The major triggers of heart diseases are obesity and hypertension.

 

Heart attack signs and symptoms:

 

1. Chest discomfort: You can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.

2. Pain or discomfort in the arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
 

3. Shortness of breath
 

4. Cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness.

 

 

Cardiac arrest signs and symptoms:

 

1. Sudden loss of responsiveness. No response to gentle shaking.

2. Blood pressure and pulse rate drop

3. No signs of circulation.
 

4. No movement or coughing.

 

Dietary control is the first step and perhaps the best approach to a “healthy heart” and change a life style can reduce risk of heart disease significantly.

 

 

Diet recommendations for a healthy heart:

 

1. A well-balanced diet like plenty of fiber, fresh fruits (apple etc) and vegetables can save arteries and prevent heart diseases. Foods rich in the antioxidants like beta –carotene, vitamins C and E, and selenium that fight free radicals. Foods like tomatoes, sprouts, raw nuts (except peanuts), garlic etc help to reduce serum cholesterol levels.

 

2. Avoid foods like coffee, tobacco, alcohol, sugar, butter, red meat, hydrogenated oils, fried fruits, soft drinks, and white flour products etc as they damage the arteries and cause heart attack.

 

3. Consume no more than 20 to 22% of daily calories from fat per day.

 

4. Life style modifications: Modify some of those important risk factors which predispose you to develop angina and ultimately leading to heart attack.

 

5. Smoking: Smokers carry a 3-6 times greater risk of developing heart attack than non smokers. Smoking causes injury to the walls of the arteries and increases cholesterol level and other substance which gradually narrowly the arteries.

 

6. Obesity: Obese people have excess of harmful cholesterol. Fat deposits causing body weight to be more than 20% normal weight constitutes obesity. Obesity places a strain on the heart.

 

7. Alcohol: Regular intake of more than moderate quantity of alcohol leads to hypertriglyceridemia which in turn raises bad cholesterol and lead to the increase in abdominal weight.

 

8. High Blood Pressure: Increase in blood pressure can damage the delicate inner lining of the arteries and allow excess cholesterol to creep into walls of the arteries and cause narrowing of blood vessels.

 

9. Exercise and Stress: Regular exercise reduces blood cholesterol levels and slows down the process of atherosclerosis and decreases the body weight. It also promotes mental relaxation and reduces strain and stress.

 

Future stress on cardiac diseases is not about treatment but prevention through healthy diet, regular exercise and disciplined lifestyle.

 

 

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