How to Reduce Your Chances of a Heart Attack

Atherosclerosis is a condition in which cholesterol and other substances build up in the artery walls to form plaque. When plaque builds up enough to close off the artery, and therefore the blood supply to the heart, a heart attack results.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Food/exercise Journals
• Stress Relief Products
• Black Teas
• Green Tea
• Blood Pressure Monitors
• Heart Rate Monitors
• Scales

1. Check your cholesterol and blood pressure levels. High blood pressure or cholesterol can put you at greater risk for heart disease.
2. Watch your diet and weight to keep cholesterol and blood pressure levels down. Avoid foods high in cholesterol and saturated fat.
3. Stop smoking. Smoking speeds up the development of atherosclerosis by damaging the artery walls, which allows cholesterol deposits to develop.
4. Exercise regularly to help prevent a heart attack and increase your chances of surviving one.
5. Reduce stress.
6. Limit caffeine and alcohol consumption.
7. Evaluate whether other conditions put you at higher risk for heart disease. Hypercholesterolemia, high triglyceride levels, low-density lipoproteins and diabetes may add to your risk of a heart attack.

Tips & Warnings

• The American Heart Association recommends 30 to 60 minutes of aerobic exercise, three or four times a week. Consult with your health care provider before beginning an exercise program.
• A 1999 Harvard study concluded that drinking a single cup of black or green tea every day greatly lowers the risk of a heart attack. The tea contains flavonoids, which act as antioxidants, thereby reducing the chance of a heart attack by as much as one-fourth.
• Recent studies have shown that meditation may decrease the risk of heart disease, possibly because the resulting stress relief may promote the body's self-repair system to thin the fatty buildup on artery walls.
• If you have any questions or concerns, contact a physician or other health care professional before engaging in any activity related to health and diet. This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment.