Matters of the Heart

There are over 1.5 million heart attacks per year and at least one-third of patients die before reaching the hospital. When the heart muscles are starved of blood, and the heart goes into a dangerous rhythm, rapid death is imminent!

Heart Statistics

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States and is a major cause of disability.

The most common heart disease in the United States is coronary heart disease, which often appears as a heart attack.

In 2009, an estimated 785,000 Americans had a new coronary attack, and about 470,000 had a recurrent attack.

About every 25 seconds, an American will have a coronary event, and about one every minute will die from one.

Although heart disease is sometimes thought of as a “man’s disease,” it is the leading cause of death for both women and men in the United States, and women account for nearly 50% of heart disease deaths.

Heart disease is also the number one killer of Malaysian women, not breast cancer.

Each year about 500,000 people suffer first-time strokes and 200,000 have recurrent attacks; 22% of men and 25% of women will die within one year.

Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States; it is a leading cause of disability and among the 700,000 stroke survivors, about 15-30% are permanently disabled.

What Is Heart Disease?

Heart disease is an umbrella term that refers to any disease or condition of the heart including coronary heart disease, hypertension, heart failure, congenital heart disease, heart valve disorder, heart infection, and heart arrhythmia. While some could be genetic, the main cause for concern is the build up of plaque – the accumulation of fat, cholesterol, and other substances on the interior walls of the blood vessels that supply oxygenated blood to the heart muscle. What many people are unaware of is that this underlying cause, known as atherosclerosis, is totally preventable.

When blood flow is greatly reduced through atherosclerosis, a heart attack can occur. In a heart attack, or myocardial infarction, the artery becomes totally blocked with plaque, preventing vital oxygen and nutrients from reaching the heart. A heart attack can cause death and/or permanent damage to the heart muscle.

From the same root cause, a stroke is when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or burst. Ischemic strokes occur as a result of an obstruction within a blood vessel supplying blood to the brain. The underlying condition for this type of obstruction is the development of fatty deposits lining the vessel walls. Stroke prevents part of the brain from getting the blood (and oxygen) it needs. Within a few minutes of starvation, the brain cells begin to die.

The Beat

Our heart is a muscular pump in the body. Throughout our lifetime, it beats rhythmically and continuously sending blood to the lungs, organs, and the rest of the body. Weighing less than 11 ounces and about the size of your fist, it beats 60 to 120 times a minute, depending on our degree of activity at that time. The heart pumps five quarts of blood around our body 500 times a day, with the average blood cell making a round trip through the body’s arteries and veins every 60 seconds! Depriving this wonderful machine of its life source or throwing this life cycle out of sync can lead to serious consequences and is a crime punishable by death!

Risk Factors

There are many factors that influence your risk of heart disease, some we have control over and some we don’t. Common risk factors include:

• High blood cholesterol – High blood cholesterol, especially an elevated LDL (low-density lipoprotein) or “bad” cholesterol, is a major risk factor for heart disease and also increases the risk of stroke. When the arteries become clogged with deposits made up of “bad” cholesterol, plaque, or scar tissue, the heart has a harder time pumping and circulating blood. This clogging causes a myriad of heart problems and can lead to a heart attack.
• High blood pressure – Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against blood vessel walls. High blood pressure or hypertension increases the heart’s workload, causing the heart to enlarge and weaken over time. In addition, more stress is exerted in places where the arteries bend and divide. This added pressure increases the speed at which cholesterol is deposited along the walls of the arteries and the development of heart failure.
• Physical inactivity – Many studies have shown that a lack of physical activity is a risk factor for heart disease and indirectly increases the risk of stroke. In fact, they found that heart disease is almost twice as likely to develop in inactive people than in those who are more active. When we are inactive and eat too much, we are prone to gaining excess weight. This often leads to high blood cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, and an increased risk of heart disease or stroke.
• Obesity and overweight – Our weight directly affects our cholesterol level. People who are overweight often have high cholesterol and raised blood pressure. Furthermore, the blood is more likely to clot. Excess weight increases the heart’s workload. It also raises blood pressure and triglyceride levels, and lowers HDL (,good“) cholesterol levels. It can also make diabetes more likely to develop. Many obese and overweight people may have difficulty losing weight, but losing even as little as five kilograms can significantly lower your heart disease risk.
• Diabetes mellitus – adults with diabetes have heart disease death rates that are two to four times of those adults without diabetes. Diabetes increases the risk of heart disease and stroke, and the risks are even greater if blood sugar levels are not well controlled. People with diabetes often have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and are overweight – increasing their risks even more.
• Tobacco smoke – Smoking is the single most preventable cause of death. Smoking is a major cause of cardiovascular heart disease and causes an increased risk for ischemic stroke and subarachnoid haemorrhage. Besides, smoking causes chemical changes to HDL. which may eliminate its beneficial effects. Constant exposure to “second hand smoke” at work or at home also increases the risk, even for non-smokers.
• Trans Fats – Trans fats are created during a manufacturing process where vegetable oils undergo a process called ‘hydrogenation’ -hydrogen is added to solidify and preserve the product. The product is more stable and lasts longer on shelf. Trans fats are far worse for your health than saturated fats. Not only they raise your bad cholesterol level, they also lower your good cholesterol and encourage the development of atherosclerosis (narrowing of the arteries). Trans fats can be found in processed foods such as cereals, biscuits, vegetable shortening, margarine, and some cooking oils.
• Stress – Individual’s response to stress may be a contributing factor. Some scientists have noted a relationship between coronary heart disease risk and stress in a person’s life, their health behaviours, and socioeconomic status. These factors may affect established risk factors. For example, people under stress may overeat, start smoking or smoke more than they otherwise would.

Changing Habits

Unlike genetics, the good news is that people can make choices to improve their heart health. Heart disease is a lifelong condition. Even if you’ve had surgery or other procedures to help with blood flow in your heart, your arteries remain damaged. Their condition will only worsen unless you make changes in your lifestyle and habits. There is much you can do to control heart disease, prevent a first or second heart attack, and increase your chances for a long and healthy life.

These are some things we could do for a healthy heart:

• Good nutrition – Make the right choices from each food group and be extra careful with what we put on our plates.
• Dietary supplements – get the right nutritional supplements in the right amounts for better health.Maintain a healthy weight and body composition – excess body fat can lead to a variety of health problems. Start taking steps to lose weight today to enjoy a healthier, happier body!
• Regular exercise – this is vital in maintaining good health.
• Smoke-free – Quitting smoking can increase your HDL by up to 10%. Yes, quitting isn’t easy but the best time to stop might be during a 1 to 2 weeks of Detoxification & Rejuvenation Programme (DRP). Many smokers experienced success in quitting smoking through the DRP. Don’t wait. Give yourself a total body transformation today!

Important nutrients and antioxidants

The idea of antioxidants for heart protection has long been established. This is because in the research laboratory, oxidation plays a big role in the formation of atherosclerotic plaque (the cholesterol-formed substance that can eventually rupture to cause a heart attack). Starting antioxidant supplements earlier in life may be required for heart protection.

Thousands of studies published by medical researchers worldwide show that living a healthy lifestyle helps keep cholesterol and blood pressure levels low. thus reducing the risk of heart disease. The research contains ample evidence that there are specific nutrients that are powerful in supporting heart health.

By all necessary means, you should include these heart smart nutrients in your diet:

• Coenzyme Q10 – A vitamin-like substance made by the human body. The importance of CoQ10 can never be over-emphasized because it helps to turn food into energy and is responsible for about 95% of the food to energy conversion in the body! The highest concentrations are found in the liver and the heart, as these two organs have the highest metabolic demands. CoQ10 is also a powerful antioxidant, and studies have proven its ability to prevent LDL oxidation (bad) and free radical damage (very bad), making it an excellent heart-health booster.
• As we age, the body produces less and less CoQ10. and in addition, medications, stress, and unhealthy diets can reduce CoQ10 levels by as much as 40%! The only sure way to maintain adequate levels of CoQ10 in the body is through regular supplementation.
• Vitamin C – This antioxidant plays many roles, but it is especially important and well known for its ability to prevent diseases. It is a key component of collagen, the protein that forms the basic building blocks needed for connective tissues such as cartilage, ligament, tendon, skin, and bone. Collagen is also one of the main components of the blood vessels. Vitamin C helps to maintain the integrity of artery walls, preventing damage that could in turn lead to the accumulation of plaque as the body tries to repair or cover up the damaged areas. Some even say that vitamin C could be one of the most essential factors in the prevention of heart disease and atherosclerosis.
• Vitamin E – LDL is ever present in our body. It is not harmful, but when it is oxidized, it can produce inflammation in arteries that supply blood to our organs and other tissues, thus promoting atherosclerosis and increasing our risk of having a heart attack or stroke.
• Vitamin E is touted as the most powerful antioxidant in the body’s lipid (LDL) phase. Its ability to protect cell membranes from oxidation is of crucial importance in preventing and reversing many degenerative diseases. In 1992, researchers at the University of Texas reported that vitamin E protects against atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) by preventing oxidation of the low-density lipoprotein fraction of blood.
• Omega 3 Fatty Acids – Known as an “essential fatty acid” or more commonly as a “good fat”. Omega 3 contains two fatty acids that are crucial for supporting heart health – EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). DHA and EPA were both included in the FDA’s approval of qualified health claims for the prevention of coronary heart disease. Research shows that a higher intake of omega-3 slows the development of atherosclerotic plaque and lowers the risk of death from heart disease.
• Virgin Coconut Oil – Coconut oil consists predominantly of 65% MCFAs (medium chain fatty acids) and MCFAs are metabolized rapidly in the liver to energy and do not participate in the biosynthesis and transport of cholesterol. Coconut oil, in fact, tends to raise the HDL (good cholesterol) thus lowering the LDL (bad cholesterol): HDL ratio. Coconut oil is not deposited in adipose tissues and therefore does not lead to obesity. Countries consuming the highest amounts of coconut oil – the Polynesians. Indonesians. Sri Lankans. Indians. Filipinos – have not only low serum cholesterol but also low coronary heart disease rates – morbidity and mortality. Coconut oil is also the healthiest cooking oil on earth because it has high heat resistance and does not break down and becomes carcinogenic unlike other vegetable oils (including olive oil). Long-term consumption of Virgin Coconut Oil has resulted in improved body composition, specifically in the reduction of body fat. Think you should be avoiding ALL fats to stay in shape? Think again.
• Fibre – Research shows that extra fibre in the diet not only prevents intestinal traffic jams, it also helps to carry fats out of the digestive system, thus helping in the control and reduction of the cholesterol levels. Also, the added bulk keeps you from getting hungry quickly, so you’re less likely to snack on ‘junk foods’. Fibre from psyllium husk, oat bran, alfalfa, and apple pectin promote metabolism and are particularly helpful in reducing high cholesterol levels.

Heart disease and its risk factors can be treated in three ways: by making healthy changes to your daily habits/diets. by taking lifelong medication, and in some cases, by having a medical procedure. The choice is yours – choose wisely!