Cardiovascular disease is a disease affecting the heart and the blood vessels which lead to or away from the heart.It is the number one killer of men and women in the United States, and most of the problems attributed to the disease result from a condition known as atherosclerosis, which occurs when a fatty tissue called atheroma builds up on the walls of the blood vessels.

This atheroma may grow to impede blood flow, or a plaque may rupture and produce a blockage downstream. When blood flow to the heart is blocked, heart attacks occur; when blood flow to the brain gets blocked, a stroke generally results; and when the heart is unable to pump blood efficiently, heart failure occurs. All three of these are potential results of cardiovascular disease.

Preventing cardiovascular disease

In defining cardiovascular disease above, atheroma was identified as one of the main culprits, because it attaches itself to the walls of blood vessels and constricts blood flow. It is logical therefore, to assume that the prevention of cardiovascular disease would involve avoiding the buildup of atheroma in blood vessels.

There are several lifestyle factors which can be adopted to lessen or eliminate most of this build up. First of all, smoking should be completely avoided, and the consumption of alcohol should only be in moderation. It is important to keep your weight down as well as your waist size, and one of the best ways to accomplish this is to stick to a healthy diet including plenty of fiber, fish, fresh fruits and vegetables, lots of water, and as little added salt as possible.

One of the best things you can do to avoid cardiovascular disease is to establish a regular program of fitness, which includes 45 minutes of vigorous exercise each day, if possible. Obviously this may not be possible for all age groups, and does not take into account time availability, but to whatever extent it is possible, a regular fitness program should be a must in your lifestyle.

Is there such a thing as too much exercise?

Believe it or not, there may be a few risks associated with over-exercising. Too much exercise can put you at risk for developing a whole slew of health conditions, including excessive weight loss, undernourishment, frequent injuries, failing social relationships, poor heart function and menstruation problems for women.

The problems that develop from over-exercising stem from the fact that the level of exercise is well beyond recommended guidelines for what adults really need and what is beneficial for them. When men and women adopt exercise as an end in itself rather than for the health benefit it provides, there is a danger that exercise addiction can develop.

Compulsive exercising is often linked to eating disorders, as a report issued by the Nutrition Research Newsletter chronicled in May of 2002. This article stated that roughly 80% of patients with anorexia nervosa and 55% of patients with bulimia nervosa were compulsive exercisers. Many individuals suffering from eating disorders found that exercising far beyond the norm helped them to alleviate guilt they felt from binging. Some of these people developed an addiction to exercise and burning calories, so they could then allow themselves to eat occasionally.

Extreme exercise, extreme diet

Not all over-exercisers are linked to eating disorders however, and some simply have a burning desire to exercise constantly, while eating as little as possible. The thinking is that they will hasten the development of that perfect body type they are seeking, or they will achieve an extreme level of fitness.

In truth, the effects of prolonging an extreme diet and over-exercising can be as devastating to the heart as over-eating and under-exercising. Insufficient intake of protein and energy-producing foods often results in loss of skeletal and myocardial muscle, which in turn reduces the heart’s effectiveness in doing its job.

For more information or for a physician referral, please call 305-674-CARE (2273) or visit www.msmc.com.