The article, One in Three Deaths from Cardiovascular Disease is Preventable, by Dr. Mercola, is an eye opener for all those who take health for granted (Mercola, 2016). Noncommunicable diseases like diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and allergies, affect a significant number of Americans. The number of people succumbing to non-communicable diseases are more than those who succumb to communicable diseases. The most unfortunate part of the story is that, a majority of these non -communicable diseases are preventable. A person’s lifestyle can invite or repel these diseases. When we look at the trend of diseases that affected mankind over the generation, one will understand that heart diseases and diabetes were very rare diseases in the past. A majority of the death in the population, then, occurred from infectious epidemics. Today, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases have reached epidemic level.
Heart diseases kills one in three American! This figure is really scary. This ratio suggests that we or our loved ones have a high probability of dying from cardiovascular disease. The relief the article offers is that a majority of these deaths are avoidable. Smoking, alcoholism, unhealthy diet, lack of physical activity, high BMI and are most important life style associated factors that increase the person’s risk for cardiovascular diseases. All these factors can alter lipid metabolism and cause dyslipidemia. Very high blood levels of total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, VLDL-cholesterol, and triglyceride can cause insulin resistance and cardiovascular diseases. LDL-cholesterol is a harmful form of blood cholesterol, as it tends to form deposits in blood vessel walls, stiffening the blood vessels and making it susceptible to damage. The lipid plaque deposited in the arterial wall, can also block blood supply, causing ischemia in the dependent organ. The most common artery to be blocked by LDL-cholesterol is the coronary artery supplying the heart.
Though most people have a clear awareness about this problem, the preventive measures would be more effective if one were to look into factors that impede preventive efforts. Though the rate of smoking has come down, it is still high among certain selected sections of the community. Similarly, the death rate from cardiovascular disease is higher among African Americans when compared to other ethnic groups. These variations, suggest the need for a targeted program that creates awareness and generates opportunities for the disadvantaged community to return to good health.
Reducing cardiovascular diseases through right lifestyle choices, will not only help one attain health; it would also save the person a lot of money in terms of health care cost and eating junk food. The article talks about the potential of a chronic inflammatory state of the body, in predisposing the patient to cardiovascular risk. Vitamin D supplements and omega 3 fatty acids, is beneficial in reducing inflammatory state in the body. It would be a good practice to regularly monitor once blood cholesterol and sugar levels. This is particularly true for high risk population. Men above 40 years of age, women post menopause, young adult with a family history of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, belong to the high risk group.
References
Mercola, D. (2016). 1 in 3 Deaths from Cardiovascular Disease Is Preventable. Mercola.com. Retrieved 23 May 2016,from http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/04/07/cardiovascular-disease preventable.aspx
