Surviving Heart Disease

February 23, 2009

Overview

In industrialized nations across the world, heart disease is the leading cause of death and affects an alarming number of people.

With today's medical technology, however, only 38% of people don't survive the year after a heart attack (with some of them dying almost immediately). However, you have no way of knowing if you will survive a heart attack. Even if you have heart disease, you can avoid risking a heart attack by practicing preventative methods.

If you have heart disease and the condition isn't curable, the best thing you can do is focus on surviving heart disease and preventing a heart attack. You might feel perfectly fine; however, high blood pressure can go unnoticed. Reducing stress can go a long way toward lowering blood pressure, right along with your risk for heart attack or stroke.

One of the most effective preventative methods is to eat properly. You can find all sorts of online calculators that will help you figure out a healthy heart diet. Talk to your doctor and figure out how many calories it takes to maintain your current weight and then aim for that amount each day. Go for less if you want to lose weight.

Focus your diet on vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, and lean sources of dairy and meat. Saturated fat should be limited, if eaten at all, and trans fats should be avoided (even if you're not worried about a heart attack). Avoid highly processed grains like flour and use sugar sparingly. Be sure to drink plenty of water, watch the caffeine (none is best), and get by with as little sodium as you can.

You will begin to notice results slowly but surely. If you're on questionable medications, talk to your doctor about getting off of them and finding safer substitutes.

In addition to a good diet, exercise is a critical aspect of preventative health. Walking is the ideal exercise for recovery or prevention. Set daily goals for yourself and make sure you follow through.

If you're feeling symptoms of sadness, depression, or hopelessness after being diagnosed with heart disease, there's no reason you should continue to feel this way. See your doctor and explain how you feel so that your depression can be treated right along with your heart disease.