Heart Disease – Preventable and Reversible

Heart disease isn’t simply an inherited trait. All of us have certain genetic weaknesses, that may be predictors of potential health problems. But even if you havea genetic tendency toward heart disease, recent studies show that youe heart health depends much more on your lifestyle than your genes.

Heart disease accounts for nearly one-third of all deaths in America. Your chance of getting heart disease is higher in America than in any other country in the world. Most Americans over age 35 already have some degree heart disease, whether they know it or not.

Perhaps you have high triglycerides, or high LDL cholesterol, or high blood pressure, or a high degree of inflammation in your body — all of which will fuel heart disease like gasoline on a fire.

You may be taking heart or blood pressure medications, or at least a cholesterol-lowering drug. And you might even know your “total cholesterol number.”

But just knowing your cholesterol number isn’t good enough — because about half of all people who die from heart attacks have cholesterol readings considered to be in the normal range.

Unfortunately, our medical system puts the emphasis on “disease treatment,” not prevention or cures.