Health Basics: Heart Disease

Heart disease is the number one killer of Americans.  One American suffers a heart attack every 25 seconds.  37% of those heart attacks result in death.  Most all Americans know someone who has high cholesterol or who died from a heart attack.  However, what most people do not know is that heart disease is reversible and preventable.  So, this should be a high priority for public health officials, right?  

From April through October of 2009, more than 1,000 people died from the H1N1 swine flu.  Because of this outbreak, President Obama declared a national emergency.  During that same timespan, an estimated 380,000 people died from heart disease.  No national emergency was declared.

So, what can we do to reverse or prevent heart disease?  Eat a low-fat, whole-foods, plant-based diet full of vegetables, fruits, legumes, grains and starches.  Add in some exercise and you're on the road to ending one of America's worst killers.  Then, spread the word.  Our government hasn't made this the priority that it deserves to be, so tell your friends and family.  

Here are some good resources to check out on reversing heart disease:

The Spectrum by Dr. Dean Ornish
Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease by Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn