If you want to know where in the world the heart-healthiest people live, look to the nations along the Mediterranean Sea. The Mediterranean diet is a heart-healthy diet plan adopted from the eating habits of people who live in the Mediterranean area such as Italy, Greece, Sicily, parts of France and...

Heart disease could end up being one of the most significant things to happen to you in your life. It can shorten your lifespan and cause pain, not only for yourself but also for the loved ones you leave behind. It doesn’t have to be like that though. Many times, heart disease could have been prevented...

Many types of heart disease exist that cause a variety of problems with many of them leading to a heart attack. One of these heart diseases is called cardiac ischemia and affects the heart muscle itself. What happens is that the blood flow to the myocardium aka the heart muscle is reduced or completely...

Take some extra time in the grocery store and inspect the packaging on some of the foods. You will notice heart symbols on some that tout the product as an important part of a heart healthy diet. Other symbols or terminology might be used too but the fact remains that as the population’s health...

One of the contributing factors to heart disease is a condition called aortic stenosis. To understand what the condition is, you have to understand how the aortic valve operates in relation to a healthy heart. The aortic valve protects the left ventricle opening. When it opens, this causes the ventricle...

Did you know the air you breathe could directly be related to a higher risk of heart disease? Breathing in air pollution sounds more like you would have respiratory issues and while that may occur, several studies show that the pollution can exacerbate current heart ailments already known as well as...

Blocked arteries are just one of many reasons why a heart attack can occur but luckily there is a procedure that can help. Angioplasty, sometimes called percutaneous coronary intervention, is the medical procedure performed that can unblock a clogged artery. If you are in the midst of a heart attack...

Stress has often been named as a contributor to a higher risk of heart disease but the question of the day is whether or not this is a valid belief. If stress indeed increases risk, what type of stress would it be? For the everyday person, stress is viewed as something emotional, such as problems at...

The biggest killer in the United States is heart disease and the sad part is that it is mostly a preventable disease. With the right diet and exercise, many cases of heart disease would never have occurred. Fortunately, if you have been diagnosed with heart disease, you can still benefit from incorporating...

The best heart healthy diet is one that is full of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, low fat dairy, fish and lean meats. Where does that leave all the good tasting stuff like salt, sugar or even buttery spreads for your bread? There has been some debate as to whether or not margarine or real butter is...

The threat of heart disease is very real, not only in men but in women too. In fact, women are much more likely to die from heart disease than all the cancers combined. That is quite alarming considering the fact that men usually get all the attention in the heart disease arena. Even doctors are guilty...

Parents, you want to do whatever you can to spare your children pain and suffering right? Well, what you do with them now can affect their health later when they are your age. Do you want them to be at the doctor’s getting the bad news that they have heart disease? Chances are you do not. So the...

Most everyone knows that smoking can contribute to heart disease, but do you have any idea exactly how it does? Smoking tobacco products creates an environment in the body that is more conducive to developing chronic disorders. Smokers are more likely to develop clogged arteries from plaque build-up...

Heart disease is not always about blocked arteries. It can also turn up as a condition called pericarditis which is an inflammation or swelling of the pericardium. The pericardium is the protective layer that surrounds the heart muscle. Pericarditis can be caused by a number of problems, not all of them...

There are weight lifting, walking and other physical activities to sculpt the outside of your body, but what about the inside? Your blood vessels could likely use some toning to prevent narrowing of the arteries and other ailments that could cause heart disease. So what exactly is the big deal about...