(Guide to a Healthy Lifestyle)

Week of May 17, 2009

Table of Contents

* A Healthy Lifestyle Guards Against Coronary Heart Disease *

All medical authorities are on board with the knowledge that a healthy lifestyle is the answer to chronic diseases such as cancer and coronary heart disease (CHD.) Even mainstream medicine agrees with alternative medicine on this point. This is what the American Heart Association has posted on its website: ...there's a lack of commitment by Americans to follow a heart-healthy lifestyle. And although the AHA is certainly part of mainstream medicine, the AHA concurs with what natural health advocates have been saying for decades on another point...

The AHA backs that up by saying, "Your lifestyle is not only your best defense against heart disease and stroke, it's also your responsibility."

There is nothing like having concrete, authoritative evidence to prove a point. Studies in Iceland has given us just such scientific evidence on the benefits of a healthy lifestyle in regards to coronary heart disease.

Coronary heart disease has been on a steady decline in Iceland between 1981 and 2006. In the twenty-five years, CHD has decreased an amazing 80 percent in Icelandic men and women between the ages of 25 and 74.

The Icelandic Heart Association together with the University of Iceland has found out the reason why. The general population adopted a healthy lifestyle. The greater part of the reduction in cardiac mortality, a whopping 75 percent, was attributable to a lessening of the risk factors leading to CHD. These risk factors are total serum cholesterol, smoking, and blood pressure.

The men and women of Iceland adopted exercise and healthy eating habits. In addition, they eliminated smoking.

Researchers from the University of Iceland and the Icelandic Heart Association applied a validated CHD analysis called the IMPACT mortality model to analyze official Icelandic death statistics, national quality registers, published trials and meta-analyses, clinical audits and a series of national population surveys. The startling findings of this extensive research was presented at the EuroPRevent 2009 meeting in Barcelona, Spain.

Says Dr. Aspelund of these medical results, "Approximately three-quarters of the large coronary heart disease mortality decrease in Iceland between 1981 and 2006 was attributable to reductions in major cardiovascular risk factors in the population. These were mainly in total serum cholesterol, smoking and blood pressure levels...The findings emphasize the value of a comprehensive strategy that promotes tobacco control and a healthier diet."

Similar results have been obtained in the United States among individuals applying a healthy lifestyle. When the major coronary heart disease risk factors of smoking, blood pressure, and cholesterol improve, deaths are reduced.

The Icelandic study proves that coronary heart disease can be almost eradicated. All it takes is a sincere commitment on the part of individuals. A healthy lifestyle is easy to embrace but it does take 'discipline.' Discipline will make exercise a daily routine. It will also condition you to make healthier food choices. The American Heart Association says that heart disease is virtually avoidable by applying your A-B-Cs:

Embracing a healthy lifestyle will not only greatly reduce the risk of developing coronary heart disease, but cancer too. Cancer is the number one killer of Americans under the age of 85 while heart disease is the number two killer. While the road eventually leads to death for many Americans between these two diseases, traveling it is also costly in financial terms.

Without health insurance, the financial expense for medical treatment and pharmaceutical drugs is prohibitive. But even with health insurance, the prescription drug co-pays can be daunting.

Coronary heart disease, cancer, and many other chronic illnesses can adversely affect your quality of life. And then there's lost time from work through unavoidable absences. By making prevention your number one priority, can avoid this. As the Iceland study clearly demonstrates, a healthy lifestyle can stop you from developing coronary heart disease.