Archive for the ‘Heart’ Category

Five Steps to Prevent Heart Disease

Thursday, September 7th, 2006

Are you steadily gaining weight as you eat more than you can burn off? On top of that, do you hate exercise and feel stress at work? If your answer is yes to either question, your risk of getting heart disease is two to four times higher than a normal healthy person. For the sake of your heart and well being, you need to take action quickly to reduce the risk.

Here are five steps that you can take to reduce your risk of heart attack or stroke.

1. Assess your risk level. If you have a family member with cardiovascular risk, your risk of getting heart disease will be higher. If you are a diabetic, your risk is also higher as high blood sugar levels are frequently associated with narrowing of blood vessels. If you are 40 or older, your risk will also increase considerably. The same goes for smokers. A cigarette a day has a dramatic reduction in your cardiovascular health in the long run.

2. Make positive changes to your diet. Your diet has a huge impact on your cardiovascular health. Limit your intake of foods with high calories or high sugar content. Reduce your intake of salt to less than six grams a day. At the same time, you should consume a variety of whole grain products, vegetables and fruits. You should also drink more water to flush toxins from your body.

3. Start an exercise program. If your lifestyle is primarily sedentary, your cardiovascular health is unlikely to be in optimum. You should engage in some form of physical activity for at least 30 minutes three to four times a week. Activities such as brisk walking, slow jogging, cycling and inline skating are very beneficial to your heart. Swimming is another excellent choice as it is a low impact exercise that works on your whole body and can do wonders for your heart.

4. Develop healthy stress relief habits. Stress is a major contributor to heart disease as it increases your blood pressure. There are many people who are stressed out without realizing it. Take time off each day to engage in activities that relax your mind and body. This can be listening to classical music, yoga workout or meditation. In fact, it can be as simple as reading a book you love. It is advisable to engage in stress relief activities on a daily basis.

5. Take note of these warning symptoms. The burning sensation in your chest may be an indication of an impending heart attack. Other symptoms include shortness of breath, tightness in the neck, jaw and chest area. Consult a doctor before these symptoms get worse.

Heart disease is a major cause of death in many developed countries. You can help to reduce the risk by following a healthy diet and regular exercise routine. Learning more about the various heart disease symptoms and other prevention methods can also help you to win the battle against heart diseases.

Brad Bahr is the editor of many health related websites and publications. He has been testing and reviewing nutritional supplements for over 20 years. After trying hundreds of products, he recommends one supplement above all others for renewing health and energy: http://www.hgh-facts.com

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Heart Attack Cost - Can You Afford It?

Saturday, July 22nd, 2006

By Brad Bahr

With the rising cost of medical services, is it any wonder that
heart attack cost is a big winner for those medical services that
work in this area. But guess who the big loser is in this heart
attack cost ball game? You got it… the heart attack victim.

Even with new medical procedures and breakthroughs in the
treatment and repair of a heart problem, heart attack cost has
skyrocketed beyond your wildest dreams. The cost associated with
a heart attack is not common knowledge, and until you enter the
game and get up close and personal, will you learn this is one
game you should have avoided.

Your first heart attack cost, most likely will be, general
ambulance service. Figure on at least $800-$1500 or more
depending on your location.

Your second heart attack cost will be ambulance medical support,
figure on an additional $100+.

Your third heart attack cost will be emergency room general
services at your local hospital. Figure on at least $750, then
professional fees for emergency room, another $250 or so. Then
tack on miscellaneous supplies, $500 for laboratory tests, about
$300 for EKG, plus X-ray drugs etc - for a grand total so far of
about $2500 for your emergency room visit.

Your fourth major heart attack cost will most likely be your stay
in the ICU of your local hospital, until they figure out what to
do with you. Figure on a day at a cost of about $850.

Now that you have the basic heart attack cost out of the way,
unless you live within reach of a major medical facility with a
heart specialist on staff, you are going to get a ride in a plane
or helicopter. Figure on an additional $5000-$6000 for this
opportunity.

Now we are getting to the real meat of our heart attack cost.
You have already spent about $10,000 or so getting to this point.
The next heart attack cost will make that seem like pocket
change!

You can figure on about $22,000-$25,000 for your stay in the
heart medical center, while they discover your heart problem and
try to repair your heart damage. And this does not include the
surgeons cost, which can add additional thousands to your overall
heart attack cost. So now your heart attack cost is over
$40,000. If everything goes well and your heart problem can be
corrected by Coronary Angioplasty, you are left with one
remaining heart attack cost, the chemical or treadmill stress
test. This could add as much as $5,000 more to your already
growing bill.

Your minimum heart attack cost for this overall experience will
be about $45,000-$50,000! If the Coronary Angioplasty procedure
cannot repair your damage and open heart surgery is needed, your
heart attack cost could more than double.

By choosing foods with lower fat and cholesterol content,
quitting smoking… if you do smoke, keeping your blood pressure
under control, and exercising regularly, you may avoid this
dangerous and costly experience… and eliminate heart attack
cost for good.

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Brad Bahr is the editor of many health related websites and publications.
He has been testing and reviewing nutritional supplements for over 20 years.
After trying hundreds of products, he recommends one supplement
above all others for renewing health and energy: http://www.hgh-facts.com
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Popularity: 3%