In some individuals, high cholesterol levels can be due to genetic disorder. Too much cholesterol in your blood will start building up in the artery walls, causing narrowing of the arteries. This increases your risk of developing heart or brain attack(stroke).

Whatever the cause of your high levels of cholesterol is, it is very important that you make efforts to lower your cholesterol levels by changing your lifestyle:

~ Follow a heart healthy dietary pattern.
~ lose some weight if you are overweight.
~ Be active by doing moderate physical exercises for at least 30 minutes daily.
~ Avoid excessive alcohol consumption.
~ Avoid foods prepared with butter, hydrogenated oil, coconut or palm oil.
~ Avoid white meat fats, chicken skin or processed meats and chicken.
~ Have more servings of dried peas, beans, soy products, oats, whole grains and high-fibre cereals.

If your cholesterol level is too high, your doctor may put you on medication for a short time or for life. If that is the case, you should have your cholesterol levels checked every three months until it is controlled and then every six months.

In normal circumstances, cholesterol is very important as it helps our bodies to function properly. Cholesterol and other fats are also called lipids and each of these has a different function:

=> The High Density Lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL)often called the “good” cholesterol because it helps to remove cholesterol from the artery walls, thereby reducing your risk of heart disease.
=> The Low-Density Lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL) often called “bad” cholesterol because it deposits cholesterol into the artery wall, increasing your risk of heart disease or heart attack.
=> The Triglycerides are the most common form of fat in the body. They act as energy storage tanks of the body. High levels of triglycerides cause many diseases in the body, including heart disease and stroke.

To know your lipid profile, visit you doctor and he or she will perform a fasting blood test. An ideal profiles is as follows:
Total cholesterol(TC) less than 4mmol/L
LDL cholesterol less than 2.5 mmol/L
HDL cholesterol greater than 1mmol/L
TC/HDL ratio less than 4.5
Triglycerides less than 1.7 mmol/L

Individuals who have had heart surgery such as venous coronary bypass grafting(CABG) should maintain their total cholesterol level below 3.5 mmol/L and Low-Density Lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) at less than 2.0 mmol/L.

It is your responsibility to discuss your target cholesterol level with you health provider to reduce risks of heart attack or brain attack(stroke).

To avoid being a victim of heart attack, change your life style and remain health. Develop good eating habits, keep fit and enjoy life.

Be Precocious In Your Actions
Every action that you do today may cause an adverse effect or a good one to your heart. You have to be precocious to keep your actions in such a way that it prevents heart disease and stroke in the future. In a recent survey, Men are more attacked by heart disease than women are, as the latter just pour out their hard feeling by crying or sharing with others that men don’t do. A man keeps all his worries inside his heart and does not let it flow through tears. So, he is more prone to heart attack or stroke.

Common Cause For Heart Disease
The main reason for heart disease is the increase in cholesterol level. When the cholesterol level increases, it may cause a block in blood flow which eventually results in heart attack. It is advised to avoid rich fat foods like butter, but the actual culprit in creating heart attack is food, which is rich in sugar. People, who have excessive weight, are more prone to heart attack. So, a person should mainly take care of the diet to prevent heart attack and stroke.

Proper Diet Avoids Heart Disease & Stroke
Diet is one thing, which a person has to maintain, in order to prevent heart disease and stroke. To prevent heart disease from getting worsening, you need to follow a strict and healthy diet. First of all, realise the major risk factors of heart disease. Fluctuation in blood pressure level, cholesterol level, diabetes, smoking and alcohol consumption may cause heart problems.

Role of Fruits, Fresh Vegetables and Fish
Like the proverb “An apple a day keeps the doctor away”, there are certain things that you have to follow in order to prevent certain diseases. Most important thing is avoid too much of sugar, red meat, fat and too much of salt. Try taking loads of fruits and fresh vegetables. This is the most preferred diet. One more thing, which prevents heart attack, is fish. Adding too much of ordinary oil while cooking can harm your health. So, try cooking with Olive Oil, which has got no harm.

Have Proper Intake of Fiber and Water Intake
We should have a good digestive system to get rid of these diseases. The only possible way is to have proper diet on fiber and water intake. Eight glasses of water is prescribed for a person to be healthy. Natural foods, which are rich in folic acid like spinach, orange juice and leafy vegetables are prescribed by most doctors. Again, you can also opt for natural foods, which are rich in Magnesium like beets, dates and soya beans. To avoid stroke, you can have grains, rye, cooking herbs, turmeric, ginger, shallots, sweet potatoes and tofu.

Never be addicted to tobacco and alcohol, which may surely lead to heart attack and stroke. Control your diet by taking limited amount of salt, sugar and foods with high fat. With such a routine, you’ll notice the difference in a very short period.

Some of these health benefits have the most intrinsic value you cannot imagine. Wu Yi grebe tea in fact is like the major remedy for your long term health. Drinking this tea daily is indeed your health insurance from some serious diseases and conditions. Wu Yi is associated with among other health attributes, fat oxidation. Fat oxidation is a process which is triggered by some chemicals in Wu Yi green tea known as flavonoids. This tea has two major health benefits which have immensely impressed researchers.

Wu Yi helps your body from heart diseases and stroke. Drinking this tea in fact reduces your risk of contracting or falling sick with a heart disease or related ailments. The tea protects you from heart attacks and cancer. This tea is also very beneficial to your body for it offers you immunity from strokes.

Chemicals like flavonoid and polyphenols are associated with great health attributes. Its these polyphenols that prevent cellular damage to the body. This process helps protect the body from possible health problems. The body is well protected from attacks from conditions like heart diseases, cancer and strokes. Here are quite a lot of health benefits from drinking the Wu Yi green tea. It is advisable to take the tea as a supplement everyday. Several cups a day would gradually transform your life into a long and very healthy one. You will be free of major health problems by taking this product.

Possible Reasons for Ongoing Chest Pains
Chest pains are often, but not always heart related. The nerves flowing from the spinal column can echo pain, making us think one part of the body hurts when the problem is actually in another part. Once we are convinced that chest pains relate to the heart, it can be difficult to find the true source of the problem. Physicians are frequently faced with this dilemma. The chest pain is not “all in your head”. It is real pain. It may not relate to the heart, however, no matter how much your head tells you it does.

We do not have space here to list every cause of chest pain, but we can give examples. Assuming you have already undergone physical examination for your chest pains, consider the following. You will want to discuss your chest pain with a qualified, licensed physician.

* Anxiety: Chest pains often are caused by anxiety. Your body responds to stressors by preparing for fight or flight. However, you do neither. Instead, you continue the anxious state of preparation. Your body continues to pour forth chemicals to help you fight or flee. This process can trigger ongoing chest pain. If this is true in your case, the ongoing chest pain is not a sign of heart failure. It is your body’s warning that you need to reduce anxiety.

* Angina pectoris: Chest pains may indicate blocked arteries. Do you get the chest pains when you engage in physical activities, try to handle emotional stress, or endure extreme temperatures? Do the chest pains feel like pressure under the breastbone? If so, ask your doctor to check for angina.

* Costochondritis: This cause of chest pains is really an inflammation of the joints in your chest. Inflammation where ribs and breastbone connect may cause chest pain along the edges of your breastbone. Your pain may get worse when you cough or take a deep breath. An anti-inflammatory medicine or heat may relieve the pain. This problem usually goes away on its own. Ask your doctor about it.

* Periconditis: Chest pains may also be caused by another type of inflammation – inflammation of the heart lining.

* Musculoskeletal: Ongoing chest pain may be a matter of muscle strain. Perhaps you twisted or lifted in such a way as to pull a chest muscle. This type of ongoing chest pain hurts when you touch the chest.

* Gall Bladder: A gall bladder attack can cause excruciating chest pain. This can stop and start many times. It is related to eating, however, and not to the heart.

* Acid reflux: A common cause of ongoing chest pain is acid reflux, GERD, or heartburn. This feels like the heart is in pain. It can come and go frequently. Ask your doctor if your ongoing chest pain may be related to your digestive system.

Make the Connection
Is your ongoing chest pain a sign of heart failure? It might be – if you have other symptoms of heart failure. Do you have trouble breathing? Do you become uncomfortable when lying flat because you feel short of breath? Are your legs and arms swollen with excess fluid? Have you gained weight from water retention? Do you feel like you have indigestion, and you would rather not eat because of it?

With your ongoing chest pain, do you feel tired, weak, and not able to do the physical things you usually do? Are you restless and confused? Does it seem that your attention span has grown shorter and your memory is failing?

These are some, but not all, of the symptoms that accompany chest pain if you are experiencing heart failure.

Helpful Tip
Your doctor will probably be able to make a tentative diagnosis of heart failure if you have swelling and are short of breath. He or she will listen to your chest, tap the chest, and even take a chest X-ray. If your doctor suspects heart failure, other tests will be ordered.

Many therapies can help ease your heart’s workload. If your chest pains are caused by heart failure, your physician can help.

CAUTION: The information presented here is for general educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for medical advice. You should not rely on this information to make health decisions. Consult your family doctor about your personal condition.

Heart failure is a very common condition. About five million people in the United States have heart failure, and it results in about 300,000 deaths each year. Heart failure is caused by various other conditions, such as heart disease, and is most common in those over 65. Heart failure can either be acute (suddenly starts) or chronic (long-term). In chronic heart failure, the main symptom is breathlessness, which may occur during mild physical activity or even when at rest. Other symptoms of chronic heart failure include tiredness and the build up of fluid in the tissues (oedema), particularly the lungs. The ankles swell and the liver becomes enlarged. In severe cases a large amount of fluid builds up within the tummy. Acute heart failure occurs when the heart suddenly stops working properly.

Heart failure treatment includes medicines, and heart transplantation. Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors drugs help people with heart failure live longer and feel better. ACE inhibitors also gruff some of the effects of hormones that promote salt and water retention. ACE inhibitors can cause an irritating cough in some people. AIIRA work in a similar way to ACE inhibitors but tend to be used in people who have side effects from ACE inhibitors Digoxin (Lanoxin) also referred to as digitalis, increases the strength of your heart muscle contractions. Digoxin reduces heart failure symptoms and improves your ability to live with the condition.
Heart pumps mechanical devices, called left ventricular assist devices (LVADs), are implanted into the abdomen and attached to a weakened heart to help it pump.

Heart Failure Treatment and Prevention Tips :

1. Don’t smoke.
2. Stay active.
3. Limit salt and sodium intake.
4. Lose weight if you are overweight.
5. Get enough rest, including after exercise, eating, or other activities.
6. Don’t cook with salt or add salt to what you are eating.
7. Avoid foods that are naturally high in sodium, like anchovies, meats etc.
8. Use oil and vinegar, rather than bottled dressings, on salads.
9. Eat fresh fruit or sorbet when having dessert.
10 Beta-blockers is particularly useful for those with a history of coronary artery disease

Heart failure may result from disorders that cause the heart’s walls to stiffen, such as infiltrations and infections. Heart failure due to systolic dysfunction usually develops because the heart cannot contract normally. Heart failure has two main forms: systolic dysfunction (which is more common) and diastolic dysfunction. In systolic dysfunction, the heart contracts less forcefully and cannot pump out as much of the blood that is returned to it as it normally does. Heart valve disorders—narrowing (stenosis) of a valve, which hinders blood flow through the heart, or leakage of blood backward (regurgitation) through a valve—can cause heart failure. Some heart valve disorders, such as aortic valve stenosis, hinder blood flow out of the heart. Other causes may include diseases of the heart valves and weakened heart muscle due to viral infections or their poisonous products (called toxins). Individuals with heart failure are sensitive to small shifts in their intravascular volume status (the amount of fluid in their circulatory system). Often left heart failure leads to right heart failure and then both sides are affected.

Left-sided heart failure leads to fluid accumulation in the lungs, which causes shortness of breath. Heart failure is a major cause of sudden death due to production of arrhythmias. Persons with diabetes have a much greater risk of developing heart failure than those without because diabetes is associated with other heart failure risk factors such as high blood pressure, obesity and high cholesterol levels. Weight reduction – through physical activity and dietary modification, as obesity is a risk factor for heart failure and ventricular hypertrophy. Fluid restriction – patients with CHF have a diminished ability to excrete free water load. Sodium restriction – excessive sodium intake may precipitate or exacerbate heart failure. Moderate physical activity, when symptoms are mild or moderate; or bed rest when symptoms are severe. Another current treatment involves the use of left ventricular assist devices (LVADs). Smoking and drinking alcohol can worsen heart failure and should be stopped. Exercise, weight loss, and stopping smoking help reduce the risk of coronary artery disease, as do good control of diabetes and lowering of cholesterol levels.

Treatment for Heart Failure Tips :
1. Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors drugs help people with heart failure live longer and feel better.
2. Diuretics are often called “water pills” because they make you urinate more often and help keep fluid from building up in your body.
3. Diuretics, or water tablets, which work on the kidneys to remove the extra fluid and salt from the body and lower blood pressure.
4. ACE (angiotensin converting enzyme) inhibitors, which lower blood pressure and help the heart to pump more easily.
5. Digoxin helps the heart by making it beat more strongly and pump more blood.
6. Nitrates help with shortness of breath because they reduce the blood pressure in the lungs by widening (dilating) blood vessels and allow the heart to work more efficiently.
7.Warfarin stops blood clots from forming and Aspirin also stops blood clots from forming.

What causes heart failure?
Heart failure has many different causes. Sometimes the exact cause can’t be found. The most common causes of heart failure are listed below:

Coronary artery disease (narrowing of the blood vessels to the heart)
Problems with the heart muscle itself (known as cardiomyopathy)
High blood pressure (also known as hypertension)

Any disorder that directly affects the heart can lead to heart failure, as can some disorders that indirectly affect the heart. Some disorders cause heart failure quickly; others do so only after many years. Some disorders cause systolic dysfunction, others cause diastolic dysfunction, and some disorders, such as high blood pressure and some heart valve disorders, can cause both types of dysfunction.

Symptoms of Heart Failure
Many symptoms of heart failure result from the congestion that develops as fluid backs up into the lungs and leaks into the tissues. Other symptoms result from inadequate delivery of oxygen-rich blood to the body’s tissues. Since heart failure can progress rapidly, it is essential to consult a doctor immediately if any of the following symptoms are detected.

Heart failure on the left
Heart failure on the left side can also make you breathless. This can happen at any time but often happens when you are active or laying in bed. During the night you may feel the need to sit up in bed or even to get some fresh air.

Blood “backs up” in the pulmonary veins (the vessels that return blood from the lungs to the heart) because the heart can’t keep up with the supply. This causes fluid to leak into the lungs.

To make matters worse, any or several of these conditions may coexist along with congestive heart failure.

Heart Failure Treatment
If you have heart failure, your doctor will monitor you closely. This means having follow up appointments at least every 3 to 6 months, figuring out any underlying cause and treating it, and periodic testing of your heart function. For example, an ultrasound of your heart, called an echocardiogram, will be done once in awhile to give an estimate of how well your heart is pumping blood with each stroke or beat.

Lifestyle Changes
These modifications often improve or control some of the factors contributing to heart failure. For example, people with heart failure will see an improvement if they:

Modify daily activities and get enough rest to avoid stressing the heart.
Eat a heart-healthy diet that is low in sodium and fat.
Don’t smoke and avoid exposure to second-hand smoke.

Angiotensin II (A-II) receptor blockers (ARBs). These drugs, which include losartan (Cozaar) and valsartan (Diovan), have many of the beneficial effects of ACE inhibitors, but they don’t cause a persistent cough. They may be an alternative for people who can’t tolerate ACE inhibitors.

Culprits behind this include narrowed arteries, scar tissue, high blood pressure, heart valve disease, cardiomyopathy (disease of the heart muscle itself), congenital heart defects, infection of the valves (endocarditis), infection of the heart (myocarditis), or a combination of factors.

Coronary Artery Disease is the leading cause of heart failure today. CAD is a manifestation of atherosclerosis, which results from smoking, high cholesterol, hypertension (high blood pressure) and diabetes. Sometimes a viral infection, exposure to toxins like lead or alcohol, or genetics can cause a disease in the actual heart muscle, also known as cardiomyopathy. Diabetes, high salt intake, sustained rapid heart rhythms, alcoholism and marked obesity can all be contributors to chronic failure of the heart.

To check if you may have heart health problems, your general practitioner can run several tests to be sure. Many people avoid getting tested in advance because they fear invasive pokes and prods, but most of these screening tests are very non-invasive. For instance, one test, which is a “stress test,” has you walking on a treadmill for a specific interval of time through several intensity levels, while an IV-injected tracer moves through the blood, indicating possible obstructions or strain.

Another test, the EKG, simply monitors your heart rhythms through electrical wires with adhesive ends stuck to your chest, arms and legs. An “Echocardiogram” is simply an ultrasound image taken of your chest, which is as painless as a photograph.

Most people are familiar with the usual hypertension/blood pressure test done with a cuff around your bicep. The most invasive test, which is recommended for people with a genetic predisposition, is the “Catheriterization,” which is a small tube inserted into the artery, which may open an obstruction or insert dye to see where the problem spots are.

If you’ve been diagnosed with heart failure, then you’ll need to adjust your diet considerably. An overwhelming amount of evidence suggests the importance of Omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in fish oil supplements. Dr. James O’Keefe of the Mid America Heart Institute in Kansas recommends at least 1 gram of fish oil per day and as much as 4 grams for people with high triglyceride levels.

“Research shows that this dosage lowers triglyceride levels by 20 to 50 percent,” he explains. In addition, you’ll be trading in eggs for oatmeal, red meat for fish and hummus instead of chip dip.

Since hawthorn is such a potent herb, check with your doctor before you begin taking it. It may interfere with some high blood pressure medications and could be dangerous to those with low blood pressure.

Feel better with willow bark. The herb willow bark contains a compound, salicin, that’s the chemical forerunner of aspirin. Like aspirin, willow bark can help prevent the blood clotting that leads to heart attack and stroke. If the latest research is any indication, the herb may also benefit people with CHF.

If you’d like to try willow bark, take it as a tea, suggests James A. Duke, Ph.D. Simmer 1 teaspoon of the powdered herb in 1 cup of boiling water for 10 minutes, then strain. Drink two to three cupfuls daily.

Social Support
Find someone to lean on. People with CHF who get emotional support from others are much more likely to manage their symptoms effectively. Harland Krumholz, M.D., associate professor of medicine at Yale University School of Medicine, analyzed the medical records of 292 elderly women who had developed heart failure. He found that compared with those who received the most emotional support, the women who felt socially isolated were eight times more likely to complain of CHF symptoms.

To find a CHF support group in your area, ask your doctor or contact your local office of the American Heart Association.

Home Remedies
Lose those extra pounds. Being over­weight raises your blood pressure and makes your heart work harder to move blood through all the extra tissue. Losing weight, on the other hand, lowers your blood pressure and gives your tired heart a break.

Research shows that the combination of weight control and sodium restriction can make an even bigger difference in your blood pressure and, therefore, in CHF symptoms.

The pumping of the heart is initiated by electric signals from the atrium called the Sino-atrial Node. This will cause the heart to contract and beat. The normal heart beat ranges from 60 to 100 beats per minute and faster for children. A few types of irregularities are as follows:

• Bradycardia – this is the slow rhythm of the heart. This can be caused by the impaired signal being provided by the SA Node. This can also be induced by deep meditation putting body in a state of absolute rest.

• Tachycardia – when the heart beats faster than a hundred beats per minute it is termed tachycardia. Also caused by an irregularity on the electric signal recvd by the heart. This can also signal cardiac distress.

• Automaticity – the parts of the heart that maintain the regular beating of the heart comes from special parts in the heart. These are the SA Node, AV Node, Bundle of HIS and Purkinje fibers. But it does not mean that these are the only source of electrical signal. Once in a while a cell in the heart would fire up an electronic signal that can cause irregularity in the heart.

• Re-entry – this happens when an electronic signal does not get passed to the next point. It goes in a tight circle and this causes the abnormality.

• Fibrillation – when re-entry happens in a particular area of the heart and this happens over and over. There would be a chaotic signal given to certain parts and can be dangerous at times.

Most arrhythmias are not life threatening and can be ignored. But some can be signs of a more serious problem and needs to be acted upon. Several drugs are available to remedy this condition but they have to be properly calibrated for the specific condition a patient is experiencing. Several herbal remedies have claimed to help with the treatment of heart Arrhythmias.

• Fish oils – the omega 3 have been proven beneficial as treatments to mild cases. The fish oils help stabilize cardiac cell membranes thus helping in the regulation of heart signals.

• Flax seed oil – this also contains omega 3 fatty acids

• Magnesium – records have shown the use of this for Arrhythmias

• Circulate capsules – this regulates the circulation and heart function

• Reishi Mushroom – studies in Japan showed that this helps maintain heart function

• Zell Oxygen – containing CoQ10 which previous studies have shown to help with the treatments of heart problems.

Although there are available natural treatments it is still best to consult a specialist and take medications tested and proven to work.