Weight Loss Plan Reduces Heart Disease Risk

(Article first published as Weight Loss Plan Reduces Heart Disease Risk on Technorati.)
The number of Americans who are overweight or obese continues to skyrocket at a staggering rate, doubling the risk of sudden death from a heart attack. Heart disease kills more than 700,000 people each year, a number which can be dramatically decreased through a weight loss regimen including proper diet, nutrition, stress management, exercise and understanding the negative effects of a special grain.

The health benefits of weight loss begin to take effect after losing as little as 5 to 10 percent of your body weight, as blood pressure, triglycerides and blood sugar levels fall back into the normal range. It does take time, planning and concentrated effort to begin losing weight, but the benefits are improved self esteem, positive mood and the understanding that you have the ability to lengthen and improve the quality of your life.

Diet is the Key to Weight Loss and Heart Disease Risk Reduction

There are many different categories of heart disease, but the most prevalent is atherosclerosis, also referred to as hardening of the arteries because of the stiffness detectable in the normally elastic vessels. Atherosclerosis is the result of two primary factors, systemic inflammation and foamy plaque, both of which reduce blood flow to the heart and ultimately lead to a heart attack.

Dropping excess pounds, especially for those more than 20% over their ideal weight can significantly reduce the risks associated with a heart attack. The best way to lose weight and bring critical metabolic markers back to the normal range is through a healthy diet plan. As body weight slowly increases over the years, blood pressure, blood sugar and triglycerides begin to rise and spiral out of control. The body wages a gallant battle in an attempt to protect the major organs, but ultimately loses the war.

Everybody knows the primary reasons for weight gain such as too many fried foods, sweets and sugary soda, but there is a much larger culprit to explain that expanding belly. In a word, it’s wheat. Man did not evolve to consume wheat, and many people have an inflammatory digestive reaction every time the grain is consumed.

Refined wheat products are everywhere, and include multi and whole grain breads which are touted as being healthy. Studies demonstrate that wheat can be the trigger for a series of metabolic maladies including high triglycerides and oxidized LDL cholesterol, both of which lead to coronary plaque formation, especially in the presence of high blood pressure.

Eat Natural to Lose Weight and Prevent Heart Disease

A diet which focuses on foods in their natural form is necessary to prevent and even reverse the effects of a lifetime of poor food choices. It’s necessary to eliminate all wheat based products from the diet to reap the benefits in disease risk reduction. Processed wheat products are a significant source of calories, so quick weight loss will be an immediate benefit.

More importantly, the low level inflammation many experience from wheat consumption will subside along with many risk factors. The first two weeks will be the most difficult as your body accommodates to the new diet, but soon you’ll feel more focused and revived with a burst of extra energy. Eliminate wheat and replace those calories with natural carbohydrates from leafy green vegetables, nuts (especially walnuts and almonds), seeds, lean proteins and healthy fat sources.

Weight loss and heart disease prevention and reversal are both achieved through a healthy diet which excludes wheat in all forms. Wheat is a relative newcomer to the food supply, and is seen as an intruder to our digestive system. This causes inflammation in our arteries and excess weight around the midsection. Replacing wheat with raw, natural food choices will quickly prompt weight loss and reduce heart disease risk factors.