Heart Disease Tips
When it comes to Heart Disease, we've been there, done that, now serving 50 tips in 6 categories ranging from Contributing Factors to Heart Disease to Who's at Risk for Heart Disease?.
Metabolic Syndrome
“Metabolic syndrome” is the collective term for a cluster of health problems that can put a person at high risk for cardiovascular disease. A person has metabolic syndrome if they have any three of the following problems:
· A waist circumference of at least 40 inches for males, or 35 inches for females
· A triglyceride level at or above 150 milligrams per deciliter
· A High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) level at or below 40 milligrams per deciliter for males, or 50 milligrams per deciliter for females
· A blood pressure level at or above 130 systolic or 85 diastolic
· A fasting glucose level at or above 110 milligrams per deciliter
Medication for High Low-Density-Lipoprotein Levels
Drug therapy is recommended if a patient?s Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) level is over 100. For very high-risk patients, some medical professionals will recommend medication if this number is over 70.
Waist-to-Hip Ratio and Heart Disease
Having a high waist to hip ratio increases your risk for death overall, your risk of mortality due to cardiovascular disease or diabetes mellitus, and your risk of having high blood pressure.
To find out what your waist to hip ratio is, divide your hip measurement into your waist measurement. A male?s cutoff point is 0.95, and a female?s cutoff point is 0.8.
Diet for Treatment of Heart Disease
The least restrictive therapeutic diet regimen for heart disease recommends the following:
· No more than 30 percent of total calories from fat
· No more than 10 percent of total calories from saturated fat
· No more than 10 percent of total calories from polyunsaturated fat
· No more than 300 milligrams of cholesterol each day
· Fifty-five percent of total calories from carbohydrate
· Fifteen to 20 percent of total calories from protein
Nuts and the Prevention of Heart Disease
The American Heart Association recommends consuming one ounce of almonds each day to lower Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) levels. Walnuts and peanuts have also been proven to have cholesterol-lowering effects in humans.
Fiber and the Prevention of Heart Disease
Soluble fiber can decrease your total cholesterol level by up to 14 percent. The University of Nevarre tracked 342 Spanish adults and found that those who consumed the most fiber were 86 percent less likely to suffer a heart attack.
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| Patricia Walters-Fischer |
