Helping Heart Disease In Seven Steps – Are You Up To The Challenge?
We have to realize that we control the path we walk by the decisions we make. Preventing heart disease is no different. Let us not be defeatist and look at the smaller percentage of people who have a disposition towards developing heart disease, and let us concentrate on the majority of people whose heart disease is caused by their diet and lack of exercise.
A majority of heart related illnesses are due the HDL cholesterol plaque buildup in our arteries. This plaque build hardens arteries and restricts blood flow and nutrient delivery.
Can plaque in arteries be removed? Yes!
Is supporting heart helath without drugs possible? Yes!
“How to reduce plaque in arteries naturally? Take a look at “The Simple 7” below.
Supporting heart helath is not rocket science, but it does require a change in the way we view ourselves and our relationship to food.
We have to realize that most of our illnesses are caused by the decisions we make. We have to make the tough decisions to truly love ourselves and to be around for our love ones who depend on us. We must fight industry that wants to keep us confused as to the best foods to eat to support our healthy living.
Heart disease is easy to combat and treat, but we have to have discipline to be able to achieve these results. We have to realize that change is possible, but it takes work to overcome our obstacles to change. To address heart disease the American Heart Association came up with “The Simple 7.”
Seven Health Behaviors Or Factors For Addressing Heart Disease
- Not smoking
- Not being overweight
- Being active – walking at least twenty-two minutes a day or comparable exercise
- Eating a few fruits and vegetables a day
- Having below average cholesterol
- Having normal blood pressure
- Having normal blood sugars
The association was only aiming for a 20% drop in heart related death by 2020. This was a modest goal because it took into account how bad our diets have gotten, and that our diets effect most of the factors of “The Simple 7.”
One reason why our diets have gotten so bad is many people feel they are already eating healthy. I have encountered this presumption while working to help people take control of their lives through diet modification, and many didn’t think they needed to change the way the ate.
A survey was done with 14,000 men and women to draw a general picture of how many Americans hit all seven of “The Simple 7.” Most of the participants could only claim two of three and only a few of the participants had all seven components. Only 1 out of 2000 participants in the study had all seven components, and the one component that was missing the most was diet.
An interesting point Dr. Greger made in the video was doctors who smoked were less likely to tell their patients not the smoke, and doctors who weren’t active were less likely to push exercise. For addressing heart disease naturally you should take advice from people who are examples of the behavior we want for ourselves. Anyone can talk the talk, but real inspiration comes from people who walk the talk. You can change, but it takes understanding and a plan!
