Show your heart some love

What beats 100,000 times per day, pumps about 1 million barrels of blood during an average lifetime and does the most physical work of any muscle in your body over a lifetime?  

Your heart, of course!

According to Health Finder, heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States. One in four deaths are caused by heart disease every year. By learning more about how the heart works and how to identify signs that your heart is in trouble, you can help prevent heart disease for yourself and others.

Here are a few facts about heart disease that you may not know, according to WebMD:

• There are many types of heart disease, such as coronary artery disease, abnormal heart rhythms, heart attacks, vascular disease and more.
• Most heart attacks are the result of coronary artery disease, a condition that clogs coronary arteries with fatty, calcified plaques.
• Heart disease is the leading cause of death in women over 40 years old, especially after menopause. And the risk of heart disease in women continues to increase with age.
• High levels of homocysteine, a common amino acid in your blood you get mostly from eating meat, are linked to the early development of heart disease.
• Your body produces C-reactive protein, or CRP, when it senses the forming of inflammation. CRP found in the blood could mean inflammation of the arteries and increased risk of heart disease.

Signs of a heart attack can vary between men and women, so it is important to know which symptoms to look for in each case. Women, for instance, may not experience chest pain when having a heart attack, or may experience it with less intensity. They may also develop pain in their neck, jaw, throat, upper abdomen or upper back. Typically, they will have a burning sensation in the chest, shortness of breath, weakness, fatigue, nausea, sweating or possibly even changes in skin color to a grayish hue. Men, however, are more likely to experience the well-known heart attack symptoms such as crushing chest pain, squeezing, discomfort or fullness in the chest, pain in the arm, jaw or back, shortness of breath, cold sweat and nausea.

Knowledge is power when it comes to staying healthy, but don’t let that information cause you to lose heart! Here are few simple ways to kick heart disease to the curb.

• Eat a diet of whole, unprocessed foods.
• Exercise regularly, incorporating intervals of high intensity.
• Manage your stress through meditation, prayer, social support and emotional health tools.
• Optimize your vitamin D levels.
• Get enough high-quality animal-based omega-3 fats.

These are some great ways to prevent, and even reverse, certain types of heart disease. If you’re concerned that you might be at risk, make sure you consult with your doctor and begin implementing these healthy lifestyle changes immediately.

Show some love to your heart and the hearts of others this month by sharing what you’ve learned about heart health!