Heart Disease 101

There are many myths about heart disease that people believe and do not take their heart health seriously enough. Although it is true that heart disease is more common in adults over the age of 65, around 10% of patients with heart disease are under the age of 45. Lifestyle choices such as smoking or fatty foods affect chances of heart disease. It is extremely important to pay close attention to your heart health. Here are some of the myths:

People with heart disease should avoid exercise: Many people believe that if they have heart problems, exercising will only put an additional strain on their heart, but this is not true. Regular exercise is important to improve heart conditions and blood flow. The chances of exercise triggering a heart attack are very small.

If I take cholesterol medication, I can eat anything I want: Cholesterol medication is meant to help manage cholesterol levels in conjunction with a healthy diet. Cholesterol medication is able to block the increase of cholesterol for a short amount of time in the liver, but fatty foods that are consumed are still able to increase cholesterol levels through blood. Not eating a healthy diet could increase risk of high blood pressure and diabetes along with heart problems.

Heart disease is genetic, so I cannot prevent it: Even though chances of getting heart problems increase through genetics, it is entirely possible to prevent diseases through a healthy lifestyle, which includes a balanced diet, regular exercise, and no smoking.

If I have smoked this long, I do not need to stop now: It is never too late to stop smoking. The longer you smoke, the more your chances of heart diseases increase. Age or the amount of time you have been smoking does not matter. The second you stop smoking, your lungs and heart will start to become healthier and will grow stronger the longer you don’t smoke.

Heart diseases only affect men: This is completely false. Women are also extremely susceptible to heart problems. Although men do tend to develop heart diseases earlier, they are still common in women.

Coughing during a heart attack can save your life: There is no actual scientific evidence that coughing helps save lives, this is a misconception taken from a paper published 40 years ago. Cough CPR is not real.

People with heart problems cannot eat fats: Although it is necessary for people with heart issues to reduce consumption of fatty foods, unsaturated fats like the ones found in fish are required to maintain a healthy diet. Consumption of omega-3 fatty acids (walnuts, flaxseeds, tofu, canola oil) is encouraged. The intake of saturated fats like bacon and butter should be reduced when struggling with heart disease.