“Click the picture to learn about how to measure your heart rate” What is it about the heart that makes it so sentimental? So much a symbol of our emotions? A symbol of who we are? Perhaps, because when it stops functioning, we die within a very short period of time. We need the heart to pump blood throughout our body, which carries all the nutrients and oxygen to our various organs and tissues so that they, too, may survive and thrive. It is the one organ that is literally connected to all the others because of this flow of blood. When the heart is malnourished or sickly, it cannot function at its peak potential. This, unfortunately, is what happens to over 30% of the American population who have been diagnosed with heart disease. And, the saddest part of all is that 80% of these diagnosis are preventable. If your chances of dying of heart disease are most likely preventable, why is it the number one killer of men and women? These facts are directly related to the obesity epidemic we have in this
country, and growing throughout the world. We literally are what we eat and what we are eating is simply not good for us. Therefore, to dramatically reduce your odds of a heart disease diagnosis, you need to maintain a reasonable weight for your height. Eating more vegetables rather than simple carbohydrates found in flour and sugar will certainly help with this plan. Reducing your meat consumption and increasing your fish as protein will also help. The most important thing to remember is that the options are available to you for healthier choices for your heart, but it is up to you to make the commitment to yourself to make those choices. An important fact we often forget about the heart is that it is a muscle. As with all muscles, it needs to be exercised to be strong and stay strong. And, don’t forget that when we lose ½ lb. of muscle tissue every year beginning in our early 30’s, (see Trade Secrets, April article on “No More Stiff Joints!”) the heart as a muscle is in that loss.
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