Any Other Ways to Help Prevent Heart Attacks Besides Doing Cardio?

[supersaiyanjason]

stay active
eat clean
have sex
hit the gym

 

[spesmilitis]

Start eating buckwheat. It´s a traditional breakfast in Russia (and I hear in China) and it is pretty cheap. It´s not really wheat (the name is misleading), botanically it´s close to rhubarb. Russians eat tons of the stuff. It´s great because
a) it´s gluten free and
b) much more importantly - it contains a fairly high level of rutin (a flavonoid), which is the same stuff as in red wine, that makes it great for your capillary system. It is even used as a cure agains capillary diseases.

Check it out - I think it´s a terrific addition to anybody´s nutrition plan
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buckwheat
especially http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buckwheat#Medicinal_uses

and of course keep close watch of your blood pressure and take appropriate medication, if it is too high.
For some years now, there has been awesome medication on the market (angiotensin II receptor antagonists, ACE inhibitors) that have hardly any side effects at all and are much safer than beta blockers, the med of choice up until some years ago.

Where can I find this buckwheat in America?

Are you from Russia? I heard its not that uncommon for Russians to eat raw eggs. Is that true?

 

[Fuglydude]

- have good parents! Atherosclerosis and vascular diseases that cause thrombosis resulting in heart/brain attacks are now viewed as inflammatory conditions...therefore having good genetics in this department is favorable: basically you want an immune system that is well regulated and isn't predisposed to chronic inflammation at the vascular bed's endothelial lining.

- Don't smoke! This is huge. Huge correlation between smoking and an increased risk of many diseases.

- Take lotsa fish oil! DHA/EPA...i think they're very underrated when it comes to supplements.

- This is a no-brainer: Eat clean/eat frequently.

- Keep your body fat low...this will help you get laid...which is a destressor, which also helps reduce risk of CVD!

haha...so overall...just stay lean/in really good shape!

 

[spesmilitis]

Every modern country in the world have their doctors recommend fish oil to patents with heart problems. Why not in USA? I have a feeling that the pharmaceutical industry is behind that.

 

[Fuglydude]

Every modern country in the world have their doctors recommend fish oil to patents with heart problems. Why not in USA? I have a feeling that the pharmaceutical industry is behind that.

I'm not from the US so I can't really comment...but I'm sure some US docs do recommend it you'd think?

 

[Throttle]

US docs will nod when you tell them you're on it, but they don't tell you 'go take this'... it's not just big pharma, though. it's also fear of lawsuits and all the rest -- until you can point to ironclad evidence linked to mortality, they won't recommend it. that requires double-blind clinical evidence, which requires big money to obtain.

 

[Frank2500]

Re: How are Football Players Able to Stay So Muscular Despite All That Running?

Thanks to spesmilitis and all of you who responded to this post. I used to think vegetable oil was healthier than olive oil...I've been cooking with vegetable oil almost every day. I need to stop that, then. Spesmilitis, you suggested that all cereal should be avoided. Do you think that includes cereals such as oat meals and almonds? I guess my primary concern has been about losing muscle mass via excessive cardio, but man, the risks of not doing the cardio seem to far outweigh the benefits, so I think I'm going to have to get back on the elliptical pretty soon and do the "fat burn" option for my heart rate. I haven't done cardio now in almost three weeks.

But I have another important question and this I would really like to hear what you guys think: How in the world are professional football players in the NFL able to remain so huge and muscular despite all that running, whereas there's no doubt that if you played soccer consistently, you will lose muscle mass almost immediately? What are these football players taking that prevents them from losing muscle mass so effectively? What is the secret?

 

[Fuglydude]

Thanks to spesmilitis and all of you who responded to this post. I used to think vegetable oil was healthier than olive oil...I've been cooking with vegetable oil almost every day. I need to stop that, then. Spesmilitis, you suggested that all cereal should be avoided. Do you think that includes cereals such as oat meals and almonds? I guess my primary concern has been about losing muscle mass via excessive cardio, but man, the risks of not doing the cardio seem to far outweigh the benefits, so I think I'm going to have to get back on the elliptical pretty soon and do the "fat burn" option for my heart rate. I haven't done cardio now in almost three weeks.

But I have another important question and this I would really like to hear what you guys think: How in the world are professional football players in the NFL able to remain so huge and muscular despite all that running, whereas there's no doubt that if you played soccer consistently, you will lose muscle mass almost immediately? What are these football players taking that prevents them from losing muscle mass so effectively? What is the secret?

NFL athletes are freaks. Very few people in the adult male population will be able to get to their level in terms of power generation (speed/strength, etc). Apart from the genetics their training/nutrition is different from that of a soccer player.

Off-season football training programs are very different from the types of programs you'd recommend to a soccer player.

So: Genetics, training programs and diet.

 

[Throttle]

easier answer: running doesn't really eat muscle mass (esp. in the presence of sufficient protein consumption). time to discard this myth once and for all.

 

[spesmilitis]

Almonds isn't a cereal. Oatmeal is good, I suspect instant oatmeal is not.

 

[DJorBUST]

Low-dose aspirin or any type of anti-platelet therapy is only useful for myocardial infarct (read heart attack) prophylaxis with people who have a HIGH-RISK of heart attack in the next 10 years and people who have had a prior heart attack. It should not be used in somebody with mild to moderate risk because it has such a high risk of stomach (GI) bleeding and the potential for intracranial hemorrhage.

low dose asprin.

although this is with the assumption that you have no stomach ulcers/ blood type abnormalities as its a fact that even at a low dose, asprin will effect ur blood clotting.

if you do lots of vigourous contact exercise just beware and be aware.

consult ur GP. in aussie the GP is a free service, i dont know about where u live though.

check out this article: http://www.jr2.ox.ac.uk/bandolier/band86/b86-2.html
its a meta analysis (read analysis of a number of studies) on about >25,000 people and the effects, both positive and negative, of asprin.

 

[DJorBUST]

Every modern country in the world have their doctors recommend fish oil to patents with heart problems. Why not in USA? I have a feeling that the pharmaceutical industry is behind that.

Fish oil failed to show the reductions in the amount of LDL-cholesterol necessary for us to recommend it. It has other benefits and many doctors (mostly primary) might suggest it. If your aim is to prevent a heart attack, you should focus on exercising, eating a balanced diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables, avoiding smoking and drinking and keeping an eye on your blood pressure and cholesterol profile. Also, if you're a diabetic, keep your sugars in check. That'll drop your risk so low that you won't have to worry about tiny incremental gains from things like fish oil.

Here is a 10 year risk calculator based on the massive framingham heart study that will help you estimate your risk based on many of the well-established risk factors for atherosclerotic heart disease:
http://hp2010.nhlbihin.net/atpiii/calculator.asp

Oh, I'm graduating med school in a few more months, that's why I'm familiar with this stuff. Good luck!

 

[spesmilitis]

^^^^^
I'm sure that you will agree that LDL levels are not the only dimension of cardiovascular health.

Even if you are not diabetic, I'd still highly recommend keeping your sugars/refined carbs in check.

It is good enough for Europe, and from the studies they cite in this article, I'm sure its good enough for the US:

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/03/h...953e11bac34784&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

 

[DJorBUST]

I'm not disagreeing with you here. It does have a benefit to heart health, but not in reducing cholesterol or any of the many effects that have been attributed to it. I would definitely recommend it. I would rather people eat fish than take supplements though.

Also, I don't base medical decisions on what's good enough for Europe is good enough for us. I base it on the available research.

^^^^^
I'm sure that you will agree that LDL levels are not the only dimension of cardiovascular health.

Even if you are not diabetic, I'd still highly recommend keeping your sugars/refined carbs in check.

It is good enough for Europe, and from the studies they cite in this article, I'm sure its good enough for the US:

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/03/h...953e11bac34784&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss