Did you know that diseases of the heart and blood vessels are currently the number one killers of Latino/Hispanic Americans?
Because these diseases affect so many people in this population and because the heart is such an important organ in your body, it is very important that it be kept in good health. Fortunately the things you can do to help keep your heart healthy are the same things you can do to keep the rest of your body healthy.
These include:
âºExercise – Just get out and do something. Go dancing, play with kids, play soccer, go for a walk on the river, or bike instead of drive.
âºEat Healthy – A varied diet low in fat, fried food and sugar can not only help make you healthier, but also boost your immune system and give you more energy. Also, try switching to whole wheat flour or combining baking with frying food or switching to olive oil to cut down on grease.
âºQuit smoking or don’t start – Not only does smoking cause lung problems, but it also causes heart and blood vessel disease. Smokers have up to a 70 percent greater chance of having these problems when compared with non-smokers.
However, when something does go wrong, it’s important to know what can happen and when you need to see a doctor. Some of the more common heart issues facing American’s include: heart attack, heart failure, heart disease, valvular heart disease, and arrhythmias (where the heart does not beat in a regular rhythm). Valvular heart disease and heart failure are both problems where the heart is damaged in some way and unable to pump blood as well as it should be. In valvular heart disease the valves between the chambers of the heart that normally keep blood only going in one direction don’t work properly.
Heart disease is caused by the narrowing of the blood vessels that supply the heart with blood. When these arteries become too narrow or completely blocked, the result is a heart attack. The symptoms of a heart attack include:
•Pain in your chest
•A feeling like “an elephant has sat on your chest”
•A feeling like indigestion or heartburn
•Pale, cold, or sweaty skin
•A feeling of impending doom
•Abnormal heart rate
•Pain, pressure, tightness, or burning spreading to the shoulders, neck, chest or arms
•Anxiety, nervousness, lightheadedness, fainting or nausea
•Shortness of breath, or feeling like you “can’t catch your breath”
If you or anyone you know is experiencing any of these symptoms, it is important that they or you get to the hospital or a doctor right away.
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