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Natural Health News Articles
Page: 1
| Posted: 8th August 2004 |
| Heart disease |
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The heart and vascular system is one of the largest and most important body systems. The cardiovascular system's primary functions are to deliver oxygen and vital nutrition to cells throughout the body and to aid in the removal of cellular waste products. Heart disease and stroke are the number-one and number-three killers in most of the Western World. They are often referred to as "silent killers" because the first symptom or sign in many cases is a fatal event.
Like any muscle, the heart needs that constant supply of oxygen and nutrients carried to it by the blood in the coronary arteries, but when the coronary arteries become narrowed or clogged and cannot supply enough blood to the heart, the result is coronary heart disease.
The narrowing is caused by a thickening of the inside walls of the coronary arteries. This thickening, called arteriosclerosis, narrows the space through which blood can flow, decreasing the oxygen and nutrient supply
There are numerous other distinct disorders that relate to heart. These include angina, heart attack, and heart failure, arrhythmias, myocarditis, cardiomyopathy, heart murmurs, rheumatic heart disease, valvular disease, mitral valve prolapse and high blood pressure or hypertension.
With high blood cholesterol, high blood pressure and smoking being the highest contributors to coronary heart disease, diet and lifestyle changes are essential in treating heart problems. Important among them are getting more exercise and giving up smoking. According to complementary practitioners, proper functioning of the heart, also depends on the health and harmonious workings of other organs, such as the liver and kidneys.
Most people are aware that changing their diet to low-cholesterol, low fat, especially saturated fat, helps reduce blood cholesterol, a primary cause of arteriosclerosis. Eating less fat should also help you lose weight, the most effective way to reduce high blood pressure. |
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