Top 10 Tips for Better Heart Health. 10 Ways to Avoid a Heart Attack.

   Top 10 Tips for Better Heart Health.                                                                                                                                                                  Valentine’s Day makes February a natural for American Heart Month. How can you make sure your heart will keep going pitter-patter, without going kerplunk? Let us count the ways… Here are our top 10 tips for a healthy ticker: 

                                                                                                                                    1. Fill up on fiber. Not only does fiber help lower levels of LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, it can aid weight management. Being overweight raises your risk of heart failure by a third, while being obese doubles it. While two-thirds of Americans are too heavy, only half get enough fiber. Top sources include oats, beans, raspberries, blackberries, oranges and green peas.                                                                                                                                                                                                       2. Go bananas. I did when I learned that 99 percent of women and 90 percent of men don’t get enough potassium in their diet. Responsible for regulating the fluid balance in our cells, potassium also blunts the effects of excess sodium. Too much sodium and too little potassium is a recipe for high blood pressure. Strike a healthier balance by cutting back on salt and increasing potassium intake with bananas, potatoes, broccoli and kiwi.                                                                                                                                                                                                         3. Say “no” to that extra cup of joe. Four or more cups of daily brew could elevate blood levels of homocysteine, an amino acid associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Drinking more than two cups of coffee a day can harden the arteries and contribute to arteriosclerosis. Switch to tea; its heart-healthy benefits include lower blood pressure and reduced inflammation.                                                                                                                                                             4. “Beet” heart disease. Beets contain the antioxidant betanin, which can help keep LDL cholesterol from clogging your arteries, according to a study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. Moreover, this root vegetable is a good source of folic acid, which helps to break down that heart-hurtin’ homocysteine. Top sources of folic acid include spinach, broccoli, romaine lettuce and papaya.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    5. Become a better listener. University of Baltimore researchers found that people with “dominant personalities” had a 47 percent higher risk of heart disease when compared to their more patient, passive peers. So how do you know if you’re “dominant”? Another study identified several markers – including the tendency to interrupt!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     6. The “L” word your heart truly longs for: lycopene. This heart-healthy phytonutrient -; found in tomatoes, watermelon and pink grapefruit – may lower cholesterol levels and reduce inflammation. Harvard researchers found that eating seven or more servings of tomatoes a week might reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by 30 percent.                                                                                                                                                                                                       7. Choose healthy fats. Monounsaturated fats (think olive oil, avocado, nuts) – when used in place of saturated fats (think butter, bacon, beef) -help lower cholesterol. Another healthy fat – omega-3 – helps reduce inflammation. Omega-3 sources include wild salmon, walnuts and flaxseed.   

                                                                                                                                 8. Don’t turn breakfast into break-feast. While skipping breakfast actually lowers your metabolism, going overboard is no better. A new study done at the University at Buffalo found that big fatty breakfasts trigger the release of inflammatory chemicals associated with clogged arteries. So skip the stack of flapjacks and opt for a strawberry-banana smoothie.                                                                                                                                                                                                             9. Ode to soy. Twenty-five grams of soy protein per day can help lower cholesterol, according to the American Heart Association. Soy’s other heart-healthy nutrients include folic acid and magnesium (which helps maintain normal blood pressure). Soymilk, edamame, tofu and soynuts are just some of the many ways to enjoy soy.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     10. Go for a raise. In HDL cholesterol, that is. Higher levels of this “good” cholesterol can be almost as important as low levels of LDL cholesterol at keeping cardiovascular disease at bay. In addition to exercise, quitting smoking and limiting trans fats, a University of Scranton study found that drinking cranberry juice could help boost HDL levels. Jennifer Grossman is the director of the Dole Nutrition Institute.

10 Ways to Avoid a Heart Attack:

A heart attack is known as a myocardial infarction. This occurs when the heart muscle is damaged or does not receive enough oxygen. Many cardiac related problems occur due to blockages in arteries that carry purified blood away from the heart to different parts of the body.   

                                                                                                                                      Another cause is the formation of blood clots. Very often, it is quite difficult to differentiate between a heart attack and heartburn. The common signs of a heart attack are a tightness, pain, or discomfort in the chest. Sweating, nausea, and vomiting that are accompanied by intense pressure in the chest. A radiating and intense pain in the chest that extends from the chest to the left arm. A shortness of breath for more than a few minutes.                                                                                                                                                                                                        If you have any of the above you must consult the doctor or go to the emergency rooms. If you even think you are having a heart attack you must call for a cardiac care ambulance, and put under your tongue a sorbitrate or chew an aspirin. If you are allergic to aspirin don’t take one. At the hospital care will include rapid thrombolysis, cardiac catheterization, and angioplasty. They will also administer intravenously clot busting medications .                                                                                                                                                                                                  The risk factors for a heart attack include: smoking, diabetes, high levels of cholesterol, hypertension, family history of heart diseases, atherosclerosis, lack of exercise, obesity, and fast foods. Reduce the risks of a heart attack by:                1. Quitting smoking.                                                                                                 2. Eating healthy. Avoid fatty foods, excess salt, and red meats.                               3. Controlling high blood pressure and diabetes.                                                      4. Ensuring regular exercise at least 30 minutes a day. Walking is most beneficial. 5. Preventing obesity. Doing all you can to maintain weight.                                   6. Choosing to live a healthy lifestyle.                                                                    7. Practicing meditation.                                                                                          8. Doing regular relaxation and breathing exercises.                                                9. Undergoing periodic cardiac evaluations.                                                          10. Including foods that are rich in anti-oxidants in your diet.                                                                                                                                                                     A killer disease, according to the American Heart Association approximately 58.8 million people in the US suffer from heart diseases. And, about 950,000 Americans die of heart ailments each year. Heart diseases and death from it can be prevented by maintaining your health. Find a balance in life between work and other activities, abandon the couch for the outdoors, don’t watch sports on television play sports instead and you can hope to live a long and fulfilled life. Be a well informed and caring citizen, read all about heart diseases and preventive care at: University of Maryland Heart Center for Preventive Cardiology  or the American Heart Association –identifier=1200000; or the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.