Heart Smart
Lets Get Heart
Smart: Risk Factors of Heart Related Illness
by Mary
Howard, RN
There is new
evidence that shows dietary intake of fat and cholesterol,
such as fat meat and eggs, may not be the culprit to heart
related illness. Carbohydrates and Homocysteine levels may
be some of the important culprits. We’ll also look at some
other factor to lower your risk of heart attack, stroke and
high blood pressure.
Recently, we
have heard about these high protein, carbohydrate sparing
diets and their claims to decrease your risk of heart
disease. Any time you eliminate any one food group (in this
case carbohydrates) you are setting yourself up for a whole
new set of problems. There may be some truth in watching
your carbohydrate intake though. What their evidence shows
is that when you consume a large amount of carbohydrates,
whether it is sweets or starches, it causes your body to
produce large amounts of insulin.
Insulin is
vital to life in that it regulates blood sugar, controls the
storage of fat, regulates the liver’s production of
cholesterol, functions as a growth hormone, is important in
appetite control, drives the kidneys to retain fluid and
much more. It is absolutely essential to life, but too much
of a good thing can sometimes cause problems. Too much
insulin can be very caustic to the blood vessels, causing
hardening of the vessels, decreased strength of the vessels
leading to high blood pressure, stroke and plaque build up.
Insulin also causes fat storage and cholesterol production.
As we age our
insulin receptors become less sensitive to insulin so the
body over-produces insulin to meet what it thinks is the
need. By decreasing your intake of concentrated sweets, like
sugar sweetened food and not overeating starches like
breads, pasta and potatoes you may keep your body from the
overproduction of insulin. If you think your insulin level
could be a problem for you, next time you have blood drawn
at your doctor’s office, ask if you can have a blood insulin
level drawn, too.
Another
important heart related factor my be control of Homocysteine.
Homocysteine is an amino acid that is attached to LDL fats
(bad cholesterol). Elevated levels of Homocysteine have been
linked to the production of cholesterol. By increasing your
dietary intake of B-12, B-6 and Folic acid, you can decrease
the production of this amino acid, thus decreasing your risk
of heart disease. Sources of these important vitamins, B-12,
B-6 and Folic acid are green leafy vegetables,
cabbage/cauliflower family, and meats.
Part of the
problem with controlling the production of Homocysteine is
that as the body ages it has a decreased ability to absorb
these 3 B-Vitamins from foods. By taking these 3 B-Vitamin,
B-12, B-6 and Folic Acid, in a supplement called a
Sublingual form (Sublingual means to "put under the tongue")
they are taken into the blood stream instead of through the
stomach. This way, the digestive system is bypassed and the
vitamins go directly to the blood where they can work to
decrease Homocysteine levels. So, when you look for a
supplement for these 3 B-Vitamins try to find one that is
for "Sublingual" use. They may be hard to find, but they are
out there.
Fiber in your
diet can be an important factor in decreasing your risk of
arteriosclerosis (plaque in the arteries) and heart disease.
Fiber makes a lining on the inside of the colon. The body
uses cholesterol for the production of Bile in the liver,
and then the bile is excreted through the colon. If this
fiber lining in the colon is intact, the bile will not be
reabsorbed by the body, thus the body has no other choice
but to produce more bile causing more use of the your body's
cholesterol stores.
Foods that are
high in fiber are fresh vegetables, fruit and bran. Dietary
fiber can also be obtained through the use of a fiber
supplement. It is important to drink plenty of water (8 or
more glasses a day) while you are taking a fiber supplement.
Fiber also increases the transit time of food in your body
causing you to absorb less fat and toxins from the food you
eat.
Some other
risk factors for the heart that you can control are:
-
Regular exercise and getting your heart rate up is important to keep your heart strong and to clean your blood vessels out.
-
Decreasing stress in your life may also help in decreasing your risk of heart related illness.
-
Avoid putting unhealthy toxins in your body like smoking. Smoking causes hardening of your blood vessels, decreased oxygen in your blood and the nicotine is a stimulant causing constriction of blood vessels.
-
Controlling weight helps decrease risk of heart disease especially for those that gain their weight on the torso of their body. Fat deposits around the heart can cause increased workload for the heart.
There really
are some things you can do to decrease your risk of heart
disease. By taking some supplements, eating the right foods
and avoiding the wrong foods you can considerable decrease
your risks of heart related illness. By eating food as they
are produced from the soil and eating other foods "in
Moderation," you will be taking the least amount of risk to
your heart.
