There are different types of heart problems like coronary artery disease, congenital heart failure and cardiomyopathy, but their warning signs are the same i.e. shortness of breath. This is the reason why shortness of breath should never be taken lightly and should always be investigated for heart diseases.

Why does shortness of breath happen?
You may not be able to get in enough air while experiencing shortness of breath. Known medically as dyspnea, shortness of breath is often described as an intense tightening in the chest and a feeling of suffocation. This is one of the most frightening conditions experienced by a patient. You can experience dyspnea without any serious medical problems in these conditions

After strenuous exercise
In extreme temperatures
Due to obesity and
In high altitudes
But if you are not in any of these conditions, then shortness of breath is a sign of a serious medical problem usually involving your heart or lungs. These two vital organs transport oxygen to the rest of your body and remove carbon dioxide; hence problems with either of these organs can affect your breathing. Shortness of breath that comes on suddenly called acute, can be due to other causes too like:

Asthma
Excess fluid around the heart
Low BP
Heart failure
Blood clot in an artery in the lung
Collapsed lung
Pneumonia
If you have had shortness of breath that has lasted for weeks, then we call it chronic and its causes can be various diseases of the heart apart from asthma and COPD. There is no doubt that your heart may be in trouble, if you have chronic shortness of breath. You may be suffering from these heart conditions:

Cardiomyopathy or problems with the heart muscle cause symptoms like shortness of breath after physical exertion as well as fatigue, and swelling of legs and abdomen. Patients suffering from cardiomyopathy are at risk of sudden death due to cardiac arrest.
Heart arrhythmias is also called irregular heartbeat, and can cause slow or fast heartbeats. These also have symptoms like shortness of breath. Arrhythmias can cause strokes, heart failure and cardiac arrest.
Heart failure occurs when the heart is unable to pump blood efficiently to meet the needs of the body. This is a potentially fatal condition. One of the most common symptom is shortness of breath with exercise and while lying down. Fatigue is another common symptom.
Pericarditis or swelling of membranes around the heart is also characterised by shortness of breath.
Treatment of breathlessness can start after you are referred to a heart specialist for further tests to confirm the likely cause.

Shortness in Breath - Can Your Heart Be In Danger?

An unhealthy diet is an absolute no in daily life to remain healthy, fit and without any disease. Unhealthy diets fail to give the body the correct amounts and varieties of proteins and nutrients for a maximum proper health.
Too many intakes of calories lead to an unhealthy diet, which also increases blood pressure. It leads to a very poor calorie ratio-to-nutrient that leads to gain weight and also leads to malnutrition along with various health problems. Unhealthy diets cause chronic disease, hypertension, cancer, diabetes, osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease.
Therefore, unhealthy eating habits should be avoided and strongly abandoned.

Why Avoid Unhealthy Diet?

It causes obesity. Increased intake of nutrient-dense foods like fruits, sugar, processed carbohydrates and animal fat leads to obesity.
Nutrient deficiency is another harmful effect of following an unhealthy diet.
Illness is another factor. Poor intake of nutrition leads to diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. Lack of calcium weakens the bones, lack of vitamin A and C suppress the body immune system leaving a person vulnerable to diseases.
Increases the risk of coronary artery disease as unhealthy diet contributes to building up of plaque in the coronary arteries which can cause heart attacks.
Coronary Heart Disease - A Serious Issue!
It is a disease which leads to plaque building inside the coronary arteries, which supply rich oxygen blood to the human heart muscle. Over time the plaques either hardened or get ruptured and hardened plaque restricts the coronary arteries, which reduce the oxygen flow to the heart. On the other hand, if the plaque is ruptured blood is formed on its surface which also narrows the coronary artery and restricts the blood flow. And if the blood flow is blocked or reduced, then it might lead to Angina and heart attacks leading to loss of life. Angina causes chest pain it can also cause pain in the neck, back or arms. It is a state where one gets a feeling of indigestion.

Outlook
Changes in lifestyle, eating habits, intake of medicines and its procedures helps to prevent this disease. These steps can also reduce the chances of health problems. Therefore, a proper healthy diet is a must in a person s routine because it serves as one of the links to coronary heart diseases. In order to live long, live healthily and live happily one needs to adopt a good eating habit, take care of the medicines they intake, certain input time of exercise, change the monotonous lifestyle to lessen down the chances of their occurrence. Adopting healthy food habits also enables the body to fight against diseases and infections, reducing the rate of illness. It also reduces stress and provides a good healthy and happy life.

Unhealthy Diet - How It Is Related With Coronory Heart Disease?

The new epidemic that has taken the world by storm is obesity. The proportion of obese people is increasing and the age of onset of obesity is decreasing gradually.

There is an optimal weight for a given height of a person. Obesity is when a person's weight is 20% more than the optimal weight. It brings with it a host of other health conditions, as it impairs the body s overall functioning.

Diabetes 2: In a normal person, food gets broken down into glucose to provide the required energy for the body using insulin. The body s inability to produce sufficient insulin to convert the excessive amount of sugar in the body leads to diabetes. Growing to be a leading cause of early death, diabetes brings with it a host of complications affecting almost all systems and parts of the body including stroke, kidney disease, blindness, and death. Diabetes and obesity have a direct correlation and can be prevented and managed by eating a balanced diet, losing weight, exercising, and having a healthy lifestyle.

Heart problems: An increased BMI also ups the risk for coronary heart disease (CHD), where the blood vessels are narrowed due to constant accumulation of fat in their inner walls. This gradually reduces the blood flow through these and may when complete cut-off happens, it could result in heart attack or stroke, affecting the heart or the brain. There could also be cases where the heart fails to pump sufficient blood to the rest of the body, affecting their effective functioning. Obese people also have a higher blood pressure than people who maintain a good BMI.

Breathing problems: One of the main causes of labored breathing is excessive weight. The condition called sleep apnea which is sudden bouts of absence of breathing during sleep is very high in obesity. It can cause snoring, daytime sleepiness, increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. In people with sleep apnea, weight loss is one of the first and most recommended therapies. Asthma and general breathing disorders are also higher in obese people.

Abnormal body cholesterol: Obese people also tend to have abnormally higher levels of body fat, especially the bad cholesterol, which again leads to coronary disease. It is a vicious cycle with one leading to the other and aggravating the other.

Osteoarthritis: Added weight leads to pressure on the hips, knees and lower back. There is added wear and tear and pain, which further limits movement.

Cancer: Some cancers, of the colon, endometrium, kidney, pancreas, gallbladder, breast and esophagus are more prevalent in obese people.

These are just some, there are more. The best way to avoid all these is to watch your weight.

Obesity - How It Increases Your Risk of Different Diseases?

In our bodies, the vascular system is composed of vessels. This system is comprised of a complex network of veins and arteries. The arteries transport oxygenated blood away from the heart and spread it throughout our bodies and veins brings the deoxygenated blood (oxygen-poor) back to the heart for purification. Whenever this complicated process gets disturbed, pain, dysfunction of the system, and other complications may occur.

Most common complications among all are:
1. Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm: This condition is when there is a  bulge  formed in the weak area of the largest artery in the abdomen and keeps on increasing with each pressure flow of blood from that artery. This condition weakens the artery further and massive internal bleeding may occur.

2. Carotid Artery Disease - Stroke: This condition arises when the main blood vessels flowing blood to the brain develops a plague caused due to hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis). The continuous increase of plague can cause a stroke.

3. Peripheral Arterial Disease: This condition occurs when the flow of oxygen-rich blood is insufficient to the lower limbs of the body due to hardening of the arteries in that area. This can cause difficulty in walking, foot ulcers, infections and can even lead to amputation.

The complication of these types are corrected by the vascular surgeon with the process is commonly known as vascular surgery. However, this condition is sometimes medically managed by an innovative, less invasive procedure called Endovascular surgery. 

Vascular Surgery-
Vascular surgery is generally the traditional surgery that corrects the diseases outside of the heart and the brain. This procedure is more invasive as it involves incisions that are surgical in nature. Vascular surgery comprises of the surgery of the aorta, carotid arteries, and other small diametric arteries. This surgery also involves surgery of veins for treating various conditions such as varicose veins and May-Thurner syndrome.

Endovascular Surgery:
However, this type of surgery is an innovative way to treat medical conditions related to the vascular system. For instance, during the procedure of treating the Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm, it involves making a small cut near the hip area and inserting the endovascular graft through the arteries and is positioned inside the aorta, in a catheter, which is a flexible, long, and narrow tube. The endovascular graft is a tube device made up of special fiber and is framed within stainless steel self-expanding stents. The grafts expand and seal off the aneurysm. This stops the internal bleeding the system and the graft remain in the aorta permanently.

This method has a short recovery time, smaller incisions, less discomfort, less stress on the heart and has fewer risks. This surgery is appropriate for the patient who is at high
risk of complications. 

Take Away-
Diseases related to artery and veins are now being treated with various methods such as angiography, stenting, sclerotherapy in various countries. These days vascular surgeons have become proficient with the endovascular surgical methods. Endovascular surgery is durable and less painful and stressful when viewed with the context of vascular surgery. However, the cost of staying longer at the hospitals is somewhat got balanced by the high cost of imaging equipment and other high financial expenses in the endovascular surgery.

Endovascular VS Vascular Surgery - Know The Difference!

High cholesterol has become a very common phrase nowadays. With excessive consumption of fast foods and sugar, lifestyle disorders such as diabetes and high cholesterol have become very common. In order to know what high cholesterol is, you should first know about cholesterol.

Cholesterol is a type of fat present in the body which is needed for regulating hormones in the body. It also plays an important role in Vitamin D production. Though you get cholesterol from food, the body has its own supply of cholesterol as well. Excessive cholesterol in the body can lead to cholesterol build up in your arteries, resulting in blood circulation problems. The arteries tend to narrow down, not allowing the blood to flow properly. High cholesterol levels are linked to heart problems and strokes.

Ayurveda is a holistic system of medicine, the treatments of which are based on natural ingredients. It is very effective and free from side effects, unlike conventional methods of treatment. Ayurvedic remedies for high cholesterol levels in the body aim to bring down the cholesterol level and improve your overall wellbeing.

The Ayurvedic tips to lower cholesterol levels are:

Eat healthy: Diet plays an important role in maintaining healthy cholesterol levels, so eating healthy is of paramount importance. Include plenty of vegetables and fruits in your diet to get the required amount of Vitamins and minerals in order to keep your body healthy. Avoid refined grains as they spike your blood sugar levels. Instead opt for whole grains such as brown rice.
Eat healthy fats: Eat healthy fats such as unsaturated fats present in foods such as almonds and olive oil. Keep saturated and trans-fats at bay as they increase cholesterol levels in the body.
Exercise regularly: Regular exercise keeps your weight levels optimal and also brings down your cholesterol levels. Simple cardiovascular exercises such as running and swimming can be done on a regular basis.
Avoid smoking: Smoking causes your blood vessels to constrict, thus hampering the flow of blood. In addition to accumulation of plaque, this can further hamper blood flow.
Maintain optimal weight levels: Following healthy eating habits along with regular exercise will allow you to maintain optimal weight levels. So if your weight is on the higher side, then re-evaluate your eating habits and make the necessary changes. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult an Ayurveda.

Cholesterol Level - Ayurvedic Remedies That Can Lower It!

Mushroom is a type of fungi that hails from the Agaricus family. It is estimated that there are close to 1,40,000 types of mushroom, out of which science has been able to classify only 100 odd mushrooms for health benefits. From cutting down cholesterols to preventing cancers, increasing the strength of the immune system to helping in weight loss, there are numerous health benefits of mushroom. This article will explore why mushrooms are regarded so highly by health practitioners across the globe:

Cholesterol levels: Mushroom does not possess any fat or cholesterol. They are rich in lean protein, fiber, and some very important enzyme. The lean protein found in mushroom helps to burn down the LDL cholesterol. Furthermore, it creates a good balance of LDL and HDL cholesterol so that the body can refrain from stroke, atherosclerosis etc.
Preventing cancer: Mushrooms are mighty effective in blocking certain cancer types such as the breast and prostate cancer. Owing to their high linoleic acid and beta-glucans, they act as a very good anti-carcinogen. While linoleic acid can successfully suppress the excess estrogen which leads to breast cancer in women, the beta glucans can suppress the growth of cancer cells in the case of a prostate cancer.
Diabetes: Mushroom is an ideal food for a diabetic patient. They do not possess cholesterol, consists of low fat, have high protein and a lot of minerals and vitamins. Apart from this, mushrooms possess a lot of fiber and water. The most critical component, however, is the natural insulin that mushroom has within itself. They help to break down the starch found in food items. Mushrooms have certain components that help in the proper functioning of the liver, endocrine gland etc. It ensures that the proper balance of insulin is maintained in the body.
Bone health: Mushroom is a very good source of calcium. They ensure that adequate strength of various bones is maintained in the body. Regular intake of mushroom can ensure safeguard an individual from conditions such as osteoporosis, joint pain, and immobility.
Blood Pressure: Mushroom variety such as the maitake and the shitake has a high amount of potassium content. The latter can successfully relax the blood vessels thereby, reducing the blood pressure. Increased potassium content also helps in knowledge retention and an improved memory. High blood pressure, on the other hand, can cause severe damage such as strokes, heart attacks etc.
Selenium content: Selenium component is mushroom is one of the key ways to receive selenium for a vegetarian. Selenium helps in strengthening the bone, nail, tooth and hair. Selenium is also considered to be a very powerful antioxidant that can successfully get rid of free radicals in the body and strengthen the immune system.

Mushrooms - 6 Reasons Why You Should Start Eating Them Today!

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