| 1. Break down and TAKE THE TEST: We're referring | | | | help you when you are sick, a general practice |
| to the extremely sensitive C-reactive protein test | | | | physician usually has little knowledge of your genetic |
| (HSCRP). This blood test has been found to be as | | | | history. Visiting a genetic counselor will provide you with |
| effective predicting heart attacks and strokes as a | | | | an important piece of medical information for your |
| standard cholesterol test. The test works by evaluating | | | | regular doctor to review. By discovering your genetic |
| levels of a specific blood protein's, which could indicate | | | | predispositions, you can take the proper steps to |
| that you have inflamed arteries in your heart - the kind | | | | prevent possible issues in the future. |
| that can burst and lead to heart failure. The HSCRP is | | | | 7. Insist on an Ultrasound: One of the reasons so many |
| much more accurate, and since 50% of all heart | | | | people die from heart disease (which causes heart |
| attack victims have normal cholesterol levels, it is an | | | | attacks) is because they never know they have it until |
| absolutely vital test. See your doctor to schedule this | | | | it's too late. How can you improve your heart health if |
| test today! | | | | you don't know your heart is unhealthy? Doctors have |
| 2. Exercise: Focus on the Now: It is no surprise that | | | | developed an innovative procedure known as |
| exercise improves heart health, but most people don't | | | | "electron-beam cat scan" (EBCT), which is a potential |
| realize that your last workout is the best predictor of | | | | solution. Recommended for men 40+, the EBCT |
| your heart health. So, if you haven't exercised in a | | | | provides your doctor with a 3-D ultrasound of your |
| week, you've likely lost a great deal of the benefits | | | | heart and blood vessels. With the ability to show |
| you might have spend months developing! The affects | | | | blockage in its early stages, the EBCT allows you to |
| of exercise grow and diminish rapidly, so constant | | | | catch heart disease with plenty of time to remedy the |
| exercise is the key to maintaining heart health. In | | | | situation. |
| studies comparing those maintaining an exercise | | | | 8. Keep Popping Those Pills: In a recent study of |
| routine to those who used to exercise but stopped, | | | | patients with coronary-artery disease, tking high doses |
| the health rate was significantly higher in those | | | | of cholesterol-reducing statin drugs proved effective. |
| participants sill exercising. Doctors note, however, that it | | | | During the study, 50% of patients underwent |
| is never too late to begin maintaining a healthier | | | | angioplasty, while 50% were treated with the statin rug, |
| lifestyle, so if you haven't been exercising, now is the | | | | atorvastatin. The group who consistently took |
| best time to start. Keeping your heart healthy will add | | | | atorvastatin had fewer heart attacks within the next 18 |
| years to your life. | | | | months. Essentially, the use of this kind of medication is |
| 3. Park Yourself in the Weight Room: While lifting | | | | showing doctors that blood vessels aren't just in need |
| weights increases the size of your muscles, it also | | | | of a good cleaning. Because statins both clean the |
| makes you generally stronger. This, in effect, makes | | | | vessels and increase the size of blood vessels to |
| each task you complete less physically taxing, putting | | | | allow for greater blood flow, they produce greater |
| lower amounts of stress on your heart. Developing a | | | | long-term effects than some traditional procedures. |
| strong set of muscles will prevent your heart from | | | | 9. Ramipril Might be Right for You: As you hear in any |
| becoming fatigued as quickly, and improve your heart | | | | drug commercial, check with your doctor to see if |
| health. | | | | Ramipril might be right for you. Although Ramipril has |
| 4. Break Your Smoking Habit: Although smoking in | | | | been used as a hypertension drug for 30 years, a |
| general is harmful to your body, smoking marijuana | | | | recent study from McMaster University (located in |
| increases the risk of heart attack or heart failure | | | | Ontario) suggests that it actually prevents heart |
| exponentially in the hours after you smoke. So, aside | | | | attacks and strokes. In addition, Ramipril has been |
| from the fact that smoking weed is illegal, your heart | | | | shown to reduce the need for bypass surgery. The |
| will thank you for kicking the habit! | | | | study tested vitamin E and Ramipril against placebos |
| 5. Buy extra-virgin olive oil: It might cost a bit more, but | | | | (with nearly 10,000 patients, 80% of whom had |
| if buying high-end extra-virgin olive oil adds years to | | | | coronary-artery disease). There was no benefit for |
| your life, isn't it worth the price? Extra-virgin olive oil has | | | | those taking vitamin E, but a 25% reduction in death |
| less fat and "bad" cholesterol than even regular olive | | | | rate for those taking Ramipril. Using Ramipril may be |
| oil, so bite the bullet and buy the good stuff. | | | | just what you need to improve heart health, and avoid |
| 6. Visit a Genetic Counselor: While your doctor may | | | | going under the knife. |