Preventable Heart Disease

by Jody Perrecone

If I said you had a one in three chance of winning the lottery, I’m sure you would rush to buy a ticket.  However, having the same odds of having heart disease in your lifetime is quite sobering.

The fact is heart disease is responsible for 34% of all deaths and is the #1 killer in the United States.  It is predicted the staggering cost of heart disease in the United States in 2010 will be $316.4 billion according to the American Heart Association.  The main culprits are excessive amounts of fat and cholesterol in our diets. The arteries narrow, harden, and eventually plug up – making it impossible for the heart to get needed oxygen.

It is always better to prevent than repair.  Don’t become the one in three who develops heart disease.  If you smoke, stop.  Many smoking cessation programs are available that can help.  A diet low in fat and cholesterol and high in complex carbohydrates and fiber will also reduce your risk of heart disease. It can lower cholesterol 20-30% and can reverse type II diabetes in as little as four weeks.  Other heart disease risk factors are elevated triglycerides, a sedentary lifestyle, and stress.  Fortunately, all of these risk factors can be controlled by changes in diet and lifestyle.