Reducing Risk Factors for Heart Disease -- Cardiology Patients' Forum

Reducing Risk Factors for Heart Disease

Need help -- having difficulty modifying lifestyle to lower risk factors for coronary artery disease.

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Current Postings on This Page (4):

• Shaunese in South Africa -- Ask your doctor if he/she can help with smoking cessation. Smoking is a major major risk factor for coronary artery disease. But smoking is an addiction, and it can be very hard to stop by oneself. Perhaps your doctor can help you by finding a support group...there are also medicines which can help. Diet is also an issue, but we would point to stopping smoking as the single most important change to make.
Forum Editor, Angioplasty.Org, April 2, 2012

• My husband had 3 stents at the age of 33, 150kg, still smokes does not exercise as he becomes short of breath and perspire a lot he does not eat healthy and has constant chest pains and pain in his right arm. What can I do to convince him to change as we have tried Herbalife to assist with a healthy life style which he did not enjoy and refuse to continue to try to eat healthier smaller portions and he can't quit smoking. He has not been back to the cardiologist for a follow-up check up due to financial difficulty. Please help as I do not know what to do anymore.
Shaunese, South Africa, April 2, 2012

• Hi, JY. As you have noted, your dad's greatest challenge is not the change in lifestyle, but being motivated to change his lifestyle. Information, properly presented, will motivate me. I don't know if what is helping me will help your dad, but here's what's motivating me: I am currently trying to address my own CAD -- just had a stent put in a month ago -- and have been reading Joel Fuhrman's books entitled, "Eat to Live" and "Cholesterol Protection for Life." I find that I need the information in both books, though some information overlaps. Dr. Fuhrman is a board-certified physician in private practice, and has an impressive success rate with his patients for a variety of health issues: weight loss, CAD, diabetes, etc. He cites various sources and studies (lots of endnotes!) and makes a lot of sense to me. The cornerstone to Dr. Fuhrman's approach to *reversing* heart disease (not just in reducing risk factors for heart disease) and to effectively addressing other diseases is a dramatic lifestyle change, but his presentation is especially convincing because he cites prestigious studies and addresses the usual objections and/or fears one at a time. And his writing style is very readable and can be read in short chunks, so your dad could read just a little each day. I am new to this and do not yet have evidence of how Dr. Fuhrman's recommendations are affecting my body, so I can't give you any "proof" directly from my own experience. I hope you find something that works for your dad.
Marty H., California, USA, April 29, 2009

• During the end of 2006, my Father (50) was diagnosed with chronic heart disease. His arteries were determined all blocked and damaged, at a state where a bypass was not possible. He has been diabetic for 20years and has great difficulty in changing his lifestyle no matter how much we try to get him into the best diets and training programs. He weighs approximately 136kgs. I wish someone could help. I have tried everything but he hasn't however, he will accept help from an external source if it is motivating. If there's any person who has been through the same or a doctor that can help, please let me know. Should we try liposuction, put him on a TV show or anything? I have been meditating and even went to India as a pilgrim to seek help for Him. He has had varicose veins removed twice many years ago but now his legs pain and itch quite a lot especially at night, he also suffers from water retention but never listens to me when I tell him to drink more water and cut down on fats/salts and caffeine. Doctors say they may be able to do the bypass if the medication works for a while. Please help.
JY, Durban, South Africa, April 19, 2009

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