8 Warning Signs That Your Heart Doesn’t Work Properly

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention around 610,000 people die of heart-related problems each year in the US alone. Both men and women are afflicted by heart disease due to various reasons that are connected with a certain lifestyle. However, there are many signs and warnings that inform us about heart trouble that we should be more than aware of.


This blog has collected 8 very common heart disease warning signs that you should pay attention to if you notice them. 

1. Pain that spreads to the arm
Many men experience pain in the left arm, while women experience the same pain in either or both arms. Some women have also said that they experienced an unusual elbow pain before having a heart attack. This happens because the pain from your heart travels to your spinal cord where many nerves of your body are connected and your brain gets confused and thinks that your arm is in actual pain when that's not the case.

2. Coughing that won't quit
Coughing may be derived from various issues and it can also be a sign of cardiovascular disease. Persistent coughing that produces a pinkish liquid that contains blood is very common with heart failure. However, coughing is a sub-symptom of a much more serious symptom, which is dyspnea and sudden loss of breath.

3. Extreme and unusual levels of anxiety
Several studies have shown that people that suffer from extreme anxiety from very early in their lives are prone to heart disease. Anxiety can be caused by either a very stressful lifestyle or various disorders including panic disorder and phobic anxiety. Some of the effects of anxiety on your heart include tachycardia, increased blood pressure, and decreased heart rate.


4. Swollen legs, ankles, and feet
When your heart is not pumping well, fluid from your blood vessels leaks into surrounding tissues and your legs and feet are the most common places of affliction simply due to gravity. This is called peripheral edema and many people who have it do not have heart disease. But still, it is a very common symptom amongst heart disease patients and you should pay close attention to it.

5. Lack of appetite and feeling nauseous
Many patients that suffer from heart disease show a lack of appetite and/or nausea even if they've had just a few bites to eat. The reason for that is a build-up of fluid around the liver and the intestines interfering with proper digestion. These symptoms are usually followed by abdominal pain and if you are experiencing all of them together, you should visit your doctor immediately.

6. Skin rashes or unusual spots
2 separate research projects that were performed by The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology and Journal of the American College of Cardiology showed that eczema and shingles are high risk factors of heart disease. Those who had eczema were found to have a 48% possibility of suffering from high blood pressure and a 29% possibility of having high cholesterol. Additionally, those who had shingles were 59% more likely to have a heart attack than people who didn't have this condition.

7. Losing consciousness or fainting
Feeling lightheaded and losing consciousness is very common among heart patients. When the heart is not pumping blood well it is because the blood flow is blocked from a clogged artery or the narrowing of a valve. If you ever feel shortness of breath and you faint for a short period of time, call a doctor immediately and have your heart checked.

9. Your skin becomes paler or takes on a bluish color
This is not one of the most common symptoms, but when it appears, it's due to reduced blood flow, a decreased number of red blood cells, and can be a sign that your heart doesn't pump blood the way it should. Shock is the main reason for this symptom and the paleness can appear in your entire body or in a certain body part, for example a limb. However, if you notice paleness do not panic. Check out whether you are suffering from shock or there is some other issue like anemia.

Bonus:
Remember that prevention is the key to solving any forthcoming issue. Trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle where exercise plays a big part and staying as far away as possible from smoking and drinking excessively will result in a healthy heart.

These symptoms don't necessarily appear on every heart disease patient, but they are some of the most common warning signs of this affliction.


80% Of Heart Attacks Could Be Avoided By Doing These 5 Easy Things

Heart attack is the leading cause of death in the United States. Although a heart attack (or cardiac arrest) may be preceded by the symptoms of heart disease, some victims of heart attack are symptom-less until the day they have their first heart attack.


It’s remarkable that heart attacks are extremely common and they cause so much pain, yet most of them are preventable: read on to find out 5 lifestyle changes that can prevent nearly 80% of heart attacks.

Heart Attack Causes and Signs
According to Mayo clinic, a heart attack occurs when one or more of your coronary arteries become blocked. Over time, a coronary artery can narrow from the buildup of various substances, including cholesterol (atherosclerosis). This condition, known as coronary artery disease, causes most heart attacks.

Another cause of a heart attack is a spasm of a coronary artery that shuts down blood flow to part of the heart muscle. Use of tobacco and of illicit drugs, such as cocaine, can cause a life-threatening spasm. A heart attack can also occur due to a tear in the heart artery (spontaneous coronary artery dissection).

People generally know that a crushing chest pain or sudden shooting pain in the left arm may indicate a heart problem, but many do not know that there are other signs that could mean heart trouble (in addition to the chest pain)

So what can be done to prevent heart disease and keep your heart healthy? Well, the good news is that 79-90% of heart attacks could be avoided with only five simple lifestyle changes.

5 Lifestyle Changes that Could Prevent Nearly 80% of Heart Attacks
A recent research study from Sweden’s Karolinska Institute found that five main factors appeared to contribute to whether or not one may be at risk for heart attack:
  • A healthy diet
  • No smoking
  • Being physical active (walking/bicycling more than 40 min/day and exercising more than 1 hour per week)
  • Healthy waist circumference (<95 cm)
  • Moderate alcohol consumption
This study, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology in September 2014, was a longitudinal research piece—that is, it followed a group of people in one country (Sweden) for a period of 11 years. At the end of the study, those who had engaged in those five specific healthy lifestyle habits, reduced their risk for developing heart disease by 79%.

Another research study from about 10 years previous had similar findings. This research piece took a look at people from more than 50 countries across the world. Published in 2004 in the British journal Lancet, this study showed similar results, but also included factors related to diabetes and psycho-social factors. The research concluded that these factors accounted for 90% of reduced risk for heart attack in men and 94% in women.

It is clear from looking at both new and old research that lifestyle habits play a large role in the potential for developing heart problems, and the risk for a heart attack could potentially be reduced by 79-90% by making a few simple—albeit sometimes challenging—lifestyle changes.

Lifestyle Changes to Boost Heart Health
Both of these studies have shown that our lifestyle choices play a significant role in whether or not we develop heart disease or could be prone to heart attacks.


If you’re wondering whether you could do something to help protect your heart health, here are some options to consider exploring:

Healthy eating
Eating a heart-conscious diet may be one of the most important things you can do to ward off a heart attack.

Eating foods that are high in fiber, low in trans fat, and contain adequate levels of nutrients like vitamins and minerals can help your whole body be healthier—including your heart.

A diet high in fruits and vegetables, lean protein (for vegetarians see these meat free protein sources), healthy fat (such as from nuts, seeds and avocado) and low in processed food can help your heart keep beating for a long time to come.

Limit alcohol consumption
It was found that those who limited alcohol consumption had lower chances of suffering a heart attack (those who drink 10-30 grams per day of alcohol as per this study).

although the American Heart Association is more generous in it’s amounts and recommends to limit your alcohol consumption to no more than two drinks per day for men and no more than one drink per day for women.

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism defines on drink as 1-1/2 fluid ounces (fl oz) of 80-proof spirits (such as bourbon, Scotch, vodka, gin, etc.), 5 fl oz of wine, or 12 fl oz of regular beer).

Too much alcohol can raise your blood pressure and triglyceride levels, and cab also add extra calories, which may cause weight gain.

Ditch the cigarettes
Smoking is a big health no-no, and this extends to heart health.

Cigarette smoking can have a severe negative impact on heart health on top of the lung damage it may cause with COPD and lung cancer.

To protect your heart, quit smoking cigarettes. If you can’t do it “cold turkey,” consider using natural remedies to help you along the path to wellness.

The belly fat factor
Both the aforementioned research studies showed that “abdominal adiposity”—AKA belly fat—was a significant contributor to heart attack risk.

People with visceral fat (fatty organs) often show fat in their abdominal area, manifesting as a “barrel belly.” This abdominal fat that is so dangerous to heart health may feel solid to the touch or soft to the touch, but in either case, could be just as deadly.

So, what’s healthy for the waistline? According to the recent study a waist circumference smaller than 95 cm is ideal.

The key thing here is fat in the internal organs, or viscera, though. Take steps to reduce visceral fat (and belly fat) to ensure a long-lived heart.

Get Physically active
And indeed both studies have found that regular exercise is crucial to maintaining good heart health.

Being a “couch potato” is bad for you, and can contribute to health problems—in particular heart problems.

Your body was designed to be used, and the recent study talks about walking/bicycling more than 40 minutes a day and exercising more than one hour per week. So make sure to regularly exercise. It can make a huge difference for heart-related wellness (and the rest of your body, too!).

According to the National Heart, Blood and Lung institute, everyone should try to participate in moderate-intensity aerobic exercise at least 2 hours and 30 minutes per week, or vigorous aerobic exercise for 1 hour and 15 minutes per week. Aerobic exercise, such as brisk walking, is any exercise in which your heart beats faster and you use more oxygen than usual. The more active you are, the more you will benefit.


Get stress under control
Chronic (long-term) and acute (short-term, but intense) stress can both have an awful effect on your health.

The stress factor is also a factor mentioned by The American Heart Association. The association mentions that a few studies have found a relationship between stress and increased risk for heart disease and stroke.

It was found that some of the ways that people deal with stress is by bad habits such as excessive drinking, smoking or overeating.

Extreme stress or emotionally upsetting event were also found to trigger heart attack.

Learn how to manage stress and relax your mind. You can try stress-reducing activities, such as meditation, yoga, exercising, engaging in a favorite hobby or talking to a close family member or a supportive friend.

Manage diabetes and high blood pressure
The American Heart Association also mentions that at least 68% of people under the age of 65 years of age with diabetes die of some form of heart disease.3

Other risk factors such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol, smoking, obesity, and lack of physical activity can greatly increase a diabetic person’s risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

If you suffer from diabetes, you can control your blood sugar level by eating these foods, spices and herbs as well as consuming apple cider vinegar (ACV) and okra water.

Remember – Your lifestyle choices are your best defense against heart disease and heart attack, and they are also under your responsibility.