Heart Diseases

The high blood cholesterol often causes blockages in the heart and thus leads to coronary artery disease. The high cholesterol clumps together in the arteries ultimately leading to the narrow down of arteries resulting in Coronary Artery Disease .Learn more on this topic to be astray of Coronary Artery Disease.

Coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women. It occurs when a blockage prevents the flow of blood and oxygen to the heart. Chest pain often associated with the disease is called angina. Other symptoms Coronary heart disease (CHD) include, shortness of breath and on occasion heart attack. Preventing coronary artery disease (CAD) can enhance longevity and learning coronary heart disease facts may be the first step.

Symptoms of CAD

Different people experience angina or chest pain differently. The pain may be mild or severe. In addition angina may manifest itself in typical or atypical symptoms. Atypical angina may be located in the chest, left side, or may be experienced as pain in the abdomen, back or arm.

Coronary artery disease treatment medicines may help Typical angina pain is felt as a squeezing sensation under the sternum Additionally some people report feeling palpitations, a irregular, rapid thumping of the heart. Shortness of breath may be a symptom of coronary heart disease. Further shortness of breath can be a sign of congestive heart failure where a lack of oxygen has stifled the hearts ability to circulate the blood. Sometimes this is accompanied by swelling of the extremities; hands and feet.

High blood cholesterol is a sure short cut to coronary heart disease. Coronary heart disease risks and coronary heart disease treatments begin with coronary heart disease prevention!

Causes of Coronary Heart Disease

Coronary heart disease risks occur when blockages occur in the arteries. One factor that significantly contributes to blockages is high cholesterol levels in the blood. Lead to blockages and plaque formations Other factors that may be considered causative include high blood pressure, and some studies suggest, that infections that lead to swelling may cause arteries to close.

Risk Factors for Coronary Heart Disease

Some factors that contribute to are that pose risks to developing CAD are preventable, and some are not. Preventable risks can be reduced by making healthy lifestyle choices such as frequent exercise, reducing stress, stopping smoking and losing weight if you’re obese. Other risks that are uncontrollable are things like the aging process, a family history of CAD, Diabetes (though some things may help) high levels of blood homocystein levels and menopause.

Why is Cholesterol a Risk Factor for Coronary Heart Disease?

Cholesterol that serves a purpose in cell development and hormone balances has a sticky, fatty composition. It also lacks the ability to dissolve in the blood. When concentrations of cholesterol become too high particles clump together and can stick to the walls of arteries. When this occurs, the arteries begin to narrow thereby increasing the risk of CHD, and heart attack.

Weight Loss

With approximately two-thirds of US adults overweight and the increasing amount of overweight children, weight loss is a concern that touches everyone, one way or another. If you’re not overweight, it’s likely that you have a friend or family member that is. While it may be said that the media and beauty industry often portray an unrealistic standard of desired weight, it can also be said that being overweight is not simply the case of “beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” Being overweight should be approached as a health concern, not a beauty issue. Being overweight is considered unhealthy for your body, even by twenty pounds. It’s hard to lose weight, but the benefits of reaching and maintaining a healthy weight are worth it. We’ve all heard it before, but losing weight requires a combination of healthy eating and physical activity – with the goal of burning more calories than consumed.

If you are concerned about your weight, and want information about losing weight, we hope the information on this site will be helpful to you. Whether you have recently gained excess weight or struggled with your weight your entire life, you can lose the weight if you are determined to make changes and work at it. Remember, it is never too late or too early to start living a healthy life, improving your health, and losing weight.

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The notion that good health can come in small tidbits is not really new. Research showing that making small changes can add up to a big difference has been quietly accumulating for a while.

For example, a study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine in 2004 found that adding just 30 minutes of walking per day was enough to prevent weight gain and encourage moderate weight loss.

And if 30 minutes is still too big a bite? Another study, published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, found that three brisk 10-minute walks per day were as effective as a daily 30-minute walk in decreasing risk factors for heart disease.

"Just the act of going from sedentary to moderately active gives you the greatest reduction in your risks," says Helene Glassberg, MD, director of the Preventive Cardiology and Lipid Center at the Temple University School of Medicine in Philadelphia.

But it's not only in fitness where small changes can make a difference. The same principles apply at the kitchen table (and the office snack bar).

"Reducing fat intake, cutting down on sugar, eating a piece of fruit instead of a candy bar -- over time, these things can make a difference," says Grossman.

As long as the changes are moving you toward your goal -- be it weight loss, a reduction in cholesterol or blood pressure, or better blood sugar control -- you can get there by taking baby steps, she says.

Moreover, Grossman tells WebMD, making small changes can help give us the motivation to make bigger ones.

"A lot of bad eating habits are about not taking charge of your life, and that attitude is often reflected in other areas," says Grossman. On the other hand, she says, when you make small changes at the kitchen table, the rewards may show up in other areas of your life.

"It's the act of taking control that makes the difference in motivating you," says Grossman. "An inner confidence and power begins to develop that can be seen in other areas of life."