Top 5 Ways to Lower Your Risk of Heart Disease

1. FOLLOW A HEART HEALTHY DIET 
Following a few simple rules as laid out in our Healthy Heart Diet section can significantly decrease your chances of developing heart disease. A brief summary follows:

A. Limit intake of trans fats and hydrogenated oils found in margarine, fast food, fried food, etc.

B. Limit refined sugar intake from cakes, cookies, candy, etc.

C. Use extra virgin olive oil and garlic in cooking - they can lower cholesterol

D. Add Omega 3 Fatty Acids to your diet - the best source is Fish Oil


2. EXERCISE REGULARLY
Developing a steady exercise program as described in our Exercise for Healthy Heart section can also lower your risk of heart disease. A few quick tips:

A. Try to exercise 3-4 times per week, for at least a half hour at a time.

B. Keep your routine going, and start off slow.

C. Always stretch before and after training.

D. Keep yourself hydrated and rest between sets.


3. LEAD A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE
In addition to following a healthy diet and exercise regimen, you should also try to do the following:

A. Stop smoking and avoid second hand smoke - both are major causes of heart disease.

B. Limit your intake of alcohol - excessive alcohol can deplete your body's supply of vitamins and other nutrients.

C. Try to reduce stress and anxiety - they can lead to high blood pressure and other health conditions.

D. Keep your weight within recommended limits - obesity is a leading cause of heart disease.

4. KEEP TABS ON THE (4) BLOOD INDICATORS OF DEVELOPING HEART DISEASE
Make sure you get tested for increased cholesterol, triglycerides(fat), homocysteine and C Reactive Protein levels, and follow the protocols if any one of these indicators is elevated:

A. If your cholesterol is high, you can lower cholesterol naturally with policosanol, guggulipid and other herbal extracts as well as Fish Oil. Remember, only 20% of your cholesterol comes from what you eat, the other 80% is manufactured by your liver. Read more about lowering cholesterol .

B. If your triglyceride (fat) levels are too high, lower your carbohydrate and sugar intake. Also, fish oil, Vitamin C, guggulipid and green tea are safe natural ways to lower triglyceride levels. Read more about lowering triglycerides .

C. If your homocysteine levels are high, you can easily normalize the situation by including B Vitamins in your diet, particularly Folic Acid, Vitamin B6 and Vitamin B12. Read more about lowering homocysteine .

D. If your C Reactive Protein levels are high, this indicates inflammation in the blood. Fish oil, ginger and MSM will help decrease inflammation naturally. Read more about lowering C Reactive Protein .

Introduction to healthy heart guide

Why do you need to keep a healthy heart?

Heart disease is the #1 cause of death in men and women, greater than the next five causes of death combined!

According to the latest estimates by the American Heart Association, over 64 million Americans have one or more forms of cardiovascular disease (CVD).

Fortunately, there are ways to significantly lower your chances of developing heart disease and reverse the effects of a current heart condition you may or may not be aware of. Lower cholesterol, triglycerides, homocysteine and CRP levels are a start to promoting healthy hearts.

At Healthy Heart Guide, our mission is to educate you about taking care of your heart, as well as the rest of your body. With a few lifestyle changes along with a heart healthy diet and exercise regimen, you can maintain a healthy heart for life!

You can do a lot to influence your risk of heart disease, and it's never too late to start promoting a healthy heart.

Learn about the four leading indicators of heart disease, and how you can lower your blood levels of all of them.

Also, learn about how a heart healthy diet and exercise can significantly reduce your chances of a heart-related condition.

Finally, find out about specific nutrients that can strengthen your heart and promote cardiovascular health, how to lower cholesterol, lower triglycerides, reducing homocysteine and other healthy heart techniques.

Protein Discovered that Could Help Memory

Ummm, what was I going to write?  Oh ya!  The hunt for a substance that can improve memory took a promising turn, as researchers said they had found a method that appears to reduce forgetting in rats, The Wall Street Journal reported.

According to a study published in the journal Nature, scientists from Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York showed for the first time that a molecule that occurs naturally in the human brain during memory formation appeared to help rats enhance the strength and duration of some types of memories.

Researchers said that when the substance — known as IGF-II, a protein-like molecule important for cell growth and development as well as tissue repair — was blocked from the brain, the rats did not remember what they had learned.

The findings are notable in part because they showed improvement in an area of memory known as declarative memory — the ability to remember places, facts and things. Declarative memory is affected in Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia, and researchers have long sought ways to improve or preserve it.

It is too early to say whether IGF-II will be useful in humans, but the substance may hold more promise than molecules that have been studied up to now, according to Elizabeth Phelps, a cognitive neuroscience at New York University who studies human learning and memory. Phelps, who was not involved in the study, called the Nature research “rigorous” and thoroughly conducted.

One advantage of IGF-II is that it can cross the blood-brain barrier, so it could potentially be administered through the bloodstream or as a vapor through the nose, rather than injected directly into the brain. And because it exists in the body already, it is unlikely to be toxic. It is something new every day but I think this is worth a try!