Heart Attack Symptoms - hoping you never have to wonder

Heart attack symptoms are important to know. Especially when they closely mimic other common ailments.

Your first step is to dial 9-1-1. Time lost could mean life lost. You can always cancel the ambulance before they arrive and you can always sign an SOR (Statement of Release). It is your heart... better to be safe and live than sorry and dead.

Heart attack symptoms can vary from person to person. This is why it can be difficult for some to initiate the call for help. They spend too long trying to decide if they should call or not and often, it's too late.

The most common heart attack symptoms are:

• Chest pain or discomfort - a pain, fullness, tightness or squeezing in the center of the chest that lasts for more than a few minutes
• Pain or discomfort elsewhere - including the head, neck, jaw, stomach and both arms. Generally the left arm but pain can go to both or just the right arm as well
• Shortness of Breath - something to pay attention to as this can come with or without chest pain but is generally an accurate gauge of heart trouble
• Other signs or symptoms - cold sweats, dizziness, feeling lightheaded or nauseous

Many of these heart attack symptoms can replicate other common ailments such as heart burn, indigestion, a pinched nerve in the neck, TMJ problems or even a subluxed rib or vertebra.

It is important to know your health and heart history as well as your family history of heart problems. Why your family?

Heart attacks have a genetic risk factor however, heart problems are generally lifestyle related. What does that mean? Many heart problems (and other lifestyle related diseases) run in a family due to poor lifestyle habits.

A family may enjoy bacon and eggs every morning for breakfast and eat a lot of high cholesterol foods. The children grow up, marry and carry on with the same or similar menu lifestyle preferences.

How about a sedentary family - which we are seeing more and more these days. Families that don't value the importance of exercises and activity. A sedentary body does not get much oxygen through it and will likely manifest all sorts of sickness down the road.

Remember that disease does not thrive in a highly oxygenated body! Every cell of our body needs oxygen to live and the right nutrition or you will be trying to decide if you should be calling 9-1-1 or not.

Some risk factors we can do nothing about. These include:

• Age - the older we get, the greater our risk


• Gender - Men are at higher risk then women

Some risk factors we can change. The most important ones include:

• cigarette smoking


• high blood pressure


• high cholesterol.

Your doctor might have told you that you can't do much for your heart condition but remember that doctors don't have the time that they need to really give you good quality care. It's often so much easier to just give you another pill.

I have good news, though! I've got the time to talk to you about your heart and how you can take steps to prevent and lessen the impact of your risk factors in heart disease!

As you read, take notes. Stop reading when you are overwhelmed and just chose one or two steps to start making changes with.

You've got three to start with. I'll give your more over the next few weeks.

Heart Attack and Fitness

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Here's a good step in the right direction

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