8 Risk factors for heart disease

I know you have heard all the rules for preventing heart disease – get your cholesterol checked regularly, cut down on saturated fat, exercise, quit smoking, reduce stress levels. Unfortunately, it is not that simple anymore – there is new research out about lowering your risk of heart disease. Below are 8 risk factors to avoid.

Eating too much pasta

If you have given up fat in favor of more carbohydrates, you may be doing your heart a disservice. For years, we all thought heart disease was a “fat” problem. It is not – it is a sugar problem. Surprise! People have been on low-fat diets for 30 years and heart disease has increased. The explanation lies in Syndrome X – which is a cluster of 4 symptoms including low HDL (the good cholesterol), high triglycerides, obesity and high blood pressure. These 4 symptoms put you at risk for heart disease and diabetes. It is a condition called "insulin resistance"– insulin raises blood pressure, triglycerides and LDL cholesterol which can lead to diabetes – diabetes boosts the risk of heart disease. Even a moderate elevated level of blood sugar can increase the risk of heart disease.

SOLUTION: eat reasonable amounts of protein and fat and go for the “good carbohydrates” like fresh fruit and vegetables which will give you more fiber and antioxidants. Simply going for a walk everyday for 30 minutes lowers blood sugar levels.

Not eating enough of the good fats

This means vegetable oils like extra virgin olive oil, corn, safflower and sunflower plus Omega 3’s (essential fatty acids) found in cold-water fish, walnuts and flaxseeds. DECREASED CONSUMPTION OF THESE OILS CAN ACTUALLY INCREASE THE RISK OF HEART DISEASE. SOLUTION: Get “fat-free” out of your head! Toss walnuts or toasted almonds into your salad every day. Eat salmon whenever possible, grind flaxseeds and add them to smoothies and vegetables, use olive oil based salad dressings.

Being a bachelor

Not being married can literally break a guy’s heart. Studies have shown that ‘never-married’ men have an increased risk of dying of heart disease. These findings remained the same after adjustments were made for age, smoking, physical activity, alcohol intake, etc. The reason is that marriage provides a social support system which is protective of the heart. Having a life partner offers emotional security for both men and women.

SOLUTION: get out there – join a dinner group, book club, gym, bowling league, biking group, whatever interests you to get out of the house.

Being a "type A" personality

Do you know any of those people who get up in the morning and are on the treadmill with a cup of coffee and their cell phone? These are definitely Type A personalities and there is a strong association between stress and heart disease. Stress increases cortisol (stress) hormone and adrenaline levels and in turn boosts the C-reactive protein – an inflammatory molecule that is directly involved with the early course of heart disease.

SOLUTION: Lighten up, put the cell phone away, listen to relaxing music. Are you drinking too much coffee? 4 or more cups of coffee per day raises homocysteine and cholesterol levels. Take time for yourself – meditation will lower your heart rate, cholesterol and blood pressure. Studies have shown that yoga can lower blood pressure, decrease your heart rate and reduce cholesterol levels.

Eat your greens

Eat your greens or whole-grains – they are rich in B-vitamins which help to de-stress the body. B vitamins help keep levels of homocysteine levels in check – homocysteine is an amino acid formed during normal metabolic processes. If blood levels of this hormone are too high – over time, the result is atherosclerosis and heart disease. B- vitamins are required to metabolize homocysteine levels and increasing your levels of B- vitamins and reduce your risk of heart disease.

SOLUTION: Add a B-vitamin to your daily routine or better yet, eat leafy greens and veggies.

Are you a spiritual person?

People who do not have a spiritual connection are more likely to develop heart disease versus those who do have strong spiritual connection show a reversal of heart disease. Prayer can create healing!

SOLUTION: Connect with something greater than yourself. I enjoy reading Sylvia Brown’s collection of books which will give you some good ideas for making a spiritual connection. Take time to watch the sun set in the sky. Find what works for you!

Being a post-menopausal woman

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in women – more than breast cancer. They are at an increased risk for heart disease because of elevated levels of estrogen. Estrogen has a protective effect on the heart but estrogen levels drop dramatically after menopause. Plus women tend to gain weight because metabolism decreases after menopause.

SOLUTION: Add 26 grams of soy to your daily routine, exercise of course, and digestive enzymes can help fight arterial inflammation. Omega 3’s reduce inflammation in the body. Co-Enzyme Q10 protects the heart and L-Carnitine acts like a “fat taxi” because it forces the body to use the fat that is on you for fuel.

Having a low HDL (good) cholesterol count

If HDL levels are too low, the risk of heart disease is increased. It appears that LDL (bad) cholesterol transports cholesterol from the liver to the cells, while the “good” HDL cholesterol does the opposite – it removes damaging cholesterol from the cells and transports it to the liver so it can be removed from the body. So if HDL level is too low – it could indicate more of build-up.

SOLUTION: Increase your activity levels, anything that gets your heart rate up can increase HDL (good) cholesterol. If you smoke – quit! You don’t have to run a marathon – taking a low-impact aerobic class will do the trick.

So, to keep your heart healthy follow this simple advice:

• Eat right, exercise, drink plenty of water
• Include following foods in your diet: walnuts, red wine, ginger, apples, barley, oats, green tea, beans, garlic and soy
• Include a few supplements that will keep your heart ticking strong

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