$Unique_ID{BRK01954} $Pretitle{} $Title{Health Cures for Heart Attacks} $Subject{Health cure Cures Heart attack Attacks diet diets exercise exercises prevent prevention preventions lifestyle life-style lifestyles life-styles nutrition stress stresses damage damages damaged artery arteries blood muscle muscles fat fats atheromatous plaque plaques cell cells fiber fruit fruits vegetable vegetables obstruction obstructions vessel vessels cardiac rehabilitate rehabilitation factor factors diet diets dieting} $Volume{} $Log{ Atherosclerosis of Arteries*0009301.scf Complications of Atherosclerosis*0009401.scf Exercise has Overall Benefits*0003209.scf Exercise Improves Circulation*0003207.scf Exercise Increases Metabolism*0003205.scf Exercise Lowers Triglycerides and Raises HDL*0003203.scf Exercise Strengthens the Heart*0003202.scf HDL Transports Cholesterol Back to the Liver*0002702.scf Risk Factors of Atherosclerosis*0009302.scf} Copyright (c) 1993 Tribune Media Services, Inc. Health Cures for Heart Attacks ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ QUESTION: I am home now after my first heart attack, a moderate one, my doctor said. My family has presented me with all sorts of book on health, diet, exercise, well you name it and I probably have a copy. It looks like a life's work to get through them all, and before I start, I want know if changing my diet, and some of these other things, have been proven to prevent another attack. Along with my natural anxiety about the future is a skeptical attitude about so called health cures. Please reply. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ANSWER: You are right, it is a "life's work", your life, and trying to learn how to restructure your lifestyle after a heart attack may be a bit overwhelming when you are swamped by all the books you have collected. So let's take it a bit more slowly, and look at a few basics. Don't confuse good nutrition, sensible exercise and removing stress from daily living as being a quack "health cure". Heart attacks result from damage to the arteries that bring nourishing blood flow to the muscles of the heart. When they become clogged by obstacles loaded with fats (atheromatous plaques), blood flow is either cut off or diminished, and the muscles can no longer function, and die from lack of nourishment. No amount of dieting now or exercise is going to bring those muscle cells back to life, but the goal now is to get the maximum out of your remaining heart muscles and to prevent recurrence of the same problems that led to your first attack. Reduce the amounts of fats in your diet, and increasing fiber, fruits and vegetables, and you can reduce the size of those obstructions in your heart's blood vessels. Start a cardiac rehabilitation exercise program and you can get the most from your healed, but scarred, heart. Lose some weight, if need be, and reduce the work load on your body. Reduce the stress factors in your life and get "a load off your mind". I wish I could provide specific proof with absolute affirmation that in your case, all these things work as predicted. No one can do that, but the odds are so much in your favor (as evidenced by literally hundreds of scientific reports), that should you choose not to accept this new challenge, it would be equal to putting your life back on the block. Check with your own physician who knows your story and accept the recommendations that can bring you reasonable expectations that another attack will not occur. ---------------- The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace the counsel and advice of your personal physician. Promptly consulting your doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical problem.