According to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report, heart disease ranks as the #1 killer of people in the U.S. with 695,547 deaths in 2021 (1). Heart disease includes a range of conditions that affect your heart and blood vessels. These conditions include heart arrhythmias (irregular heartbeats), heart defects, and coronary artery disease (blocked arteries). Of these three, can you guess what the most common reason for death in the U.S.? If you guessed coronary artery disease, you are correct!
According to the CDC, the key risk factors of coronary artery disease are:
- High blood pressure
- High blood cholesterol
- Smoking
- Diabetes
- Being overweight
- Lack of activity
- Poor diet
- Excessive alcohol use
Thankfully, lifestyle changes can prevent and even reverse coronary artery disease! Here are some of the ways you can do this:
- Eat a whole foods, plant-based diet.
- Exercise at least 30 minutes per day, five days a week.
- Maintain a healthy weight.
- Quit smoking.
According to Dr. Esselstyn and Dr. T. Colin Campbell, the pioneering doctors and researchers featured in Forks Over Knives and many other documentaries, attribute poor diet as the most common underlying risk factor for coronary artery disease. Dr. Campbell states: “The ideal food is the whole plant. When you eat it that way, you get amazing results. Cholesterol goes down, you can cure illness.” According to Dr. Esselstyn, “eighty five percent of common, chronic, killing diseases in Western civilization are diet-related (2).”
If heart disease or any other chronic disease has plagued you, our staff at LifeMed Clinic is here to support you. We are happy to share an abundance of resources (cookbooks, meal planning, etc.) and schedule a visit from one of our Care Teams. What is a LifeMed Clinic Care Team? Each Care Team includes two volunteers who are willing to visit you in your home or at LifeMed Clinic to support you in your health journey based on your interests or needs. The Care Team is happy to offer chair massages, cooking demonstrations, health education, prayer, etc. The best part is this is a free service! Just talk to your provider/clinician to schedule a Care Team visit.
May you enjoy abundant health,
Rick Christman, MPH
References:
1) 10 Leading Causes of Death in the United States (healthline.com)
2) Vibrant Life, May/June 2011