childhood overweight and obesity has skyrocketed during the past 3 decades. And that trend is directly linked to the increased incidence of a variety of heart related disorders in children, most notably high blood pressure, metabolic syndrome, and high cholesterol levels. This is a very serious problem, given that epidemiologists are proposing that life expectancy for this rising generation of children could be shortened by as much as eight years. So, what are the primary factors leading to these disturbing trends?

• Our reliance on convenient foods that are full of additives and sugar while deficient in nutrients. Our fast paced lifestyle has us purchasing more fast food, and more prepackaged foods to feed our families compared to previous generations.


• our schools are largely feeding our children prepared, and often fried foods, offering minimal fruits and vegetables. Schools also rely heavily on snack and soda vending machines for revenue, at the expense of children's health.


• our children are leading sedentary, technology saturated lifestyles. With the average child spending about 7 hours using media daily (yikes!), our children are being deprived of needed physical activity. And schools have severely reduced or eliminated physical education in the curriculum.

We need to make some fundamental changes in the way we feed our children. Don't believe the myth that children don't need to worry about what they eat until they grow older. We have known for years that the roots of heart disease begin in childhood. And remember, the habits they develop in childhood will persist into adulthood, so we want to instill the right habits now. Here's what we can do:

• Provide our children with a diet high in fruits and vegetables. Studies have shown that even as early as toddler age, our children's diets are severely deficient in fruits and vegetables. It will take creativity given their finicky appetites, but there are numerous resources available. Check out "The Sneaky Chef" by Missy Chase Lapine or the website http://www.cancerproject.org for menu ideas.


• Provide more home cooked meals for our children, so that we can ensure that they are receiving freshly prepared and healthy ingredients in their meals. Studies have shown that children who eat more meals at home have lower rates of obesity and other health problems.


• Get our children exercising more. The recommended level of activity is 60 minutes of vigorous activity every day. I know it sounds daunting, but just getting them outside for free play will peak their natural tendency to exercise. And we can exercise with them. Remember to make it fun. Playing ball together, family walks, or even family P90X.

We often say that we want our children to have a better life than we have; so let's give them a better legacy of health and longevity!

Reference:

Splete, H. Test Cholesterol in all 9- to 11-year olds. Pediatric News. December 2011, Vol 45, No. 12.

Dr. Teresa Fuller is double board certified in pediatrics and integrative holistic medicine. She also has a doctorate in physiology. She if founder of A Healthy Tomorrow, whose mission is to restore America's children to the legacy of health that they deserve. Her goal is to equip families with information and resources to improve children's health. Check out her website, http://www.ahealthytomorrow.org, to learn about more ways to prevent and reverse disease, and to subscribe to our e-newsletter.

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Heart Disease Causes - The Link Between Stress and Heart Disease

There are many lifestyle factors which cause heart disease.This particular cause seems to be one of those common knowledge assertions: that stress can cause heart disease. Although this is a general belief, there really isn't much medical literature related to the connection between emotional stress and cardiovascular disease. At least, not until recently.

The body's reaction to a stressful event is programmed into us to save our lives. Over the long course of human evolution, finding yourself in a potentially dangerous situation demanded an adrenaline surge allowing the body to respond in a quick and powerful way. We still have that response, although much of what triggers it is no longer life-threatening wild beasts!

An overdue bill, an annoying phone call, a cranky boss, all can trigger the body's fight or flight response causing the adrenaline to flow. Over time, this can lead to problems with the cardiovascular system including high blood pressure and a weakened heart.

What is interesting is that although we may all share the fight or flight response to similar events, each person reacts in a different way. Our distant ancestors went into a fast sprint to avoid the danger, dissipating the effect. Today, many internalize their fear or frustration and have no healthy way to get rid of the anger, the fear, and the anxiety of modern life.

There is also a connection between damage to the cardiovascular system and the exact type of emotional stress. Those that suffer the most damage are the people who feel they have little to no control over their situation, whether it is personal or workplace. Although a clerk may have little actual control over their workplace situations, they can try to have mental control over their reactions by looking at the whole situation in a different light. Rather than taking everything so seriously, a lighter mood and a feeling of less desperation can be achieved by mentally stepping back from the situation. It is like the old "go with the flow" attitude, easing back a little and not fighting the situation.

Studies are showing that people undergoing the exact same type of stress react differently, and the way they react influences a host of biochemical reactions in the body. Remember the Type A personality that is characterized by impatience and a chronic sense of urgency? These are the people who have a higher risk of artery disease and subsequent heart problems. The more patient Type B personality has a less urgent view of time, is less competitive, and less easily angered.

Avoiding stress may be an impossible goal, but dealing differently with everyday stress can be a life-saving goal. If you find yourself impatient in a line or traffic jam, try looking at it as a time to relax instead. After all, while you are stuck in line you really have nothing to do, you can just stand there and relax for a moment while taking a few deep breaths before the line moves along and you have to get back to work on something. Those few moments relaxing and deeply breathing can lower blood pressure, reduce your heart rate, and refresh your mind.

Monique Hawkins is an enthusiastic advocate for the use of safe and effective high quality, natural, alternative health products to treat and prevent heart disease. To learn about how to prevent and treat heart disease naturally, visit her blog for weekly tips at heart disease and women

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Can Heart Disease Be Treated?

Close to 70 million people have heart disease and it is the nation's leading killer. Roughly 900,000 heart attacks and strokes occur each year, so heart disease is the leading health threat to Americans.

What Is Heart Disease?

Heart disease is any problem that impairs the structure or function of the heart, such as hypertensive diseases, congenital disease of the heart, rheumatic heart disease, and atherosclerotic and other conditions. For the most part heart problems is primarily a disease of lifestyle. What kind of lifestyle do you have in regards to health and wellness?

Coronary artery disease is the most common type of heart ailment; atherosclerosis is a process whereby the arteries that carry the blood become greatly narrowed from fatty plaque deposits. This plaque build up can cause blood clots to form that block the arteries, can also narrow the arteries, so that less blood can flow the heart, or can completely block the arteries and the flow of blood to the heart, causing a heart attack and possible death. There are some proven methods to breaking up this plaque and one of them is called chelation.

What Is Oral Chelation?

Chelating agents are substances, which can chemically bond with or chelate metals, minerals or chemical toxins from the body. The chelating agent actually encircles a mineral or metal ion and carries it from the body via the urine and feces. EDTA is the primary compound of oral chelation and it can bind or chelate calcium as well as other minerals in the body. It will remove calcium particles deposited in arterial wall plaques and atheromas.

Moreover, EDTA can block the slow calcium currents in the arterial wall, resulting in arterial vasodilatation. Oral chelation fits into the disease of the heart problem because hardening of the arteries leads to atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is a degenerative disease that can narrow or even block arteries in the brain, heart and other parts of the body. Currently the number one killer in the United States is diesease of the heart, but oral chelation can be implemented to possibly reduce the chances of succumbing to this killer!

DISCLAIMER

The information provided herein should not be construed as a health-care diagnosis, treatment regimen or any other prescribed health-care advice or instruction. The information is provided with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in the practice of medicine or any other health-care profession and does not enter into a health-care practitioner/ patient relationship with its readers.

Heart Disease is a pandemic health problem that kills hundreds of thousands of people each year. Heart disease can be offset with naturally occurring methods. For more information on this check out [http://www.healthylife4unow.biz]

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The Link Between Heart Disease and Cholesterol

Did the blood tests recommended by your doctor show that you have high cholesterol or triglyceride levels? Do you have poor diet and exercise habits that have resulted in weight gain? If so, you may be at risk for heart disease. What do you do?

You should develop a healthy lifestyle that includes appropriate weight loss and changes in diet and exercise. This is especially true for heart patients. For those with existing high levels, medications may be an important complement to both diet and exercise in helping to lower and maintain your cholesterol levels. (Remember to talk with your doctor before implementing an exercise program or making drastic changes to your diet.)

Cholesterol and Triglycerides?

Hyperlipidemia is the general term applied to high blood cholesterol and/or elevated blood triglycerides. We now know that elevated triglycerides promote the deposition of cholesterol in the arteries, which results in a thickening and hardening of the artery walls, a condition known as atherosclerosis. Reducing triglycerides in the bloodstream is a good strategy to help minimize heart problems.

According to the American Heart Association, one study by Koren-Morag, Graff and Goldbourt found that individuals with elevated triglycerides have a nearly 30% increased probability of suffering a stroke, even after taking into account other risk factors such as cholesterol levels. One of the most important aspects of this study is that it clarifies the independent link of lipids to stroke, meaning that a causal relationship is likely. Adjusting your intake of fat is very important.

Responding to High Cholesterol

Researchers have established a strong link between high cholesterol and heart problems and, more recently, between high triglyceride levels and heart problems. When blood levels of these lipids are low, the likelihood that they will directly contribute to disease is much lower.

The good news is that their levels can be managed. Also it is ideal that you target your LDL levels to below 100 mg/dL of blood if you're a heart patient and to below 130 mg/dL if you do not have heart disease.

The Inheritance Factor

Because a genetic basis exists for the production of lipids and for their concentration in your bloodstream, a family history of heart disease suggests an increased likelihood of developing heart problems.

The Role of Medicine

For some people, changing food intake patterns and adopting an effective exercise program are not enough to reduce LDL levels to normal.

Jimmy Thakkar runs a health based blog under the name of Bodyalivenutrition.com. He also manages a WordPress blog which provides articles on best ways to lower your cholesterol.

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How to Reverse Heart Disease

It does not mean that life ends with the start of coronary heart problems. If one suffers from a heart attack, then he should not give up and think it to be the end of healthy body and end of life. One should gather courage to "Reverse Heart Disease". This is not an impossible thing. Reversing heart disease is very much possible. The only thing you need to do is to make some changes in the lifestyle. Following the right diet pattern and going in for a healthy lifestyle can surely help to reverse the heart problem.

Reversing heart disease is not only important, but also very essential. It helps to prevent further damage to the heart. Do not think that having a heart attack is the end of a normal and healthy body. Reversing the heart disease is not only possible but essential too and it prevents the heart from further harm. The first thing which one should do to reverse heart disease is to be determined to make certain changes.

These changes start from diet. In order to reverse heart problems, intake of balanced diet is a must. Balanced diet does not mean eating less but it means eating the right and healthy food. For reversing the heart disease, eat lots of fruits and vegetables and avoid the intake of food stuffs which are high in cholesterol and rich in fats. In order to reverse heart problems it is very important to avoid too much salt and sugar. It is only possible if the level of cholesterol is controlled and this is possible only if the intake of those food stuffs which are high in the cholesterol content is restricted. Smoking and intake of tobacco are very unhealthy for the body and they can prove a hindrance in reversing heart disease.

Another thing which can help you to reverse heart disease is following an exercise routine. Regular exercise is very healthy for the heart. Follow a cardiovascular workout and make sure that you do it in the right manner. Obese body is a major cause of unhealthy heart. So if you want to reverse the diseases of the heart, you should keep your body slim and fit. This is possible by exercising consistently and following an active lifestyle.

Stress also aggravates heart problems and it is very unhealthy for the body. In order to reverse heart disease, it is very essential to avoid stress. The reason for this is that stress causes disturbances in the level of blood pressure and this ultimately results in heart problem.

Another important thing to be noted is that consistency is very important in the efforts to reverse heart problems. Take balanced diet regularly and do cardiovascular workouts daily because skipping these things even one day can ruin the efforts of the previous days.

Never take heart problems lightly and never ignore the symptoms of heart problems. Do not forget that a healthy heart is very essential in order to attain a healthy body.

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Omega 3 and Weight Loss: A Powerful Combination for Your Heart

Omega 3 and weight loss can help keep your heart strong and healthy so you have the energy to run after the kids AND look good doing it.

Being overweight puts you at risk for diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, osteoarthritis and even certain types of cancer. Your doctor has probably shared with you the very scary statistics of being overweight and you're tired of - well, of being tired!

Here's How Omega 3 Can Affect Your Weight Loss

Omega 3's are the "good fats" your body needs to nourish your brain, hair, skin and yes, help you reduce weight. A University of South Australia study found people who took fish oil supplements combined with moderate exercise 3 times a week lost almost 5 pounds after 3 weeks. Impressive, considering they didn't change their eating habits.

Scientists believe the omega 3 fatty acids in fish oil promote blood flow through your body which take nutrients to where they need to be and help burn fat.

Another study in the International Journal of Obesity found participants who took 6 grams a day of fish oil, burned more calories and therefore lost more weight than those who didn't.

How Fish Can Boost Your Heart Health

If you make some dietary changes such as eating fish 2-3 times a week you're likely to see even better results. That's because some fish are rich repositories of these essential fatty acids.

Take wild caught salmon for example, this fish is high on the list of top weight loss foods AND heart healthy meals because it's a fantastic source of lean protein and a serving fills your daily dietary needs of omega 3.

Losing weight reduces the pressure on your heart. Omega 3 oil is linked to reducing high blood pressure, lowering your triglycerides and cholesterol. Each lowers your risk of heart disease.

Here's 3 ways these fatty acids can help your heart

1) They're a natural blood thinner which means they reduce unhealthy blood clots that can form in your arteries and lead to a heart attack or stroke.

2) They're natural anti-inflammatories so they reduce the unhealthy plaque formed in your arteries that can harden and narrow your arteries to so blood flow is restricted.

3) Lower your triglycerides -these are fatty deposits that make your blood move sluggishly which can lead to dangerous clotting.

Your weight doesn't have to dictate poor health. You can make the commitment now to get started losing extra weight by adding these essential fatty acids to your diet either through eating more fish or taking supplements or both.

Combine omega 3 and weight loss, and you can keep your heart and body strong and live a longer, healthier life.

Jen P. April is a passionate advocate of health and nutrition. To learn more about effective Omega 3's and supplements she recommends after extensive research, visit http://www.omega3-reviews.com.

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Cardio and Weight Loss

Cardio is a great ally in the difficult task of weight loss. If somebody wants to lose weight, he or she probably has a weight which is above the recommended healthy level. And being overweight is not healthy at all. Being overweight can cause many problems and one of those problems is heart related problems.

Similarly, being under the recommended healthy weight is not good for you. If you stay in any of these dangerous weight zones for too long, many problems may occur. This is because we have to maintain our weight between the normal values as well as practicing physical exercises to keep our bodies functioning and healthy.

Excessive body weight can cause heart problems. Like a car needs its engine, we need our heart. With this in mind, we therefore need to protect our heart and avoid unhealthy habits that may affect our health. Additionally, physical exercise will maintain our health as well as our heart.

We can even find some of the best cardio for weight loss in order to reduce our weight in a healthy way on the internet and by practicing cardio exercises we will be helping our heart and our body.

There are some of the best cardio exercises for losing weight:

Swimming: swimming is a very good cardio exercise in order to lose weight and to keep you healthy. Swimming allows you to exercise your entire body and it is an excellent way to lose weight. Swimming is among the best cardio for weight loss. Additionally, this type of physical exercise doesn't cause any injury relating bones or joints, because you will be exercising in the water with reduced resistance.

Running: You don't need any kind of special equipment for this exercise, however you will need a good pair of trainers in order to prevent any kind of damage to your bones or joints. Also, you will need comfortable clothes so you can move without any problem. Running will help you losing weight by burning calories, though of course you can't run only five or ten minutes - you will have to run around half an hour each time. A good tip is to listen to music or run with someone else as this will help you keep motivated to run further even if you are tired.

Cycling: By cycling at least thirty minutes a day you will improve your endurance and lose weight. Cycling is a very simple activity and an effective exercise to lose weight. Additionally, you can practice this exercise by going to work or school by bicycle. You just have to be creative and find the best way to incorporate your best cardio for weight loss exercises in your day to day activities.

These are only three of the best cardio for weight loss exercises that you can undertake in order to be healthier, to lose weight and to improve your physical skills such as endurance and strength.

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Diet and Heart Disease

Approximately thirty-five years ago public health authorities in the United States decided that people should limit fat in their diet, primarily saturated fat. The main concern was as that saturated fats raise blood cholesterol and increases the risk of heart disease. The McGovern committee's report, "Dietary Goals for The United States" was published in 1977. 

Although possibly not based on solid scientific data, the committee's main results were confirmed a few years later by the USDA. The main conclusion was that Americans should "avoid too much fat, saturated fat and cholesterol".

Soon, the demonization of fat, primarily saturated fat, spread around the globe. Public health authorities in Scandinavia and the rest of Europe based their recommendation on the same arguments as the USDA. Although possibly a misinterpretation or oversimplification of the available evidence, in a few years time this led to something we could call the "low-fat mania".

Food manufacturers started providing us with low-fat varieties of almost every food alternative we know. But, fat is difficult to replace, because it is an essential component of good and tasty food. Instead of fat, different types of refined simple sugars, such as the famous high fructose corn syrup were used to make people like the low-fat varieties.

As the years went by it became apparent that obesity was on the rise. People were getting fatter and fatter, despite all the low-fat food. Furthermore, type 2 diabetes seemed to be skyrocketing. Was it because we were not following the public health guidelines or was it because of the guidelines themselves? Is it possible that public authorities were wrong? Is it sensible to make general recommendations on diet and nutrition that applies for everybody? Should the obese, sedentary, middle-aged male follow the same diet recommendation as the thirty years younger normal weight, well-trained university student?

Death rate from coronary heart disease has declined in the United States and Europe for the last 25-30 years. This is due to many different factors. Medical and surgical therapy has improved, smoking has become less frequent, cholesterol levels are lower and treatment of high blood pressure has improved. We do not know whether dietary recommendations have been helpful in this respect. However, many specialists believe that the increased frequency of obesity and type 2 diabetes may soon reverse the declining death rate from heart disease,

Recent research and experience has shows that one of the most effective way for an obese or overweight person to lose weight was to cut down on carbohydrates and increase fat consumption. This concept was but forward by Dr. Robert Atkins in his book, The Atkins Diet Revolution, published 1972. Although severely criticized by the scientific and medical community at that time, the low carbohydrate, high fat concepts have survived the test of time. The low carbohydrate supporters blame the "low-fat mania", induced by public health recommendations for the current obesity epidemic, that they say is all down to over consumption of sugars and carbohydrates.

For many years, a huge discussion has evolved around the concept that a calorie is a calorie. If you eat more than you burn, you will gain weight, if you burn more than you eat you will lose weight. If this is true, the cause of obesity is quite simply that people eat too much and exercise to little. The cure for obesity would also be very simple; eat less and exercise more.

However, there is a lot of evidence indicating that it is not all about calories. Some recent studies have indicated that weight loss seems to be greater on a low-carbohydrate diet than on a conventional low-fat diet that has the same number of calories. However, this is not true for all studies. Different macronutrients may possibly have different effects depending on individual factors, such as stature, body weight, age, metabolism, insulin resistance and level of physical exercise.

Recent scientific evidence indicates that public health authorities may have to reconsider their recommendations on the consumption of macronutrients such as fat and carbohydrates. The fear of fats may have been overemphasized and there is evidence that over consumption of sugar and simple refined carbohydrates may be an important causative factor in the current obesity epidemic.

Axel F Sigurdsson is a cardiologist, PhD and a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology, The Icelandic Society of Cardiology and The Swedish Society of Cardiology.

He runs his own website, http://www.docsopinion.com, dedicated to health, nutrition, healthy lifestyle and prevention of disease.

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Wondering About Heart Problems - Start With a Practical Approach

One of the most important things for any individual to always do first and foremost, if they ever suspect that they have heart problems, is to always go to a doctor, tell the doctor what they suspect and get a physical exam.

Second, the best practical healthy things to do for the regular person is to (1) make sure that they are fully aware of the state of their health and (2) to get knowledge about the body and in this case, knowledge about the heart and what is heart failure.

Before anything has happened, if an individual wants to become knowledgeable about the heart, or be in the know, then a good place to start will be to learn, in general, about all the various common heart issues and conditions. And to get definitions for exact functions of the heart as well as what can go wrong. So education and understanding is a major part of the process. All of this general knowledge is available on the internet and we provide a source for this practical information. When unknown negative heart health circumstances are suspected, a good place to begin is to make notes and identify exactly what occurred, symptoms etc., and to learn to understand the situation. Reading the definitions of common heart problems is always a good place to start to gain knowledge.

How the Heart Works: The heart is a very strong muscle as it must work non stop to circulate the blood around the body. Blood returns into the top of the heart after all the oxygen has been used up in the blood and then that blood is pumped by the heart up into the lungs to obtain more oxygen. Then the returning oxygenated blood from the lungs flows back through the heart and is pumped out into the body to provide oxygen for the entire body.

Failing Heart: When the term heart failure is used it means that the heart is not working properly enough to completely supply the needs of the lungs and body. Therefore heart failure is a general term that is used to describe the situation that results when the heart is failing to do its job. So heart failure is the heart failing to work at its full capacity or to do 100 percent of its job. Therefore taking time to learn about all of the various common heart situations that can occur is valuable.

There are many symptoms associated with heart conditions from weakness to dizziness to chest pain. Only doctors have the ability to properly and exactly evaluate the meanings of the symptoms. However the definitions of the symptoms of common heart problems are easy to find on the internet plus all are well documented and can be read about to gain knowledge. As mentioned, we provide a source for this practical information.

Conclusion: One of the best practical health things to do for the regular individual, to make sure that they are fully aware of the conditions associated with heart health, is to gain a basic understanding about the heart and what is heart failure.

This article is written and presented by Jeff Kiniski of the What Is Heart Failure website to help the regular individuals who are seeking general answers for understanding the heart and heart problems. http://whatisheartfailure.com

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Top 10 Ways to Prevent Heart Disease

Heart disease has killed millions and it may continually do so if we do not pay attention to our health habits, our lifestyle and the food we eat. What is sad about heart disease is that, it can take a life silently without symptoms.

So if you want to stay healthy, enjoy a healthy life, and reduce your risk of having heart attacks and stroke, find ways to prevent heart disease. This disease is a preventable one, so there should be no reason that you can't find ways to avoid it.

1. Know the risk factors. Being informed is important in preventing heart disease and in any diseases generally. If you are aware of the risk factors, the causes, and what can lead you to heart problems, you will of course find a way to avoid it as much as possible.

2. Get a regular exercise and try to maintain an active lifestyle. Exercising is one of the best ways to prevent heart disease, a good way to lower down blood pressure and a way to maintain a healthy body. High blood pressure or hypertension is often a precursor to heart problems as well as other diseases, thus always maintain a healthy blood pressure by regular exercise.

3. Eat healthy. Know what you can do with your diet to make it heart friendly and healthy as well. Opt for a variety of vegetables and fruits in your diet and cut down on fast foods, deep-fried foods as well as foods that are high in fats.

4. Quit smoking. Smoking does not only increase your risk of high blood pressure and heart disease, it can also bring about some serious health problems and respiratory diseases. If you are serious about wanting to have a healthy heart and a healthy body as well, then find ways to quit smoking.

5. Watch out for saturated fats. Also one of the top ways to prevent heart disease is to stay away from saturated fats in your diet. You can find these in dairy products, coconut oil, palm oil, chocolate, beef, fatty meat, butter, ice cream even processed meats, sausage and bacon. You can always read the label at the back of the product and check out how much saturated fat it contains.

6. Cut down on salt. Salt has been known to increase your risk of heart disease and thus, it is often necessary to watch how much salt you have in your food. Not just about table salt but also check out the sodium contents of your processed foods. Reduce salt in your diet by also avoiding processed foods and opt for fresh vegetables and fruits.

7. Watch out for trans fat and other hidden fats. Trans fat is often found in baked products as this is usually used to lengthen the storage life of the bread. You can however find breads labeled with no trans fat if you can't avoid bread in your diet.

8. Add more Omega 3 fatty acids in your diet. Omega 3 can be found in fishes and is said to be good for the heart as it helps decrease the risk of abnormal heart rates and may also help in reducing blood pressure.

9. Lose weight if you are overweight or obese. Most people who are overweight or obese are at higher risk of having heart attack and stroke, thus if you want to lessen your risk of heart attacks and you want to stay healthy, shed off those extra pounds the natural way.

10. Don't forget to have a good laugh. Laughter can indeed be the best medicine and can also be one helpful tip in protecting your heart from diseases, so don't forget to have a good laugh once in a while.

Start with these simple tips and ways to prevent heart disease and you will eventually enjoy its benefits for a long time.

Carolyn Anderson is an advocate of healthy living. To learn more about how you can protect your heart from heart disease, check out reverse heart disease. Also check out Exercises To Drop Blood Pressure, where you can find details on the exercises that will help you end hypertension and avoid heart disease.

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