What are the causes of cardiovascular disease? Is it possible to prevent heart disease? How much control do individuals have over their own health and well-being? While there are uncontrollable risk factors for heart disease, for the most part a healthy, thriving heart and optimal oxygen-rich blood flow is attainable. Learn how to take control by directly addressing the controllable heart disease risk factors.
Fundamental Causes of Cardiovascular Disease
Cardiovascular disease refers to all disorders of the heart and circulatory system, including stroke, heart attacks, and atherosclerosis. Heart disease is fundamentally the same thing as cardiovascular disease, although it refers to problems with the heart and the blood vessels of the heart only. The causes of cardiovascular disease are the same as the causes of heart disease as both the heart and the blood vessels work together as one unit — a problem in one part is a problem to the whole.
The cardiovascular system is responsible for supplying all organs of the body with oxygenated, nutrient-rich blood. When blood vessels become hardened and when plaque builds up along artery walls, the system ceases to run efficiently. Less oxygen-rich blood is flowing to the heart, while at the same time the heart has to work harder to pump this fluid throughout the body.
This strains and potentially damages the heart and weakens circulation. Combined with the strain to the heart from external factors, such as stress, anger, and a poor diet, the heart can become quite vulnerable. Clogged arteries (atherosclerosis) and an overworked heart are the root causes of cardiovascular disease. Those things in life that contribute to these causes are the heart disease risk factors.
The Controllable Heart Disease Risk Factors
Controlling heart disease risk factors is a very effective way to reduce your risk of having a heart attack or stroke. There are several major factors to address, but most of them are related. Making changes to deal with one heart disease risk factor affects other factors as well. Addressing physical inactivity, for example, will also help to address obesity and high cholesterol levels. The following are the controllable risk factors of heart disease:
- smoking cigarettes
- high blood cholesterol
- high blood pressure
- lack of physical activity
- obesity or being overweight
- uncontrolled diabetes
- trouble dealing with stress
- excess alcohol consumption
A simple plan to address these risk factors, thereby working to prevent heart disease, would include eating a heart healthy diet, being physically active, finding an outlet for stress, cutting down or abstaining from alcohol and cigarettes, and managing diabetes with the aid of a health care provider if the disease is present.
A heart healthy diet includes fresh fruit and vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, and nutritional oils. It does not include processed and refined foods and excess amounts of saturated fat. Moderate exercise is as simple as a 30-minute walk five days a week. Stress reduction techniques include walking, running, yoga, meditation, and therapeutic massage.
How to Prevent Heart Disease by Lessening Risk
Cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death in America with 500,000 heart attack fatalities a year, according to the Women's Heart Foundation. Understanding the causes of cardiovascular disease is the first step towards a foundation of heart health. Addressing the controllable heart disease risk factors is the key to prevention.
Is it possible to prevent heart disease? As long as an individual can choose what to consume, how to move (or not move), and how to react, then it is definitely possible to minimize the risk of heart disease and potentially prevent this life-threatening condition altogether.
References:
American Heart Association
Balch, Phyllis A. " Prescription for Nutritional Healing." Fourth Edition (Penguin Books, 2006).
Brenna Coleman - Brenna is a freelance writer focusing on natural health and beauty. She has written hundreds of articles, helping readers find ways to ...
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