There are 3 types of blood cells: red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets.

Table of Contents for Preventing Heart Disease and Stroke Introduction What is a risk factor Risk Factors High fat diet High LDL-Cholesterol High blood pressure Cigarette smoking Blood clotting Other risk factors Links to related web sites Self Quiz Summary Review questions Back to Nutrition Curriculum Lessons

Cigarette Smoking

A tremendous amount of evidence shows that cigarette smoking is the most important risk factor for coronary heart disease.   Cigarette smoking increases the triglyceride (fat) level and lowers the HDL-C (good cholesterol) level in your blood. When a person stops smoking, benefits occur immediately! After one year of not smoking, the coronary heart disease risk is lowered by 50% as compared with those who continue to smoke.

What can you do?

1.  Participate in formal smoking cessation programs to help you quit smoking.

2.  Encourage family members who smoke to quit also.

Factors Leading to Development of a Blood Clot (Thrombus)

Blood is made up of cells that move about in a liquid called plasma. There are three types of blood cells: red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets.  Platelets help stop bleeding. If a blood vessel is cut, platelets stick together, forming a blood clot. Blood clotting keeps you from bleeding to death when you have a cut. Scabs are clots on the surface of the skin.

Sometimes, a clot may occur in a blood vessel that has not been cut.  If the vessel is already clogged with plaque from too much cholesterol, the blood clot may block the flow of blood to your tissues.   If the clot blocks one of the heart's arteries, it can cause a heart attack.  If the clot blocks an artery to the brain, a stroke may occur.

Doctors now prescribe aspirin to patients who have had a heart attack to help keep them from having another one.  It also helps prevent  men from having a first heart attack.  Take aspirin only upon your physician's recommendation, since aspirin is also a blood thinner and you may bleed more easily if you take aspirin regularly. 

Other Heart Disease Risk Factors

• Diabetes mellitus.
• Physical inactivity.
• Obesity.
• Postmenopausal status without hormone replacement - hormones help prevent heart disease.
• Psychosocial factors - stress, hostility or social isolation.
• Elevated homocysteine level - you can reduce your homocysteine level by getting lots of B-vitamins in your diet.  Good sources of B -vitamins include whole grains, fruits, vegetables and lean meats.
• Oxidation of LDL-Cholesterol - eating foods high in vitamin E, an antioxidant, can prevent this.  Good sources include grains, fruits, vegetables and vegetable oils.

Web Site Assignments:

Explore the web sites listed below. Each of these sites have activities for you to complete to practice what you have learned.

www.hsf.ca . The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada. Take the Ticker Test to test your own risk. Click on Test Your Knowledge. Then click on What Is Heart Disease. Click on Risk Factors. Click on the hearts to go through all of them. Once you are through, click on Signs and Symptoms. Also explore the Heart Smart Kids - pretend you're a kid. Click on Dear Family. Be sure to do the Active Play Every Day and the Grow with Us sections.

www.margarine.org . Margarine Organization. Look over for recipe ideas, information about fats and other information.

www.healthyfridge.org . Healthy fridge campaign. Click on Open the Door to a Healthy Heart, then Healthy Fridge, and then Top 10 for a Heart-Healthy Refrigerator. After reading the Top 10, click on Home, Contests & More and Test Your Saturated Fat I.Q.

www.eatright.org/womenshealth/heartdisease.html . Visit the American Dietetic Association web site to learn more about heart disease risk factors for women.

www.quakeroatmeal.com.Take the Heart Smart Challenge as discussed earlier in the lesson.

Quizzes for This Lesson

Here are two other quizzes you can take on the net!

1. Cholesterol and Heart Disease I.Q. Quiz. nhlbi.nih.gov/

2. High Blood Pressure Quiz www.mayohealth.org/mayo/9808/htm/highblood/nonjsattention.html

Summary

You can do five important things to prevent heart disease and stroke!

1. Eat a heart-healthy diet!  Practice balance, variety and moderation when planning and eating meals, using the Food Guide Pyramid. Select foods that are low in total fat, saturated fat and cholesterol.

2. Exercise!  Regular physical activity should be an important part of your daily routine.    

3. Watch your weight!  Always strive to maintain a healthy body weight.

 

4. Be a non-smoker! When a person stops smoking, benefits occur immediately!

 

5. Moderate or refrain from alcohol.

Each of these behaviors should be part of your and your family's lifestyle. You will reap the benefits by feeling better and helping to prevent heart disease and stroke.