A pitch to remember: Be good to your heart

Fitness Answer Man

July 06, 2009|By CHAD SMITH / Special to The Herald-Mail

Last week, we lost America's best pitchman, the one and only Billy Mays.

Mays died suddenly in his sleep due to heart failure, according to Hillsborough County (Fla.) Medical Examiner Vernard Adams. The examiner determined that Mays had developed an enlarged left ventricle and his sudden death is consistent with hypertensive heart disease.

If you have seen any of Billy's infomercials, you would never guess that this energetic man with the booming voice had a timebomb ticking inside his chest. He seemed so strong. That is why hypertensive heart disease is so dangerous - you really can't see it developing.

Hypertensive heart disease is the No. 1 cause of death associated with high blood pressure. It causes the heart's pumping power to weaken, and causes the heart to become less elastic. If this disease goes unchecked, the result is often sudden death.

Because we know that hypertensive heart disease has a strong link to high blood pressure, it can be prevented in most people. Here are some things to do:

Keep your weight down. Here we go again. So many diseases and conditions can be prevented (and virtually cured) by maintaining a healthy weight. Being overweight can make you up to six times more likely to develop high blood pressure than if you are at a healthy weight.

Get regular exercise. Work it out. The human machine was made for performance, not for cubicle life. Getting even light, daily physical activity can greatly reduce your risk of developing high blood pressure.

Cut the salt. Excess sodium consumption can cause blood to thicken which causes blood pressure to rise. When people with high blood pressure reduce their salt intake, their blood pressure also lessens. Push the shaker away at your next meal. Find other ways to flavor your food.

Chill out. Effectively managing stress is also a key to preventing high blood pressure. How many of us are set on permanent fight or flight? Ever notice what happens when you get stressed out? Heart rate increases, and you can actually hear your heart beating in your ears. This constant cycle of stress can cause blood pressure to increase to hypertensive levels, leading to heart disease, especially when combined with the aforementioned contributing factors.

Hypertensive heart disease affects approximately seven out of 1,000 people, especially men. Keeping blood pressure in check is absolutely paramount. Get yours checked today, to make sure you have a tomorrow.

Chad Smith is co-owner of Home Team Fitness. Visit his Web site www.hometeamfitness.net

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