Heart Disease
How to prevent the leading casue of death
Did you know:
Someone in the United States dies every 40 seconds from heart disease("Cholesterol and Heart").
Coronary Heart Disease kills 380,000 people every year("Heart Disease Facts").
Someone has a heart attack every 34 seconds("Heart Disease Facts").
Heart Disease is the #1 killer in the United States("Heart Disease Facts").
How it happens:
While some heart problems and diseases are genetic, most cases are preventable. In fact, only 5% of all the people with heart disease can contribute heart disease to genetics.
Cholesterol is the main culprit of coronary disease. Cholesterol is found in foods such as meat and eggs. Having too much cholesterol in the body causes issues with blocking of arteries and other vital functions in the heart.
The ideal cholesterol level is below 150 mg per day. Unfortunately the average American intakes about 200 mg per day. This is extremely close to 225 mg which is what someone with coronary disease has. It is easy to understand why so many Americans suffer from this disease and why it’s the number one killer in the United States ("Cholesterol and Heart").
How to prevent:
Following a plant-based diet greatly reduces the chances of heart disease. A vegan diet consists of extremely low saturated fat compared to a diet with meat and dairy. A vegan diet also contains essentially no cholesterol. Eliminating animal products from the diet puts you at the lowest risk of having heart disease or heart related issues like high blood pressure.
Exercising also helps heart health, as well as quitting smoking, but the largest factor in reducing heart disease is switching to a plant based lifestyle ("Cholesterol and Heart").