Make Yourself Heart-Attack Proof!!

I was watching television a couple of weeks ago and a documentary came on that really intrigued me. For many of us, myself included heart disease is the leading killer of both men and women, in the United States, and around the world. My family has a history of heart conditions and high blood pressure.

As a newborn, I too fell victim to genetics and was born with a heart condition. I was diagnosed with a heart murmur early on, which is an unusual sound heard between heartbeats. Murmurs sometimes sound like a whooshing or swishing noise and can be harmless or just abnormal. In my case however, it was due to my heart not being fully developed which led to there being a small hole in my heart. As my body developed, the hole eventually closed up and healed, however, for the rest of my life, I would need to be careful when it came to intense activities.

What got me thinking more about this is the recent passing of my grandfather a couple of days ago. For the past year, he has been in and out of hospitals for heart related conditions. As a 40-year old male, I'm not getting younger and the chances of me having complications related to my heart are increasing, especially because of the life I live and the the food I enjoy eating.

What is interesting about the documentary I watched is that it presented information and facts that led me to believe that I could live a heart-attack free life and possibly reverse a lot of the damage that I over the years have allowed happen to my body just by changing the way I eat.

OK, I know there is no such thing as a 100% sure proof way to fight nature, but you can definitely minimize the risks of you having a heart-attack. I also believe that like the planet, our bodies have the ability to heal itself and any ailment if you take care of it.

What should you eat?

This is where the difficult part comes in. As a human being we tend to have urges and cravings. We are constantly driven by temptation and are our overall desires. This is also true about what we eat.

What is recommended is a diet consisting of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and even red wine in moderation. A high intake of plant-based foods provides fiber, vitamins and antioxidants to support general health. The documentary does say to avoid any foods which have a face or which has a mother. This includes meats, poultry, seafood, and even dairy. I do believe however, that omega-3 rich seafood, poultry, and red meat in moderation is fine. After all, everyone needs a break sometimes to indulge.

Foods that should not be eaten are processed foods and anything containing refined sugar or trans fats.

I know what your thinking. Hell No!! and I think the picture above sums it up perfectly. I myself was thinking to myself, "how do i make such a huge lifestyle change?" Being born and growing up in Texas, it is especially difficult for me to say no to meat. It's in my DNA as a Texan. Living here in the Philippines for the past 10 years also makes it very difficult given that many of the local dishes that I enjoy are fried or have some kind of meat or poultry product in it - Fried chicken is everywhere!!

If you look at the facts, cultures which tend to eat more fruits and vegetables and carry on a regular routine of exercise virtually have little or no incidents of heart-related complications.

Below is a Sample Heart Healthy Meal Plan that I found on everydaydiet.org which I intend to follow. Of course I plan to mix it up a bit by including some other organic foods, poultry, meats, and seafood once in a while to keep my sanity. It is all in the mind and as it becomes more routine, I think it will be easier.

Breakfast
4 ounces vegetable or fruit juice
1 slice whole wheat toast with extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon jam
½ cup plain low-fat yogurt
½ cup blueberries
8 ounces water
Coffee or tea

Morning Snack
10-20 almonds or walnuts
8 ounces water or non-caloric beverage

Lunch
Chickpea Pita Pocket
1 medium apple, sliced and drizzled with honey
8 ounces water or non-caloric beverage

Afternoon Snack
10-20 almonds or walnuts
8 ounces water or non-caloric beverage

Dinner
1 jumbo clove Roasted Garlic
½ whole wheat pita loaf with olive oil and herbs
Goat Cheese Stuffed Tomato
Linguine and Mixed Seafood
Fresh vegetable of choice with olive oil
Drunken Apricots
8 ounces water
4-8 ounces red wine or purple grape juice
Coffee or tea

Evening Snack
1 apple or orange
8 ounces water

This may not be for everyone, but because I value the time I have left in my life and because I want to avoid any complications which will take away from that time, I'm willing and excited to try this out. Some people say it's not living, but I tend to look at it as living longer. Longer to be able to enjoy and see what the future holds. Potential savings from future surgery costs as well would be an added benefit.

In the documentary, it was also recommended that everyone undergo a coronary calcium scan and blood tests which would help determine the likelihood of complications and possibly even predict a heart attack way before it even happens. A heart attack can happen in even the most healthiest of people due to the buildup of calcium and plaque in the arteries - something that happens over time.

For those interested in watching the documentary, please see below. It is quite interesting and informative and could change your life.

I am now on day one of my life changing journey. Thanks for reading.