Show Has Hs Henrt Knowledge increased You Bet het Check Check These Points Fifteen years ago when a massive research assault was just being launched against heart and blood vessel disease there was little advice your 1 physician could give you re regarding regarding re- re garding ways to reduce the risk of heart attack Today this picture has chan than g e d. d Sound and realistic safeguards looking toward a reduction in your risk factor can be pre pre- scribed IT IS important to remember ber bet that no hard fast guarantees guarantees guarantees guar guar- can be offered But Dut inmost in inmost inmost most instances the individual can vastly improve his chances of avoiding or at least delaying heart attack by observing these reasonable precautions 1 1 Reduce if overweight E Excess Ex Ex- cess weight is accompanied by bya a higher risk to your heart and health Remember that only a doctor is qualified to tell you how to reduce 2 REDUCE fat consumption Reduction of caloric intake by decreasing the amount of ordinary ordinary ordinary nary fat in the the- diet will not only help prevent obesity but butwill butwill butwill will usually lower blood cholesterol cholesterol choles 1 choles choles- terol as well Another method of lowering blood cholesterol is controlling the amount and type of fat in the diet without changing caloric intake In the usual diet eaten by Americans a large part of the fats has been of the saturated animal origin type Too much of this type of fat tends to increase increase in- in in crease the cholesterol in the blood If saturated fat inta intake e eis is substantially reduced arid and polyunsaturated chiefly vegetable vegetable vege vege- vegetable table oils are substituted tor for some of the saturated fats blood cholesterol usually goes down 3 CONTROL high blo bio o 0 d pressure If your doctor finds you have this disorder he will willbe willbe willbe be able in most instances to bring it under control The measures used in most cases include drugs and diet changes 4 4 Stop smoking cigarettes In studies of various population groups it was found that death rates from heart attacks in men range from 50 to per percent percent percent cent higher among cigarette smokers than thaI among non smokers depending on the amount smoked 5 EXERCISE reg u 1 I a r 1 y Regular moderate exercise Is desirable If in doubt about the amount and kind of exercise exercise exer exer- cise get medical advice 6 Shun needless n s. s You cannot avoid all stresses but never intentionally go out of your way to acquire needless needless needless need need- less tensions This will not only make life more pleasant but butwill butwill butwill will also improve your health HERE WE have been discussing discussing discus discus- sing only those suspected contributors contributors con con- to cardiovascular disease disease dis dis- dis ease which can be controlled by the physician and the patient patient pa pa- tient working together Some other major factors such as heredity and sex are beyond control This is all the more reason to do something about the factors we can control You will note that some of the safeguards require medical supervision especially dieting reduction of saturated fats an and d control of high blood pressure But there is one where the patients patient's patients patient's pa pa- I tie tient's nt's initiative is paramount t his his need to obtain a physical check up by the doctor at regular regular reg ular intervals YOUR physician cannot het help you if you do not give him the th opportunity Worrying about abou t symptoms and indulging i in in n self-diagnosis self never helped any 1 body So if you plan to improve e your coronary profile begin n with a visit to your doctor fo foa for fora nr r a physical examination |