Every year, nearly 1.1 million Americans suffer a heart attack and as a result more than 515,000 die, according to the American Heart Association. Lack of physical activity and a low-fat diet have been shown to play a significant role in the cause of heart attacks, strokes and a number of other heart diseases.
Knowing the symptoms is key for avoiding heart attacks and strokes. Some heart attacks are sudden and intense, but most start slowly with mild pain or discomfort, explains the American Heart Association. They can be so mild that people often ignore or dismiss their symptoms as minor aches and pains. By this time it may be too late. Chest discomfort, upper body discomfort, shortness of breath, nausea and lightheadedness are all signs that a heart attack may be occurring.
“Though people need to know the early warning signs of a heart attack, preventing a heart attack before it occurs is the ideal situation,” said Dr. Emanuel Shaoulian of ScanDirectory.com, a network of heart scan centers. The three major risk factors for a heart attack – high blood cholesterol, high blood pressure and excess body weight – can all be controlled through changes in eating habits and exercise. According to the American Heart Association, eating a balanced, low-fat diet including five or more servings of fruits and vegetables a day and engaging in low-to-moderate activity for 30 minutes a day, can help prevent against cardiovascular diseases. However, these aren’t the only ways to help prevent heart attacks.
“As much as people make a conscious effort to eat healthy and exercise, people tend to forget how important it is to be screened for cardiovascular diseases,” Shaoulian said. “Heart screenings are the most effective tool we have for early detection, but it is a patient’s responsibility to remain vigilant about receiving routine check-ups by their physician.”
