Archive for August, 2010
Smoking – Heart Disease
Cigarette smoking can develop a higher risk of several chronic diseases especially the smoking heart disease. It is the major cause of coronary heart disease which can lead to heart attack.
There is 6 major independent risks that can cause coronary heart disease which is obesity, diabetes, physical inactivity, high blood cholesterol, high blood pressure and cigarette smoking.
Cigarette smoking by itself can significantly increases the risk of getting a coronary disease. Adding the other factors, the risk is unimaginable. To make things worse, it also increases the risk of getting reoccurring coronary disease even after bypass surgery.
Cigarette smoking produces a higher relative risk to person that are under the age of 50. Women who smoke and uses oral contraceptives at the same time are at a significantly high risk of getting coronary heart disease compared to those who don’t smoke.
Smoking also decreases the good cholesterol in your body which is also known as HDL. Combined with a family line that have a history of heart disease, the risk are unbearable.
Research have also shown that smoking is an important factor in causing stroke. By inhaling the smoke that is produced by the cigarette, there are several effects that can damage the cerebrovascular system. Diseases such as the peripheral arterial disease and aortic aneurysm are also at a higher risk if you smoke.
So what about cigar or pipe smoking? Although the risk of getting smoking heart disease is less compared to those that are cigarette smokers, the risk of dying from coronary disease and also stroke are still higher compared to normal.
Nowadays there’s lesser scientific research and information on cigar and pipe smoking as there are less people who use this method. The majority of smokers now is among the youths which are cigarette smokers.
Are you a second hand smoker? What this mean is that you often are surrounded by smokers and inhaling the smoke that is emitted by them but you don’t smoke. The link between second hand smoking and the diseases that is caused by it is very well known.
It is connected to cardiovascular-related disability and sometimes death too. Each year,around 30,000 to 70,000 premature deaths out of all the heart and blood vessel disease worldwide is caused by second hand smoke.
If you are smoking now, think about the ones close to you and the harm that you might bring to them. Is it worth the risk? Quit now so that you and the one you care will be free from the smoking heart disease as well as the diseases that are often caused by smoking.
The Health Benefits of Coenzyme Q10
The human body is made up of trillions of cells, each one working around the clock to make the body work in the clockwork way that it does. These trillion cells are essentially fueled by CoQ10 that acts as a catalyst for the manufacturing of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), a unit of energy that ultimately feeds the cells.
As a person ages, their production of natural CoQ10 decreases. This decrease shows in the body as you age as well, you just see the effects and do not know what causes it. With the decrease of your Coenzyme Q10 production you have less energy, your skin begins to wrinkle and your blood pressure can increase.
CoQ10′s main purpose is to fuel the body’s cells, but it also acts as a combatant against cells that are referred to as “free radicals”.
Free radicals are cells that have become unstable within our bodies. In efforts to gain stability, the unstable cells attempt to grab onto the stable cells. Instead of gaining stability by doing this, the cells cause the the other cells to become free radicals as well.
Although this instability of cells sounds like a bouncing child mistakenly pulling another child down with them – the consequences of free radicals in our bodies is vastly different. Many of these free radicals can develop into certain diseases or illnesses.
The effects of Coenzyme Q10 has become the focus of many medical trials that involve medical conditions such as:
- Diabetes
- Heart Disease
- Cardiovascular Illnesses
- Gingivitis
- Cardiac Arrest
- Chest Pain
- Heart Attacks
- High Blood Pressure
- Chronic Migraines
- Obesity
Coenzyme Q10, comes in a supplement version, but it can also be incorporated into your diet; however, to get the levels that a supplement supplies would be difficult. This diet would involve eating plenty of beef muscle, beef heart and eggs which contain plenty of cholesterol and saturated fats. Coenzyme Q10 can also be found in very small quantities such as spinach, a few grains, beans and specific oils.
Angelesheart
Everyone is familiar with the feeling of being under pressure and studies recommend that moderate amounts can be a good thing at times, as it keeps us motivated, makes us more alert, and drives us to perform better. The bad side of the coin is, if we are subjected to pressure too much and too often, it can lead to stress. One of the best natural heart remedies is to learning how to manage stress.
Stress can be detrimental to your heart’s health as it can have a real impact to it. To make matters worse, the methods that most people do to deal with it like smoking, not having time for exercise, and consuming unhealthy foods can adversely affect our health.
If you don’t take the necessary steps to address stress, you will find that it will not only affect just your emotional wellness but your overall heart health. Here are some natural heart remedies and a few tips on how to reduce your stress levels and enjoy life more for a healthy heart:
1. Create a list of all the things that will trigger stress. Is it a traffic jam or a situation at work? Identifying what triggers stress is a great step to managing it. Once you acknowledge your stressors you can takes steps to manage it.
2. Learn some strategies for coping with stress like relaxation techniques, meditation, massage, yoga, or breathing exercises.
3. Set aside a special time to unwind; even for just a few minutes. Use these times wisely to do things that you love such as giving yourself a bath, read a good book or write on a journal. If you go to work everyday, make sure that you really take a break during lunchtime.
4. Exercise regularly. For starters, use gentle exercise techniques like walking, cycling, swimming or jogging. This will not only lift your spirits, it will help you cope better with stressful situations.
5. Try not to multitask all of the time. Learn how to prioritize things and plan ahead instead of procrastinating or doing everything at the last minute.
6. Remember to pause and take a deep breath. Allow yourself to feel relaxed.