heart attack
Ways to Never Have a Heart Attack

What is Heart Disease?

Heart disease is any disorder that affects the heart’s ability to function normally. The most common type of heart disease is coronary artery disease, which is the narrowing or blockage of the coronary arteries. Some people are born with abnormalities (congenital heart disease). Various forms of heart disease include:

·     Coronary artery disease (the most common form of heart disease)

·     Arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythms)

·     Heart failure

·     Heart valve diseases

·     Congenital heart disease

five medication-free strategies to help prevent help prevent heart disease

You can prevent heart disease by following a heart-healthy lifestyle. Here are five strategies to help you protect your heart.

Heart disease may be a leading cause of death, but that doesn’t mean you have to accept it as your fate. Although you lack the power to change some risk factors — such as family history, sex or age — there are some key heart disease prevention steps you can take.

You can avoid heart problems in the future by adopting a healthy lifestyle today. Here are five heart disease prevention tips to get you started.

1. Don’t smoke or use tobacco

Smoking or using tobacco is one of the most significant risk factors for developing heart disease. Chemicals in tobacco can damage your heart and blood vessels, leading to narrowing of the arteries (atherosclerosis). Atherosclerosis can ultimately lead to a heart attack. When it comes to heart disease prevention, no amount of smoking is safe. Smokeless tobacco and low-tar and low-nicotine cigarettes also are risky, as is exposure to secondhand smoke.

In addition, the nicotine in cigarette smoke makes your heart work harder by narrowing your blood vessels and increasing your heart rate and blood pressure. Carbon monoxide in cigarette smoke replaces some of the oxygen in your blood. This increases your blood pressure by forcing your heart to work harder to supply enough oxygen. Even so-called “social smoking” — smoking only while at a bar or restaurant with friends — is dangerous and increases the risk of heart disease.

Women who smoke and take birth control pills are at greater risk of having a heart attack or stroke than are those who don’t do either. This risk increases with age, especially in women older than 35.

The good news, though, is that when you quit smoking, your risk of heart disease drops dramatically within just one year. And no matter how long or how much you smoked, you’ll start reaping rewards as soon as you quit.

2. Exercise for 30 minutes on most days of the week

Getting some regular, daily exercise can reduce your risk of fatal heart disease. And when you combine physical activity with other lifestyle measures, such as maintaining a healthy weight, the payoff is even greater.

Physical activity helps you control your weight and can reduce your chances of developing other conditions that may put a strain on your heart, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes. It also reduces stress, which may be a factor in heart disease.

Try getting at least 30 to 60 minutes of moderately intense physical activity most days of the week. However, even shorter amounts of exercise offer heart benefits, so if you can’t meet those guidelines, don’t give up. You can even break up your workout time into 10-minute sessions.

And remember that activities such as gardening, housekeeping, taking the stairs and walking the dog all count toward your total. You don’t have to exercise strenuously to achieve benefits, but you can see bigger benefits by increasing the intensity, duration and frequency of your workouts

3. Eat a heart – healthy diet

Eating a special diet called the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) eating plan can help protect your heart. Following the DASH diet means eating foods that are low in fat, cholesterol and salt. The diet is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy products, which can help protect your heart. Beans, other low-fat sources of protein and certain types of fish also can reduce your risk of heart disease.

Limiting certain fats you eat also is important. Of the types of fat — saturated, polyunsaturated, monounsaturated and trans fat — saturated fat and trans fat increase the risk of coronary artery disease by raising blood cholesterol levels.

Major sources of saturated fat include:

·     Red meat

·     Dairy products

·     Coconut and palm oils

Sources of trans fat include:

·     Deep-fried fast foods

·     Bakery products

·     Packaged snack foods

·     Margarines

·     Crackers

Look at the label for the term “partially hydrogenated” to avoid trans fat.

Heart-healthy eating isn’t all about cutting back, though. Most people need to add more fruits and vegetables to their diet — with a goal of five to 10 servings a day. Eating that many fruits and vegetables can not only help prevent heart disease, but also may help prevent cancer.

Omega-3 fatty acids, a type of polyunsaturated fat, may decrease your risk of heart attack, protect against irregular heartbeats and lower blood pressure. Some fish, such as salmon and mackerel, are a good natural source of omega-3s. Omega-3s are present in smaller amounts in flaxseed oil, walnut oil, soybean oil and canola oil, and they can also be found in supplements.

Following a heart-healthy diet also means drinking alcohol only in moderation — no more than two drinks a day for men, and one a day for women. At that moderate level, alcohol can have a protective effect on your heart. More than that becomes a health hazard.

4. Maintain a healthy weight

As you put on weight in adulthood, your weight gain is mostly fat rather than muscle. This excess weight can lead to conditions that increase your chances of heart disease — high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.

One way to see if your weight is healthy is to calculate your body mass index (BMI), which considers your height and weight in determining whether you have a healthy or unhealthy percentage of body fat. BMI numbers 25 and higher are associated with higher blood fats, higher blood pressure, and an increased risk of heart disease and stroke.

The BMI is a good, but imperfect guide. Muscle weighs more than fat, for instance, and women and men who are very muscular and physically fit can have high BMIs without added health risks. Because of that, waist circumference also is a useful tool to measure how much abdominal fat you have:

·     Men are considered overweight if their waist measurement is greater than 40 inches (101.6 centimeters, or cm)

·     Women are overweight if their waist measurement is greater than 35 inches (88.9 cm)

Even a small weight loss can be beneficial. Reducing your weight by just 10 percent can decrease your blood pressure, lower your blood cholesterol level and reduce your risk of diabetes.

5. Get regular health screenings

High blood pressure and high cholesterol can damage your heart and blood vessels. But without testing for them, you probably won’t know whether you have these conditions. Regular screening can tell you what your numbers are and whether you need to take action.

·     Blood pressure. Regular blood pressure screenings start in childhood. Adults should have their blood pressure checked at least every two years. You may need more-frequent checks if your numbers aren’t ideal or if you have other risk factors for heart disease. Optimal blood pressure is less than 120/80 millimeters of mercury.

·     Cholesterol levels. Adults should have their cholesterol measured at least once every five years starting at age 20. You may need more frequent testing if your numbers aren’t optimal or if you have other risk factors for heart disease. Some children may need their blood cholesterol tested if they have a strong family history of heart disease.

·     Diabetes screening. Since diabetes is a risk factor for developing heart disease, you may want to consider being screened for diabetes. Talk to your doctor about when you should have a fasting blood sugar test to check for diabetes. Depending on your risk factors, such as being overweight or a family history of diabetes, your doctor may recommend first testing you for diabetes sometime between ages 30 and 45, and then retesting every three to five years.

 Sleep

This tip is one most people can probably get behind. In today’s hectic world, it seems like some of our basic needs aren’t often met –sleep is one of them. Although it varies for everyone, doctors suggest that you should get about 8 hours of sleep per night. Almost 60 percent of adults have problems sleeping, and only 37 percent get that recommended amount per night [source: National Sleep Foundation]. Not only does being tired all day hurt your performance, but research shows that too little or too much sleep can have some poor effects on your blood pressure and ticker, specifically.

A 10-year-long Harvard University study tracked the sleep habits and health of more than 70,000 women between the ages of 45 and 65 who had no previous heart trouble. At the end of the 10-year period, 934 of these women suffered from coronary heart disease and 271 died from it. The 5 percent of the women who slept less than five hours per night were nearly 40 percent more likely to suffer from heart disease than women who slept an average of eight hours. On the flip side, the women who slept more than nine hours per night were 37 percent more likely to have heart trouble. Studies have returned similar results in men. So the key is to try and stay within that eight hour range, and you’re doing your heart a favor.

Lower Your Cholesterol

Cholesterol gets a bad rap. There are actually two kinds of cholesterol and one of them, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), is produced in the liver and plays a vital role in the functioning of your body’s cells. The easiest way to say it is that HDL makes your cells waterproof. This ensures that the biochemistry of the inside of the cell is different from the outside. HDL also serves as a guard against cancer and aging and is necessary for proper neurological functioning.

So why would you want to lower your cholesterol? Because the second kind, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), get smaller and smaller until they’re tiny enough to enter the walls of your blood vessels and attach themselves like a bad houseguest. Once enough of the LDL sticks around, it’s called plaque. Over time, the plaque can rupture and block the vessels altogether. Then it’s heart attack time.

You can combat this in a couple of ways. There’s the age-old advice to quit smoking, get on a healthy diet and exercise. Then there’s a drug treatment called statins that can help lower your LDL levels. The American Heart Association recommends that fat not exceed 25 to 30 percent of your daily intake and your cholesterol from food not be more than 300 milligrams. You should also get 25 to 30 grams of fiber into your diet each day and see tip No. 1 for your exercise routine. Statins are the other option. If your doctor finds that your LDL levels are more than 130 grams per deciliter, he may decide to put you on one of the six brands of statin drugs on the market. Whether it’s through diet and exercise, statins or both, lowering your cholesterol is a great way to help you avoid the dangers of a heart attack.

In Homeopathic medical system also very effective medicines for , namely cholesterinum, allium sativa, cratagus, and garcenia.  A good homeopathic physician can suggest the doses.

Chill Out

Everyone knows that being stressed out isn’t a good feeling. Turns out, it goes a little deeper than that – stress can actually have some pretty severe effects on your body. Research scientists in Canada performed a study and found that people who had heart attacks and returned to a stressful career were twice as likely to have a second attack as those who held down reasonably stress-free jobs [source: Time Magazine]. University of London researchers found similar results for people who had stressful intimate relationships.

There’s an area at the base of your brain called thehypothalamus that sets off an alarm whenever you get stressed. This alarm sends a signal to your adrenal glands to release a surge of stress hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol. This is also known as the fight-or-flight response. Your heart rate increases, which elevates your blood pressure and boosts energy supplies. If you’re always stressed, then your body thinks it’s in a constant state of threat — not a good thing. Reducing your stress levels will lead to a reduced heart rate and ultimately help you to lower your blood pressure.

If you lead a stressful life, try to chill out by relaxing with friends after work. Take a walk or give meditation a try. Exercise and the right amount of sleep also go a long way toward combating your stress level. If none of these tricks work and you still find yourself stressed, see a professional counselor or psychotherapist. It can help your head and your heart.

Undergo Preventive Screenings

Here’s a novel idea – preventive medicine. In other words, trying to stop a problem before it becomes one. Preventive health screenings can give you and your doctor a lot of information about how at risk you are for cardiovascular disease. The Department of Health and Human Services recommends that you start getting your blood pressure checked every two years starting at the age of 18. It also recommends having your cholesterol levels checked at age 18, and from then on, as often as your doctor thinks is necessary.

The great thing about preventive screenings is that they don’t take very long and are basically painless. Blood pressure checks involve a stethoscope and an aneroid monitor. You may not recognize the aneroid by its fancy name, but it’s the arm cuff system that you’ve likely seen before. Your cholesterol levels are determined through a simple blood test, so you’ll need to get your arm tapped for the red stuff. Aside from these standard checks, there are ultrasound tests that can detect arterial blockage, and you’ll also likely have your body mass index (BMI) calculated so you’ll know exactly how out of shape you are. Your BMI is your weight divided by the square of your height, and multiplied by 732.You may not want to hear some of these numbers, but getting information early on about your risk level can help you avoid a heart attack down the road.

Know Your Family Medical History

This one isn’t as easy as you might think. Some families never suffer through a divorce and are open and honest about everything that goes on. Other families are fractured and distant, with medical goings on swept under the rug for the sake of not worrying children. Because of divorce, death and parents giving their children up for adoption, many adults may not even be acquainted with one or both of their parents at all, much less their medical histories. Some people have genetic predispositions to certain diseases and illnesses — heart disease is no exception. If your father died from a heart attack at the age of 50, then chances are you may be headed down that same road. Even the healthiest of individuals can’t do anything about the genes they inherited.

The first thing you should do to get your information is to interview your siblings and parents and record the information they give you. Your doctor will ask you these questions anyway, so you may as well have the information. From there, go on to interview other family members. Find out about chronic illnesses, disease and any major surgeries they’ve undergone. Ask your grandparents about their siblings and parents. Take down all the information in detailed notes, no matter how limited it is. Even knowing how and at what age your great-grandmother passed away can be important to your risk level. The last thing you should ask in your interviews is what kind of lifestyle your relatives lived. If your grandfather who died from a heart attack at 50 drank like a fish and smoked like a chimney while he stuffed his face with salt pork, then you should take that into consideration.

 Adopt a Heart-healthy Diet

You really are what you eat. If you dine on a steady flow of bacon and eggs, cheeseburgers, French fries and Twinkies, then you and your heart aren’t going to be in the best condition. Adopting a heart-healthy diet is the most important thing you can do to benefit your ticker. It will help you to lower your blood pressure and cholesterol and limit the amount of bad fat you take in.

As far as a broad approach goes, try to get as far away from processed foods as possible. The closer your four food groups are to their original, unprocessed form the better. It’s called a whole foods lifestyle. Include plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables and eat fish at least twice a week. Salmon is your best bet for supplying your heart with healthy omega-3 fatty acids that will help you reduce arterial plaque. Whole grains like oatmeal and whole wheat bread are a must as well.

Legumes like beans and lentils are loaded with protein, fiber, iron and calcium and are free of fat and cholesterol. Nuts are packed with antioxidants, omega-3s, fiber and vitamin E, among other things. The important thing is to not think of it as a diet, but as a lifestyle change. Stay away from boxed food, head for the fruit and veggie aisle, and you’re on your way to making sure there are no ambulances in your future.

Lower Your Blood Pressure

A lot of people may hear the words blood pressure and not even know what that actually means. It’s pretty simple –blood pressure is the measurement of the force of the blood against the walls of your blood vessels. When your blood pressure is measured, there are two readings – systolic and diastolic. The systolic part refers to the pressure when your heart is expanded, and the diastolic reading is when your heart is at rest. They’re given as systolic over diastolic, like a fraction.

The American Heart Association estimates that about one-third of all Americans have high blood pressure, or hypertension, and that a third of those people don’t know it. This is because there really aren’t any symptoms. It’s called the “silent killer” because the only way to find out if your pressure is high is to check it. Some people sit down at the machines in pharmacies and grocery stores, but unless it’s a new machine or you know that it’s been maintained and recently recalibrated, you can’t really trust those numbers.

If you get your pressure checked and it falls under 120/80, then you’re doing fine. Anything between 120-139/80-89 is called prehypertension, and above this level is considered high. The first step in controlling your blood pressure is to have it checked on a regular basis. Once you find out you have high blood pressure, your doctor will ask you to eat less fatty foods, cut your salt intake, stop smoking if you’re a smoker, exercise and limit the amount of alcohol you drink. If this isn’t enough to get your pressure down, you may need to go on blood pressure medication like diuretics, which get rid of excess fluids and salts, and beta-blockers that actually reduce the amount of blood your heart pumps.

Avoid or control diabetes. 

Type 2 diabetes (non-insulin-dependent), which affects more than 42 million Indians, is an important risk factor for both CAD and hypertension. Diabetic men have two to three times the risk of having coronary heart disease than those without diabetes. Weight control and exercise can improve the utilization of blood sugar and prevent or slow down the onset of diabetes–and reduce the incidence of heart disease.

Eat less saturated fat, more produce & more fiber. 

Diets low in saturated fat and high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fiber are associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. Also, a recent study reported in the Annals of Internal Medicine journal confirmed that eating fruits and vegetables, particularly green leafy vegetables and vitamin C-rich fruits and vegetables, seems to have a protective effect against coronary heart disease. You may even think about moving toward more flexitarian or vegetarian eating habits: A vegetarian diet reduces the risk of coronary artery disease, and may even reverse existing coronary artery disease when combined with other lifestyle changes. A Mediterranean diet that uses olive oil can reduce the risk of coronary artery disease.

6. Avoid trans fats.

Trans fatty acids have been linked to adverse lipid profiles and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. This includes most margarines. The role of other fatty acids, including monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, and marine omega-3 fatty acids, remains controversial.

7. Consume alcohol only in moderation. 

Moderate intake of alcohol is related to reduction of cardiovascular disease — but may raise blood pressure and increase risk of breast cancer. Early surgical menopause is linked to increased risk of cardiovascular disease, which appears to be negated by the use of estrogen therapy.

8. Arm yourself with risk-reducing vitamins.

Antioxidant vitamin supplements, particularly vitamin E and homocysteine-lowering agents such as folate and B6, have promising roles in prevention of cardiovascular disease, but conclusive evidence may hinge on the results of several ongoing randomized clinical trials. When it is found in unusually high levels, homocysteine brings the same degree of risk as having high cholesterol does. The B vitamins, especially folic acid and B12, will drive elevated homocysteine levels down to normal, often without the need of any prescription medication.

Lifestyle changes such as losing weight, lowering cholesterol and quitting smoking reduce certain risk factors. But did you know that drinking tea and laughing might also be beneficial?

Maryland Heart Center physicians are studying some of these preventive measures.

“Our research revolves around trying to attain a greater understanding as to how important those positive influences are in reducing heart attack event rates,” stated Miller.

He says that two of the most protective factors against heart disease are high levels of HDL (good cholesterol) and also factors that may reduce stress, such as laughter.

In fact, a recent study by cardiologists at the University of Maryland Medical Center found that laughter, along with an active sense of humor, may help protect against a heart attack. The study, which was the first to indicate that laughter may help prevent heart disease, found that people with heart disease were 40 percent less likely to laugh in a variety of situations compared to people of the same age without heart disease.

Reduce Stress with a Good Laugh

So why do stress reduction techniques — laughter in particular– reduce the risk of heart disease?  To answer that, it helps to know how mental stress can potentially damage your heart.

“When you’re under a lot of stress there are chemicals that are released that cause blood pressure and the heart rate to go up, cause platelets to clump together and all of those set up a series of reactions that could enhance the process of plaque formation and development,” said Miller. “So people that appear to be under lots of stress all the time are at increased risk [for heart disease] even if they don’t have a family history of heart disease or if they don’t have diabetes.”

Conversely, reducing stress, with laughter in particular can have the opposite effect.

“We think laughter is an active process and may have a direct impact on improving the lining of the blood vessels,” explained Miller. Reducing stress also benefits the heart by lowering the blood pressure, and heart rate.

“The ability to laugh may have important implications in societies such as the U.S. where heart disease remains the number one killer,” Miller said. “We know that exercising, not smoking and eating foods low in saturated fat, will reduce the risk of heart disease. Perhaps regular, hearty laughter should be added to the list.”

Other stress reduction methods can also help.

“Limiting stress in ways that are accomplishable, that don’t take up a lot of time and are easy to do would help to facilitate the process of stress reduction,” said Miller.  He says that any of stress-reducing methods, including yoga and meditation, may be “quite helpful in reducing the risk of coronary events.”

A New Reason to Drink Tea

In addition to laughter, drinking tea and eating antioxidant foods can also protect you against heart disease.

In fact, cardiologists at the University of Maryland Medical Center have concluded that drinking black or green tea (which contain antioxidants) may help reduce a potentially harmful constriction of blood vessels after a high-fat meal. Their study adds to a growing body of research that suggests antioxidant-rich foods (such as vegetables and fruits) and beverages may help to prevent heart disease.

“We’re talking about foods that contain anti-oxidants such as fruits and vegetables like tomatoes, which contain lycopene or broccoli that contain other protective antioxidants,” noted Miller. “Vegetables and fruits have natural antioxidants which are probably going to be more protective than supplements.”

If you’re going to drink tea, you might want to skip the milk. A recent article cited new research which has found that adding milk to tea negates the health benefits. The study findings were published in the January 9th, 2007 online edition of the European Heart Journal. Dr. Robert Vogel, a University of Maryland Medical Center cardiologist and professor of medicine at the University of Maryland Medical School who was quoted in the article, advises his patients not to have milk in tea.

Home Remedies for Heart Attack

Listed below are few home remedies for heart attack:

·     Vitamin C is an effective home remedy. It protects the heart from high blood cholesterol. Consume citrus fruits as they are rich in vitamin C.

·     Vitamin E improves the circulation and muscle strength. It also promotes heart functioning by improving oxygenation of cell. Intake foods rich in vitamin E such as outer leaves of cabbage, whole meal products and green vegetables.

·     The herb alfalfa taken in juice form is very helpful in treating diseases related to heart and arteries. The juice can be taken along with carrot juice two times a day.

·     Grapes are very effective in treating heart pains. Grapes taken in the form of juice is also very effective remedy.

·     Asparagus is a very good remedy for heart diseases. Prepare a juice of it and mix it with honey in 2:1 ratio. Take a teaspoon of this mixture three times a day.

·     Honey is effective in treating the cardiac pain and improves the circulation. Take a teaspoon of it daily after the food to prevent all sorts of heart troubles

·     Apples are very rich in heart stimulating properties. Consuming a fruit daily or taking it in the form of jam is very beneficial.

Home Remedies from the Cupboard

Bran. Bran cereal is a high-fiber food that will help keep your cholesterol levels in check. Other high fiber foods in your cupboard include barley, oats, whole grains such as brown rice and lentils, and beans, such as kidney beans and black beans.

Olive oil. The American Heart Association and the American Dietetic Association recommend getting most of your fat from monounsaturated sources. Olive oil is a prime candidate. Try using it instead of other vegetable oils when sautéing your veggies.

Peanut butter. Eat  2 tablespoons of this comforting food and you can get 1/3 of your daily intake of vitamin E. Because vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin (other antioxidant vitamins are water soluble), it is found more abundantly in fattier foods like vegetable oils and nuts. If you’re watching your weight, don’t go overboard on the peanut butter.

Pecans. These tasty nuts are full of magnesium, another heart-friendly nutrient. One ounce of pecans drizzled over a spinach salad can give you 1/3 of your recommended daily allowance of this vital mineral.

Whole-wheat bread. Slather some peanut butter on a slice of whole-wheat bread and you’ve got a snack that’s good to your heart. One slice of whole-wheat bread has 11 mcg of selenium, an antioxidant mineral that works with vitamin E to protect your heart.

Wine. Research is finding that drinking a glass of alcohol a day may help in the battle against heart disease. Health experts are quick to note that alcohol in moderate amounts is helpful. They define moderate as one glass a day for women and two glasses of alcohol a day for men. What’s in one drink? Twelve ounces of beer, five ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of whiskey.

Home Remedies from the Refrigerator

Broccoli. Calcium is another heart-healthy nutrient, and milk isn’t the only calcium-rich food. In fact, there are lots of nondairy foods that are rich in calcium, such as kale, salmon, figs, pinto beans, and okra. One cup of broccoli can supply you with 90 mg of calcium.

Chicken. Three ounces of chicken will give you 1/3 of your daily requirement for vitamin B6, a necessary nutrient for maintaining heart health.

Salmon. Adding fatty fish to your diet is a good idea if you’re at risk for heart disease. Three ounces of salmon meets your daily requirement for vitamin B12, a vitamin that helps keep your heart healthy, and it’s a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, which have been proven to lower triglycerides and reduce blood clots that could potentially block arteries in the heart.

Spinach. Make yourself a salad using spinach instead of the usual iceberg lettuce and get a good start on meeting your folic acid needs (1/2 cup has 130 mcg of folic acid). Along with the other B vitamins, B6 and B12, folic acid can help prevent heart disease.

Strawberries. Oranges aren’t the only fruit loaded with vitamin C. You can fill up on 45 milligrams of the heart healthy vitamin with 1/2 cup of summer’s sweet berry. Vitamin C is an antioxidant vital to maintaining a happy heart. Strawberries are also a good source of fiber and potassium, both important to heart health.

Sweet potatoes. With double your daily requirements for vitamin A, a heart-protecting nutrient, sweet potatoes are a smart choice for fending off heart disease.

Home Remedies from the Spice Rack

Garlic. Chock full of antioxidants, garlic seems to be able to lessen plaque buildup, reduce the incidence of chest pain, and keep the heart generally healthy. It is also a mild anticoagulant, helping to thin the blood. The advantages may take some time: One study found that it took a couple of years of eating garlic daily to get its heart-healthy benefits.

Home Remedies from the Supplement Shelf

Coenzyme Q-10. This nutrient, found in fatty fish, has a bit of an identity crisis. It’s not classified as a vitamin or a mineral. But studies have found that it is a necessary nutrient for heart health. It seems co-enzyme Q-10 re-energizes heart cells, especially in people who have already been diagnosed with heart failure. It blocks the process that creates plaque buildup in the arteries and helps lower blood pressure. Coenzyme Q-10 has been used to treat congestive heart failure in Japan for decades. Talk to your doctor before trying the supplement. If you get the go-ahead, buy supplements from Japanese manufacturers.

More Do’s and Don’ts

·     Don’t be a smoke stack. People who smoke are twice as likely to have a heart attack.

·     Get moving. Your heart is a muscle, and if you don’t exercise it, it will get weaker and be less able to rebound from heart troubles.

·     Watch your weight. The American Heart Association (AHA) says that if you’re overweight, losing as little as 10 to 20 pounds can work wonders on your heart.

·     Eat healthy. The AHA suggests getting less than 30 percent of your calories from fat, and less than 10 percent of that fat should be the saturated kind. You should get no more than 300 mg of cholesterol a day.