Heart Disease
Prevention: Knowledge is Power!
Heart disease is the number 1 killer in America. According
to the Center for Disease Control, over 600,000 people die of heart disease
each year, that’s 1 in 4 deaths. But the real question is, how do we stop it?
It turns out that heart disease is wholly preventable and
reversible. By working to minimize risk factors like elevated blood pressure,
cigarette smoking, inactive lifestyle, or an unhealthy diet, the chances of
contracting heart disease dramatically reduce. Now you may think the best way
for people to change their habits is to educate them on the risks that come
with them, but that may be harder than you would think.
In 1994, a study was published that detailed how well a
five-year comprehensive Minnesota Heart Health Program reduced risk factors in
the communities it was implemented. They took measurements to see how at-risk
the residents of the community were before and after the program and compared
the results.
What they found was rather disappointing, other than a few
specific instances (like smoking among women) there were no statistically
significant changes in heart disease risk factors among the whole community.
This was really strange, as prevention measures they implemented (screenings,
education, etc.) worked really well in past studies.
The researchers have said that this shouldn’t be taken as
evidence that these programs don’t work at all, as they have worked very well
with individuals, groups, and smaller communities. So if you’re looking to
lower heart disease risks of those near to you, educating them on those risks
is the best place to start. There might even be a cool blog you could send them
to in order to learn more! (hint hint)
You can read the about the whole study here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1615184/pdf/amjph00460-0025.pdf
Help Your Heart: Eat
Like the Greek
Diet is essential in preventing heart disease risk factors. One of the most repeated tenants of prevention from doctors is that patients must decrease the amount of saturated fat and cholesterol while increasing their intake of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. There is a constant search for different diet plans that are heart healthy and provide full nutrition. According to a statement by the American Heart Association Science Advisory and Coordinating Committee, the Mediterranean diet is one of them.
If you follow health news, you may have heard of the Mediterranean diet already. It involves eating mostly fruits, whole grains, vegetables, beans, fish, nuts and legumes while limiting sweets, and red meat. Red wine can also be drank fairly often with this diet, but it's not required.
The committee studied 423 people, one group on a normal diet, and the other on the Mediterranean Diet. They actually stopped the study early because they saw how many benefits those on the Mediterranean diet were having compared to those who weren't. People on the diet had a 50%-70% lowered chance of heart disease.
According to the paper, It isn't the 100% most optimal diet for preventing heart disease, but it's a great place to start. If a large amount of the public picked it up, we'd all be in a healthier place.
You can read the whole study here: http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/103/13/1823.full and read a simplified explanation of the Mediterranean diet here: http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/mediterranean-diet/art-20047801?pg=1
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