Angina Research
Angina is a condition in which people have chest pain when the heart is not receiving enough oxygen from the arterial system. This pain could be pressure on the sternum and it could extend pain into the shoulder and upper arm. This is an indication of coronary artery disease which occurs when the arteries connected to the heart have blockage and the heart is working harder to pump the blood through the arterial system. This is a temporary condition that usually goes away in a few minutes and occurs most often in a moment of anxiety or stress or when physical exertion increases during exercise or work. When this happens it is called ischemia and is usually caused by coronary artery disease but it could be caused by abnormalities of the aortic valve.
A person with chest pains should be promptly under a doctor's care and it usually is easy for a doctor to diagnose angina by talking to the person. The doctor examines the patient and after checking the age, the extent of the blockage, the severity of the symptoms and the degree of normal heart pumping ability, the correct diagnosis can be made. With this information the doctor decides on the best treatment. If the condition doesn't require immediate surgery, a healthy lifestyle change could clear up the condition.
A healthy lifestyle means to give up bad habits such as smoking, poor diet, no exercise and being overweight or obese. Proper nutrition means a low fat diet, no refined glucose or carbohydrates, plenty of fruits and vegetables, cold water fish like salmon or halibut at least three times per week, lean protein such as red meat once a week, and three or four times a week roasted or grilled chicken. It is also important to eat fiber rich foods, and the best is whole sprouted grain bread or whole grains. In addition, eat two table spoons each day of ground flax seed mixed with soy milk, water or fruit juice. Flax seed is a miracle food that lowers triglycerides, lowers LDL (unhealthy) cholesterol and elevates HDL (healthy) cholesterol, has an abundance of the good fat Omega 3, has anti-oxidants that build up the body's immune system, and has heavy amounts of fiber. Eat nine portions of fruits and vegetables each day but keep the portions low. Calories should be held to 1800 per day for women and 2000 per day for men. Research indicates that a reduction in calories not only extends life but also protects the body from major complications and diseases. The exercise program should be thirty minutes three to six times per week. Almost any exercise will be beneficial, but in the beginning the exercise program may need to be modified based on the condition of the heart. Food supplements that will help on this program are multivitamins and coenzyme q 10. Before embarking on this program, check with your doctor or health care provider.
