Natural Approach to Heart Disease: An Overview
When people talk about a natural approach to
heart disease, it often begins with lifestyle choices. Research shows that people can lower their risk for
heart disease enormously -- by as much as 82 percent -- simply by adopting sensible health habits. And it's never too late to start protecting your heart health. A recent study shows that among people ages 70 to 90, leading a healthy lifestyle reduces the chances of dying from heart disease by nearly two-thirds.
What does it mean to have a "natural approach to heart disease?" Here are the basics: If you eat a nutritious diet, get regular physical activity, maintain a healthy weight, and stop smoking, you will help keep your heart healthy. But adopting just one or two of these "Big Four" habits isn't enough to protect your heart. To keep your heart strong and healthy, it is vital to adopt and practice all four lifestyle habits.
Some people may need to take additional steps to
prevent heart disease or to limit its complications, but in a lot of situations, it can still be done naturally. For example, if you have
diabetes, you also will need to keep your blood sugar levels under control
(see Diabetes Treatment). Eating a nutritious diet, controlling your weight, and getting more physical activity will help you to keep your blood sugar at a healthy level. These steps will also help reduce your chances of developing
high blood pressure or
high cholesterol, which are two other
risk factors for heart disease. Whatever your current health condition or habits, adopting a natural approach to heart disease, in a lot of cases, is still the best weapon in the fight against this condition.
