Information on What Causes Heart Disease – Part 1

Heart disease kills more people each year than all of the cancers combined. While science may know the causes of some cancers they can only point to most preventative measures that you can take to be sure you don’t experience cancer. Scientists can pinpoint most of the risk factors for heart disease and therefore information on what causes heart disease will help you to decrease your risks.

There are both lifestyle changes, avoidable risks and familial factors that will increase your risks of heart disease. Most family factors, such as a history of heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and poor coping methods for stress all have their roots in both behavioral conditions and lifestyle.

For instance, parents who cope poorly with stress often pass those coping mechanisms down to their children through modeling. It is also well documented that children will eat what their parents provide and continue to follow those habits into adulthood.

Most risk factors for heart disease are avoidable, although some will have you believe that your future is just out of your hands. Drug companies want you to take their pills, and then another set of pills to take care of the side effects of the first pills. But most of the factors that increase your risk of heart disease is under your control.

References:

(1) American Heart Association Circulation: Cardiovascular Effects of Secondhand Smoke

http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/111/20/2684.abstract

Resources:

National Heart Lung and Blood Institute: What Causes Heart Disease

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/hdw/causes.html

MayoClinic: Heart Diseases

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/heart-disease/DS01120/DSECTION=causes

CBN News: Cholesterol Myth

http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/healthscience/2012/october/cholesterol-myth-what-really-causes-heart-disease/

Seconds Count: Heart and Vascular Disease

http://www.scai.org/SecondsCount/Disease/Default.aspx?gclid=CIXOl56awbYCFc9AMgod_WQAJQ