1. How To Keep Your Heart Healthy
The human heart is a muscular organ that provides
continuous blood supply to the whole body. It has four
chambers. It is the size of a fist and weighs about 250 to
350 grams. It is enclosed in a protective sac called the
pericardium. Blood flows into the heart in one direction.
It is prevented from flowing backwards by the valves
between each chamber. Deoxygenated blood flows into
the heart and oxygenated blood flows out of the heart.
Obesity, high blood pressure and high cholesterol lead to heart disease. Heart
disease is a major cause of death. Of course, heart disease can also occur in
people with normal cholesterol and normal pressure.
High blood pressure is a major risk factor leading to heart failure. If you are obese
and you smoke, your chances of heart disease will be higher. High blood
cholesterol also leads to heart disease and heart attack (In French attaque
cardiaque). Cholesterol is a fatty substance that the liver produces to make
certain hormones. Saturated fat in food is responsible for the fat entering your
body. This can get deposited on the artery walls, thus not allowing the blood to
flow easily through them. If the blood does not flow easily to the heart, the heart
will begin to malfunction. This can lead to heart failure (In French insuffisance
cardiaque) finally. Diabetes also leads to heart attack. If you know that you suffer
from diabetes, you should be under a doctor’s care. Obesity increases your risk of
developing other risk factors associated with heart disease. Most people do not
realize that smoking leads to heart disease. They only associate it with lung
disease. In fact, smoking increases heart rate, tightens major arteries, and causes
irregular heartbeats. People who are inactive have a greater risk of getting heart
disease. The more you exercise, the more your chances are of staying healthy.
Generally, men have a higher risk of heart disease than women but by the time a
woman reaches menopause, the risk is same for men and women. Age is also a big
factor. People over the age of sixty five are more prone to heart disease than
younger people.
There are many contributing factors as well. Stress is one such factor. To lower
your risk of heart disease, try to keep your stress levels low. Lead a healthy
lifestyle. Take time out for enjoyment. Eat well. Make time for exercise.

2. Bad lifestyle led my friend to a Heart
Attack
I always suggested my best friend to change his lifestyle and
adopt some healthy habits which he always did not take
seriously. What bothered me was the non-healthy diet
pattern he was following. The excessive oily foods, being
more on junk food, less fruits and vegetables and over and
above no physical exercise. I was worried about his
sedentary lifestyle along with a bad diet chart as well.
Moreover, he used to smoke and drink alcohol at times. I knew all this was ruining
him and I was worried about my dear friend. But he never listened to me what I
suggested. The result was one day he suffered from a severe heart attack and still
there in the hospital.
The heart problems are increasing all over the world due to changed lifestyles.
Heart which happens to be a major life supplying organ in your body. A heart
failure (In French insuffisance cardiaque) results from the malfunctioning of
heart where it starts pumping the oxygen rich blood at a relatively slower rate to
other parts of the body. This impacts the overall health of the body. On the other
hand, a heart attack happens when the excessive blood pressure is exerted on the
walls of the arteries and that may even lead them to the state of bursting. While
both are extreme situations, care should be exercised in minimizing the chances of
facing any such issues. The disease may not be noticed initially and may develop
over the time posing a serious threat to life.
Of course, treatment is available today to cure various heart diseases including
heart failure and heart attack (In French attaque cardiaque). For my friend,
doctor suggested him to go for a heart surgery that cost him quite a few bucks but
saved his life. He now understands what I used to tell him. I am happy at least
finally he understands the things and is ready to change his lifestyle. In certain
cases, doctors may even go for a complete heart transplant and plant in a new
heart in your body. Science has advanced a lot and various treatments are
available but exercising caution in your lifestyles to avoid any such problems is the
best cure possible for you.

3. Was it really a Heart Attack?
On a normal day, enjoying the evening stroll in the
neighborhood park; he just fell off all of a sudden. When
rushed to hospital, doctor said that he has passed away
5 minutes back. Everybody felt astonished and sad for
the demise of the young man all of a sudden. Nobody
ever thought that a normal evening walk could take his
life away. Investigating further, doctor mentioned that it
was a severe heart attack that his body could not bear
and in minutes after the attack he passed away. I still
could not believe that such a health conscious person
who never had any major health issues could have this.
But finally believing the doctor and leaving myself in interrogation about heart
attack (In French attaque cardiaque) and heart failure, I left the hospital with a
heavy heart.
There have been an increasing number of cases pertaining to heart attacks and
heart failures that can be heard of. A heart attack happens due to excessive blood
pressure on the arteries of the heart that may even cause them to burst. On the
other hand, a heart failure (In French insuffisance cardiaque) does not mean a
complete dysfunctional of heart but rather slow functioning of the heart wherein
this blood pumping unit works on a slower pace and impacts the overall health of
the body. While both are extreme cases, the number of people suffering with such
problems is much more today than it used to be few years back.
A doctor friend of mine told me that this is particularly due to the change in
lifestyles and diet patterns. What we eat decides what we become. Today, people
rely more on junk food rather than fresh fruits and vegetables. Moreover, there is
excessive use of chemicals while growing fruits and vegetables; and also while
processing the foods. Although it does not show its signs initially but over a long
time, it may lead you to such severe problems. Moreover, the sedentary lifestyle
today adds on the toll. Symptoms may vary from a small to huge pain in the chest.
Sometimes the pain is too less that you tend to just ignore it which might have
happened in this case as well. There might be other health issues also associated
with the heart problems.
After this incident, I am more committed to changing my lifestyle and also helping
my friends and relatives do the same. Still, it seems hard to believe was it really a
heart attack that took him away.