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Heart Problem Symptoms

Slowly but surely the risk of heart problems increases after the menopause. The risk is greater if you smoke, take little exercise, if your parents had heart problems, if you don't eat healthily and if you are often stressed.

Hardening of the arteries, a disease lying in wait
This condition is the main cause of cardio-vascular illnesses. It results from the oxidation of blood fats, which form deposits on the artery walls. The walls then become thicker and more rigid and hinder blood circulation. Complete blockage of the artery leads to a blood clot and a heart attack. You need to take steps now to stop this from happening.

Exercise: your number one ally
A regular and sustained program of exercise lowers the heart rate, may help to reduce 'bad' cholesterol and reduces the risk of a heart attack by 50%. When you are 50 you should do 1 hour of exercise/sport 3 times a week. At 60 you should change to 45-minute sessions 4 or 5 times a week. You should exercise less intensively as you get older but to make up for this, gradually increase the frequency of the sessions.

Copy the Cretans
The record life expectancy of the Cretans and their remarkably low level of heart disease have prompted many scientists to study their eating habits. These islanders consume no dairy products, except a little cheese, and very little meat and eggs. Their staple diet consists of pulses, pasta, couscous, rice and whole meal bread: plenty of fruit and vegetables (including garlic and, above all, purslane, which has remarkable qualities); red wine at meals; and finally a lot of cagouilles (Cretan snails).

Some Facts

• Garlic is very good for the heart. One or two cloves a day will reduce the risk of a heart attack by 66%.
• Tea (green, oolong or black) prevents thromboses and reduces the levels of cholesterol and triglycerides.