First the alarming news. Over one million Americans suffer from heart attacks each year and about one half won't survive. But there is good news because there are ways to stop it from happening.
Although such attacks are fairly common, most people don't really understand the underlying causes. They think it is merely cholesterol building up and clogging arteries until they become obstructed to the point where the lack of oxygen causes the heart to fail. While that is the basic mechanics of what generally happens, the more fundamental issue is how to prevent it from occurring.
To be sure, arteries can be opened. But while such things as stents will aide in opening arteries, they won't necessarily prevent an attack. A better approach is measures to slow the growth of plaque and prevent clots from causing a heart attack.
Unfortunately, there is no magic and most people ignore the fundamentals that work. These include managing your weight, participating in regular exercise--like walking 30 minutes a day, quitting smoking if you do, controlling blood sugar if you are diabetic, and controlling cholesterol and blood pressure--even if you have to take medications.
Studies indicate that about 25 percent of Americans age 50 and older have at least two factors that put them at risk for a heart attack. It's not surprising then that when someone has a heart attack, two or more risk factors probably could have been avoided. Amazingly, only 10 percent of us have all risk factors under control. Imagine, over 90 percent of us don't.
Remember, a 50 year old with no risk factors has only about a 5 percent chance of having a heart attack until age 90.
It's remarkable that, like cancer prevention, we can usually control the factors that put us at risk. Unfortunately, in today's society, too many of us are looking for a magic pill or solution when all that is required is addressing the boring fundamentals. Smoking, being overweight, lack of exercise, and not seeking medical advice if we suffer from high blood sugar or blood pressure are all within our power to address.
In an age where there is a new fad diet of the week and "miracle" supplements being touted almost daily, there is still no substitute for the tried and true. It may be boring, challenging, and downright inconvenient to develop good lifestyle habits, but when you consider that they can save your life, it is well worth it. The investment in time and attention can help you foster the health needed to enjoy a vigorous and vibrant lifestyle.
The best part is that you don't have to be rich to do this. The old adage that money can buy you the best doctors, but not health is as true as the saying that money can buy you a house, but not a home. Invest time, thought, and care into eating and exercising right and taking medications if you need them. The dividend it will pay is priceless.
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