To illustrate the development of heart disease from virtual non-existence to being the biggest killer disease, I have used statistical trends describing disease development in Germany - a typical, modern industrialized nation.

In the year 1800, meat consumption in Germany was about 13 kg (28 pounds) per person per year. One hundred years later, meat consumption was nearly three times as high, at 38 kg per person per year. By 1979, it had reached 94.2 kg, which is an increase of 725 percent in less than 180 years. These figures do not include fats. During the period of 1946-1978, meat consumption in Germany increased by 90% and heart attacks rose by 20 times. During the same period, fat consumption remained the same, whereas consumption of cereals and potatoes, which are major suppliers of vegetable protein, decreased by 45%. Therefore, fats and carbohydrates, as well as vegetable proteins, cannot be considered to be causes of coronary heart disease. This leaves meat as the main factor responsible for the dramatic upsurge of this degenerative blood vessel disease.

In consideration of the fact that at least 50 percent of the German population is overweight and most overweight people eat much more meat than those with normal weight do, meat consumption among the overweight must have at least quadrupled in the 33 years after World War II. Being overweight is considered to be a major risk for high blood pressure and heart disease.

According to statistics published by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1978, the yearly increases of heart attacks in Western European countries were accompanied by a continuous yearly increase in meat consumption by as much as 4 kg per person. This practically means that eating habits after World War II have shifted from a healthy mixed diet to one excessive in animal protein, but poor in carbohydrates such as fruits, vegetables and grains. According to the WHO, fat consumption remained virtually unchanged. Heart attacks and atherosclerosis began to increase dramatically in Germany and in Western industrialized nations soon after the war; today they cause over 50 percent of all deaths.

Although fat consumption among vegetarians is not less than among meat eaters, the vegetarians have the lowest death rates from heart disease.The Journal of the American Medical Association reported that a vegetarian diet could prevent 97% of all coronary occlusions. The incredibly popular high protein, low carbohydrate Atkins Diet and South Beach Diet have the unfortunate side effect of starving a person by clogging up his capillary and artery walls with excessive proteins, and by greatly limiting his fuel intake (carbohydrates). This can certainly make a person lose weight, but not without also damaging his kidneys, liver, and heart. Both the late Dr. Atkins, a heart disease and obesity victim, and former U.S. President Bill Clinton, a keen follower of the South Beach Diet and recipient of a quadruple bypass, suffered the consequences of the high protein diet. Millions of Americans are following in their footsteps.

The reason for the virtual absence of coronary heart disease among vegetarians is their low intake or complete absence of animal protein. Fat consumption is, therefore, only an accomplice of the disease, but not its cause. The constantly recycled mass hysteria that believes fat, which is generally associated with cholesterol, to be the main dietary culprit of heart disease, is completely unfounded, outdated, and has no scientific basis.

[This is an excerpt from the book 'Heart Disease No More!' by Andreas Moritz, available on http://www.ener-chi.com/book.htm ]

Andreas Moritz is a writer and practitioner in the field of Integrative Medicine and author of 13 books on various subjects pertaining to holistic health, including 'Timeless Secrets of Health & Rejuvenation', 'Cancer Is Not A Disease', 'The Amazing Liver & Gallbladder Flush' and 'Vaccine-Nation: Poisoning the Population, One Shot at a Time'.

Andreas can be contacted on http://www.facebook.com/enerchi.wellness

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Temperament and personality have a definite effect on blood pressure and on heart disease. This is a great question and it has been studied by the experts, as you will note in the following excerpts. Heart disease consists of congenital abnormalities, arrhythmias, lipid abnormalities acquired and congenital, functional and physiologic problems, risk factors such as diabetes and metabolic syndrome, structural disease and valvular problems, heart failure, acquired disease such as coronary artery disuse, and infectious diseases along with diseases related to blood vessel structure. Again, anxiety, stress, and stress related disorders can have an effect on major hormones, heart rate and heart health and heart disease. Nutritional abnormalities can also affect heart performance.

New research suggests that people who suffer from panic attacks are at increased risk of developing heart disease.

Dr Kate Walters and colleagues at University College London examined medical records of more than 400,000 people, including 57,615 who had been diagnosed with panic attacks. Results showed that people who were younger than 50 when they were first diagnosed with panic attack were 38% more likely to have a heart attack and 44% more likely to develop heart disease than those without the condition. Those who were older than 50 at the time of diagnosis did not have an increased risk of heart attack, but were 11% more likely to develop heart disease than those without the condition.

Intriguingly, the results also showed that while panic attack sufferers were at increased risk of developing heart disease, they were seemingly less likely to die from it.

Why people who suffer from panic attacks should be at increased risk of developing heart disease is unclear. According to the study, authors put forward several theories, one being that panic disorders might trigger nervous system changes which could promote the clogging of arteries. Another theory is that people may have been misdiagnosed as having panic attacks when they actually have coronary heart disease. "Clinicians should be vigilant for this possibility when diagnosing and treating people presenting with symptoms of panic," said Dr Walters.

Walters K, Rait G, Petersen I, Williams R, Nazareth I. Panic disorder and risk of new onset coronary heart disease, acute myocardial infarction, and cardiac mortality: cohort study using the general practice research database. European Heart Journal. 2008;29:2981-2988. doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehn477.

News release: Panic attacks linked to higher risk of heart attacks and heart disease, especially in younger people. European Society of Cardiology. December 10th 2008.

Study results have shown that people with depression are at increased risk of heart attack and heart failure because they are less likely to be active.

Scientists have known for some years that people who are depressed are at increased risk of heart attack and other cardiac events, however the reason why this should be has remained unclear. However, according to results of a study by Mary A Wooley and colleagues, the increased risk is due to behavioral factors.

The researchers analyzed data obtained from 1,017 people with heart disease, 199 of which had symptoms of depression. Results showed that 10% of depressed participants had a cardiac event (e.g. heart attack, heart failure, stroke, transient ischemic attack) during the study period, compared to just 6.7% of non-depressed participants, meaning that depressed participants were 50% more likely to have a cardiac event. However, results also showed that depressed participants were more likely to smoke, were less likely to take their medications as prescribed, and were less physically active. After the researchers factored these behaviors into their calculations the risk of a cardiac event in depressed participants was similar to that in non-depressed participants.

The researchers concluded: "These findings raise the hypothesis that the increased risk of cardiovascular events associated with depression could potentially be preventable with behavior modification, especially exercise." Adding: "Exercise training can improve both depressive symptoms and markers for cardiovascular risk."

Whooley MA, de Jonge P, Vittinghoff E, et al. Depressive symptoms, health behaviors, and risk of cardiovascular events in patients with coronary heart disease. JAMA 2008;300:2379-2388.

Dr. Shelby-Lane is a board-certified anti-aging and regenerative medicine physician. To learn more about Dr. Cynthia Shelby-Lane check out the services she offers at http://www.elanantiaging.meta-ehealth.com or http://www.diagnose-me.com

There are many lifestyle factors which cause heart disease.This particular cause seems to be one of those common knowledge assertions: that stress can cause heart disease. Although this is a general belief, there really isn't much medical literature related to the connection between emotional stress and cardiovascular disease. At least, not until recently.

The body's reaction to a stressful event is programmed into us to save our lives. Over the long course of human evolution, finding yourself in a potentially dangerous situation demanded an adrenaline surge allowing the body to respond in a quick and powerful way. We still have that response, although much of what triggers it is no longer life-threatening wild beasts!

An overdue bill, an annoying phone call, a cranky boss, all can trigger the body's fight or flight response causing the adrenaline to flow. Over time, this can lead to problems with the cardiovascular system including high blood pressure and a weakened heart.

What is interesting is that although we may all share the fight or flight response to similar events, each person reacts in a different way. Our distant ancestors went into a fast sprint to avoid the danger, dissipating the effect. Today, many internalize their fear or frustration and have no healthy way to get rid of the anger, the fear, and the anxiety of modern life.

There is also a connection between damage to the cardiovascular system and the exact type of emotional stress. Those that suffer the most damage are the people who feel they have little to no control over their situation, whether it is personal or workplace. Although a clerk may have little actual control over their workplace situations, they can try to have mental control over their reactions by looking at the whole situation in a different light. Rather than taking everything so seriously, a lighter mood and a feeling of less desperation can be achieved by mentally stepping back from the situation. It is like the old "go with the flow" attitude, easing back a little and not fighting the situation.

Studies are showing that people undergoing the exact same type of stress react differently, and the way they react influences a host of biochemical reactions in the body. Remember the Type A personality that is characterized by impatience and a chronic sense of urgency? These are the people who have a higher risk of artery disease and subsequent heart problems. The more patient Type B personality has a less urgent view of time, is less competitive, and less easily angered.

Avoiding stress may be an impossible goal, but dealing differently with everyday stress can be a life-saving goal. If you find yourself impatient in a line or traffic jam, try looking at it as a time to relax instead. After all, while you are stuck in line you really have nothing to do, you can just stand there and relax for a moment while taking a few deep breaths before the line moves along and you have to get back to work on something. Those few moments relaxing and deeply breathing can lower blood pressure, reduce your heart rate, and refresh your mind.

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