Heart disease may well be the single, greatest killer of human beings on this planet today. According to the American Heart Association, cardiovascular disease (CVD) has been the leading cause of death in the U.S. every year since 1918 (more than 2,600 Americans alone die of CVD each day), amounting to more than 40 percent of all deaths in this country annually. Look very carefully at our humble little graphic: this is the organ in your body that keeps you alive. It should be the most important object of your affection, and it would be in your best interest to learn how to be good to it. Your life depends upon it.

      Heart disease is a collective term that is inclusive of many heart related disorders but, for the greatest number of people, generally refers to coronary heart disease. It is characterized by the narrowing of the coronary arteries through which the heart pumps blood to the various parts of the body. Tens of millions of people suffer this form of heart disease throughout the world, over 7 million of whom are in the U.S. alone.
      In the U.S., the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), administered by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), has prepared a number of public documents that summarize important facts about the most common forms of heart disease.

• Hypertension
• Coronary heart disease
• Angina pectoris
• Arrhythmia
• Cardiomyopathy
• Heart failure
• Congestive heart failure

      If you are a smoker, do not get adequate physical exercise, are overweight, have high cholesterol, or are diabetic, you are at considerably higher risk for heart disease than individuals whose lifestyles and physical condition do not reflect these attributes. Just how much risk do these traits represent? Statistics compiled by the American Heart Association from various organizations and Federal agencies are very sobering:

• Approx. 1 in 5 coronary heart disease (CHD) related deaths are attributable to smoking (Amer Heart Assoc)
• 1 year after quitting, the risk of CHD decreases by 50%; within 15 years risk of CHD is similar to that of a nonsmoker (World Health Organization)
• The risk of CHD associated with physical inactivity is comparable to that of individuals with high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or smoking (Journ Amer Med Assoc)
• Less active, less fit individuals have a 30-50% greater risk of developing high blood pressure (Med and Sci in Sports and Exercise)
• Over 100 million American adults and 5 million children are overweight, and nearly 50 million adults are considered obese (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/National Center for Health Statistics [CDC/NCHS])
• More than 100 million Americans have cholesterol levels above 200 mg/dl, and some 40 million above 240 mg/dl (CDC/NCHS)
• Approx two-thirds of people with diabetes die from cardiovascular disease (Amer Heart Assoc)

      For many individuals, preventive health is a matter of choice. You can reduce your exposure to debilitating illness by focusing on the behaviors that are considered the greatest risk factors for cardiovascular disease.
      Smoking. This is simply a lifestyle choice: if you smoke, stop. Heavy smoking is, for many, an addiction not so easily controlled, but there exists numerous aids and programs to assist individuals in accomplishing this goal.
      Fitness. For most people, this too is a matter of choice. If you are not physically fit, you are probably already aware of it. If nothing else, get out and walk a little each day. For more information on how important fitness is to preventive health, please see our section on fitness.
      Obesity. Are you overweight? This may not be so clear-cut for some individuals as the preceding factors. Take the Body Mass Index test: most health practitioners recommend that you keep your body-mass index under 25. How do you shape up?

Weight Assessment Calculator

      If you are overweight and would like to do something about it, please see our section on weight management.
      High cholesterol. Your health care provider can tell you what your blood cholesterol is, and how best to interpret it. We have provided a brief introduction to cholesterol, and a few ideas on how to manage high cholesterol.
      Diabetes. Individuals affected with this disease are usually not victims by choice, but all of the preceding risk factors for cardiovascular disease also contribute significantly to the risk of getting diabetes. If you are not a diabetic, but have high blood sugar, all of the preceding are important enough to read through again. Also, please see the additional information we have made available on diabetes for our visitors.

      If you are a smoker, are overweight, do not get routine exercise, and are generally a poor eater, dietary supplements will generally be of little use. On the other hand, in combination with a healthy diet and disciplined routine of physical exercise, dietary supplements can be of considerable value to some individuals.
      The Homocysteine Connection. High cholesterol has long been known to be a major contributing factor to the risk of heart disease. And while the facts cannot be disputed, there has been cause to question at least some of the underlying factors responsible for elevated cholesterol in such large numbers of individuals. Although suspected as a culprit decades ago, it has only recently been widely acknowledged that homocysteine is directly involved--a matter that can be largely controlled by diet and dietary supplements. Find out more about homocysteine.
      The Arginine Connection. Arginine is a naturally occurring amino acid that is essential for normal human growth. Some very recent research has suggested an implication of the application of supplemental arginine in the reduction of risk of at least some forms of cardiovascular disease. Please see this additional information on arginine.
      The Coenzyme Q10 Connection. Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a naturally occurring compound found in nearly all tissues in the human body and is involved in energy production at the cellular level. Clinical research studies have linked decreasing levels of CoQ10 with the aging process and some common health conditions. Additionally, research suggests that supplemental CoQ10 can be beneficial in reducing the risk for some diseases, as well as aiding some individuals who are already affected. This appears to be the case for certain types of cardiovascular disease. Find out more about CoQ10.
      The Omega-3 Fatty Acids Connection. Omega-3 fatty acids, derived from fish oils, are essential fatty acids for human nutrition. Research strongly suggests that fish oil supplements may be a significant factor in the risk reduction of some forms of cardiovascular disease. Please see this additional information on omega-3 fatty acids.

      Additional information regarding various dietary supplements available for the prevention, as well as treatment of heart disease...