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The electrical conduction system of the heart is dependent upon the availability of the proper level of vitamins and minerals in the body. Unfortunately, our foods are often deficient in minerals because of poor soil resulting from farming methods geared toward mass production. A plant will only take from the soil what the soil has to give. Large farms only replenish the soil with the few chemicals needed to grow large beautiful crops that will draw big prices. The vitamin/mineral content is not an issue. In fact, you may have to eat 6 bushels of tomatoes today to get the same nutrition your grandmother might have gotten from one tomato when she was a child.

The vitamins and minerals that do exist in our foods are often poorly absorbed by us because of, among other things, the consumption of carbonated beverages with our meals which block the absorption of nutrients. It has long been known that drinking a coke after ingesting lead works very well to almost completely block the absorption of lead into the bloodstream thus preventing lead poisoning.

Other contributing factors are microwave cooking, pre-cooked foods, pasteurization, and purification methods that kill beneficial bacteria and destroy the enzymes that we need for proper digestion. Heat destroys enzymes and time destroys the potency of vitamins. Without the enzymes, we can’t absorb the nutrients. In addition, medicated livestock, petrochemicals, and preserved foods compound the problem by blocking our ability to produce our own enzymes thus contributing to a weakened immune system.

Causes:

Sedentary Lifestyle:Physical activity is absolutely necessary for the human body. Exercises must be a part of our daily life, but sadly enough we claim to have no time for things that matter most. Sedentary lifestyle and long work hours has made us highly susceptible to cardiac diseases. Workouts, be it at the gym or at your home, triggers faster blood flow and strengthens the ligaments and muscles. Swimming, cycling, jogging etc., should be incorporated in our daily routine. Cardiovascular exercises are especially advised for people who have heart problems.

Unhealthy Diet A Cause of Cardiovascular Disease:A famous quote says, “To eat is a necessity, but to eat intelligently is an art.” How often we ignore the latter part of this message and invite cardiovascular diseases to affect our lives. An unhealthy diet is a major risk factor for chronic cardiac diseases. It is not difficult to figure out the diets that are unhealthy. Fast food and beverages containing colorants and preservatives are harmful for the heart. Fast foods are responsible for obesity of the millions of Americans.

A study has revealed that eating habits of teens and adults in America are very unhealthy. Healthy diet such as green vegetables and fruits are not an integral part of their diet. This makes them vulnerable to heart diseases.

Tobacco:Tobacco, most commonly found in cigarettes, is obtained from leaves of the plant Nicotiana tabacum. The leaves of this plant contain nicotine, an alkaloid that is responsible for the addiction. Nicotine enters the bloodstream when we smoke and directly goes to the brain. This is why people derive a good-feeling when they smoke, but simultaneously it opens the door for addiction. Each cigarette contains nearly 1 mg of nicotine. But, if a smoker smokes 20-30 cigarettes per day, the amount of nicotine entering the body can be disastrous. Smoking increases the heart beat and it is one of the main causes of high blood pressure. Certain carcinogen, such as carbon monoxide found in tobacco, form carboxyhemoglobin when it combines with hemoglobin. Carboxyhemoglobin decreases the ability of the blood to carry oxygen. Narrowing of arteries, blockage of blood vessels and high cholesterol levels are the negative effects of smoking that paves the way for cardiovascular diseases.

Alcohol and Drugs also Cause Cardiovascular Disease:It has been found that very mild consumption of alcohol helps to decrease the risk of heart attacks as it increases HDL or good cholesterol level in the body. However, alcoholism can be devastating. Alcohol addiction can lead to high blood pressure, heart failure, alcoholic cardiomyopathy and strokes. If a person finds it hard to quit alcohol, then he/she should join an alcohol rehab center.

Drug addiction is another cause of cardiovascular diseases. Narcotics such as heroin, cocaine and other similar hard drugs cause contraction in the heart valve and weakens the circulatory system.

Smoking A Cause of Cardiovascular Disease:Often the statutory warning “Smoking is injurious to health” is ignored. It is least effective for smokers unless some dangerous disease either kills them or affects them chronically. Every year, the number of deaths resulting from this ‘brown plague’ is increasing drastically. According to a study, smoking 16 cigarettes per day is loosing nearly six and a half years of life! Be it the cigarette, pipe, cigar or hookahs, all forms of smoking are equally harmful.

According to the U.S. Bureau of the Census, the population of the United States is over 300 million. Of these 300 million U.S. citizens, about 27% of them die from cardiovascular disease each year making it the leading
cause of death in the United States. Cardiovascular disease includes several specific heart conditions with the most common of them being coronary heart disease, the precursor to a heart attack. Many causes of cardiovascular disease exist and this guide will highlight nine common risk factors or causes of this disease.