The circulatory system carries your blood to and from the heart. Like all
parts of the body, the system can get weak from ruptures and blockages that cause
seious problems with the heart itself. and these conditions are considered to be part of
heart disease. In fact, anything which interferes with the supply of blood and oxygen to and from the heart is lumped under the generic brand of "heart disease".
There has been a lot of new information released to the public from scientists and researchers in recent years about heart disease, and unfortunately a lot of that information is still a bit conflicting. As early as twenty or thirty years ago for instance, scientists claimed that eating foods high in cholesterol or fat would cause you to have heart disease and a variety of related problems. So based on this information, it was recommended that people cut down on their consumption of red meat. Some people even took this to the extreme and stopped eating all foods which contained cholesterol, in an attempt to keep their hearts healthier.
Since that time though, more information has surfaced and newer research has been released. And the new information states that foods containing cholesterol aren't usually the cause for elevated cholesterol levels at all. In fact, the body actually needs cholesterol in order to maintain healthy cell membranes.
New information showed that heart disease is actually caused by a variety of other factors instead. The type of cholesterol and their levels in your body is important, and the ratio of good to bad cholesterol is important too. Plaque buildup in the body's arteries however, is what actually causes the most problems with blockages of blood flow and oxygen. And when these arteries are blocked, people have heart attacks, and general problems grouped under the term of heart disease.
To make things even more complicated, some recent studies have actually shown that plaque build up is caused by simple sugars and starches instead of meats and foods containing cholesterol.
Now heart disease can lead to very severe problems in some people. It causes heart attacks, strokes, and even death. And some people are more prone to getting heart disease than others, because the conditions are hereditary.
Most of the steps you'd take to prevent or reduce the risks of other diseases apply to heart disease as well though. Exercising for instance, helps improve your circulatory system, strengthen your heart, and keeps the blood flowing well enough to prevent plaque build up.
Note: Some statements in this article may not be approved by the FDA. This article is for informational purposes only and should not be taken as professional medical advice.
*THIS WEB SITE IS NOT DESIGNED TO, AND DOES
NOT, PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. All content ("Content"), including
text, graphics, images and information available on or through this Web site
are for general informational purposes only. The Content is not intended to
be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
NEVER DISREGARD PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL ADVICE, OR DELAY IN SEEKING IT, BECAUSE
OF SOMETHING YOU HAVE READ ON THIS WEB SITE. NEVER RELY ON INFORMATION ON
THIS WEB SITE IN PLACE OF SEEKING PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL ADVICE.