By now we can all accept that heart disease is almost entirely lifestyle in origin. I’m sure there are a few events per year that were entirely mediated by genetics, but, in general, if you have heart disease, it’s because of the choices you have made. And likely continue to make.
Everyone out there who is looking forward to their first heart attack please raise your hands. Great…now everyone who has had a heart attack and wants a second, you can raise your hands now. Lastly, those of you who just can’t wait to have your sternum cracked open with a spreader, your circulatory system put on a bypass around the heart and veins stripped from your leg to re-plumb your heart, go ahead and send both hands up.
Looking around, there is not a single hand in the air. Imagine that–not a single person has a desire to experience a cardiac event. Go figure. NOW let’s ask the important question…
Who is willing to make changes to their lifestyle to avoid the aforementioned events?
Not so many hands, I’m guessing.
Why is that? It really is that clear cut. Does society think that medicines will save us from these outcomes? If so, think again. You could not be further from the truth. Medicine is very, very bad at preventing events. Sure, we run around telling everyone “our numbers are under control,” but this house of cards soon falls after the first heart attack.
Look at this particular study here. Researchers looked at 7 cardio-protective behaviors:
- Ideal healthy diet
- Physical activity
- Ideal body mass index
- Non-smoking
- Ideal blood pressure
- Low total cholesterol
- Low fasting blood glucose
That’s it. 7 simple factors. I could easily add another 10 and tighten up what they consider “healthy diet.” But, overall, pretty basic guidelines. So, how many people (out of 14,500, aged 20 and above) had all seven of the factors present?
Are you sitting down?
Less than 1%. That is flat out sickening and extremely disappointing. There is a massive disconnect in this society between what WILL happen and what we think will NOT happen to us.
Are you in the 1%? If not, what will happen to those you leave behind?