I’ll bet you didn’t know that the very first symptom in 50 percent of heart disease cases is sudden death. You read me right. Half the time, a person dies with no previous warning!
That’s why it is so important to try to prevent or reverse heart disease – the No. 1 disease killer for both men and women - before it strikes a deadly punch!
"Prevention is easier than cure" has been my mantra for decades. Many years ago, after years of practicing "revolving-door medicine" (where I'd treat patients using conventional interventions only to treat them again a few months or years later for the same issues), I realized just how important it is to live a healthy lifestyle.
In a nutshell, living a healthy lifestyle means avoiding and assuaging - through a variety of regular or daily habits - the silent inflammation that can wreak havoc on your arteries and possibly lead to a fatal cardiac event.
Healthy Lifestyle Habits: My Pillars of Health
- As much as possible, make your diet all about anti-inflammatory foods, and avoid foods that cause inflammation, such as sugars and omega 6 oils. More on a healthy diet here.
- Get enough regular exercise. It doesn't have to (and shouldn't) be strenuous - walking is a great way to get yourself moving. Try for about 30 minutes every day.
- Detoxify your body regularly.
- Take targeted nutritional supports. As you likely already know, I especially recommend 4 nutrients I call "the awesome foursome" to keep aging hearts going strong.
- Effectively manage emotional stress (achieves balance of autonomic nervous system activity). Stress can cripple and kill - no doubt about it. Read up here on stress relief techniques like meditation, yoga, deep breathing, and massage.
- Get grounded. Grounding also helps balance the autonomic nervous system.
- You also may want to try alternative or adjunct therapies like acupuncture.
- If you smoke, QUIT now. Here are some tips.
Lifestyle habits all add up - for better or for worse. Every new day is the perfect day to make the best choices you can to support optimal health.