Health for Body Mind and Soul

It is heart health month once again. Cardiovascular diseases (CVD), which include stroke, is the No. 1 killer in the U.S. Each year thousands of volunteers with the American Heart Association visit neighborhoods to raise funds for research and education. Part of their goal is to share information about heart disease and stroke (American Heart Association).

The most distressing part of this whole scenario is that since 1963 Americans have been urged “to join the battle against these diseases.” Even Congress has been involved, but the diseases are still rampant. It begs the question as to why with all this effort there were more than 600,000 deaths related to CVD in 2006.

Could it be that the information we are sending is inadequate or the method used to convey the information is not the right vehicle?   Unfortunately, I think we are not keeping up with the research evidence. Individuals diagnosed with CVD are given the options of medication or surgery for the most part.  They progress from an acute phase of the disease to a chronic stage, and remain tied to these modalities with their ensuing side-effects.

Can Heart Disease Be Prevented or Reversed

Research has demonstrated for many years that many cases of CVD can be prevented and reversed without costly treatments. Although coronary artery bypasses and heart transplants may be required for some individuals, nutrition and lifestyle changes are the most effective preventive and treatment actions that can be implemented. “Bypasses and transplants develop aggressive recurrent atherosclerosis unless strict dietary steps are taken (PCRM).

Risk Factors

• Smoking
• High cholesterol
• Inactivity
• High blood pressure

Tips

“The National Cholesterol Education Program recommends decreasing saturated fat and cholesterol and increasing fiber in the diet.” Research has confirmed that individuals who eat a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains have lower risks of heart disease (PCRM).

Dean Ornish, M.D., of the University of California at San Francisco, and others have demonstrated that people with advanced heart disease who change to a low-fat vegetarian diet, stop smoking, reduce stress, and participate in a daily mild exercise program, can stop or even reverse the progression of their heart disease (PCRM).

Perhaps if this information was shared more often by health care providers and public health agencies we would see a decrease in the number of deaths attributed to CVD.