One of the leading causes of death in the Dominican Republic is a condition that can be prevented and corrected naturally without drugs, surgeries or medical interventions.  It is common for people who develop cardiovascular disease to have progressive worsening of their conditions without proper education and knowledge.

The main goal of education is to create leaders without a title.  Do we have to only rely on the healthcare profession to guide us on what to do to treat this leading disease killer?  The improvement of health is dependent on the development social structures that encourage health versus disease.  Every choice that we make has an impact on our health.  We must learn to choose carefully.

The goal of applying any recommendations is to prevent cardiovascular disease from occurring and correcting current disease to reduce the reoccurrence of this devastating condition.   

“Over 80% of CVD deaths take place in low- and middle-income countries.”

-World Health Organization Lifestyle intervention

In low to middle-income countries healthcare services are significantly limited and intensive lifestyle advice is needed to reduce the risk of developing the condition.  Many people in healthcare think that conditions can only be treated by medications and interventions.  Educational programs have been found to be the most efficient and effective at reducing ones risk, not drug availability.

Smoking cessation

All individuals with cardiovascular disease should be encouraged to quit smoking.  Quitting smoking can be one of the most powerful prevention and treatment recommendations to reduce complications and the associated cost.  Non-smoking people with cardiovascular disease should be advised to avoid exposure to second-hand smoke as much as possible.

Dietary changes

It is important that all individuals with cardiovascular disease be given specific advice on how to reverse and prevent future complications.  One of the most important dietary factors is hydration level.  Drinking enough clean water and avoiding dehydration has been found to reduce systemic irritation and inflammation.  This recommendation is accurate for many other conditions as well.

All individuals should be encouraged to reduce the daily salt and sugar intake.  Salt and sugar both have been linked to the development of cardiovascular disease.  Sugar is a broad term that applies to all processed food items in a bag or can.

We all should try to eat a range of fruits and vegetables.  One of the recommendations from a previous column comment was planting a garden.  Planting a garden is one of the most important items that can increase availability of healthy produce. 

Physical activity

I avoided the use of the term exercise.  Exercise can be defined as “concentrated” effort but it commonly requires use of a facility or equipment that is not available.  I use to run mass exercise programs that caught the attention of the Minister of Health in Zimbabwe with no resources or equipment.  The goal of the program was to reduce the incidence of diabetes and heart disease.  Thousands of participants lost weight, reduced their medications or eliminated their condition altogether.

Weight control

In patients with cardiovascular disease who are overweight, weight loss should be advised.  If weight is not a concern, a balanced healthy diet with adequate physical activity is the recommendation.   It is a common mistake for people who are skinny to think that they are healthy and no at risk of developing cardiovascular disease.  

Alcohol intake

Individuals who consume alcohol on a daily basis increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease.  Alcohol consumption is one of the major reasons people become overweight as well.   Alcohol affects the neurology of the body and makes changes to the organs and glands that produce hormones.  These hormonal imbalances commonly create the beer belly and cardiovascular disease.

The primary message of this column is one of hope.  Regardless of present situation or circumstance, one can choose to improve their present health status.  We must take self-responsibility of our health and take proactive steps toward health. 

Author's Bio:

Cory Couillard has owned two private practices and has been the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Brand Officer for the largest privately owned clinic. He is active in professional development, mass education programs and implementation of healthcare delivery systems.

Cory is currently a professional healthcare speaker and writer for newspapers, magazines, websites and other publications impacting 29 countries. He is also involved with the development of two international television health programs.

The column is not meant to give or replace valuable medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. It is designed for educational purposes. If you have questions or would like to request a future topic, email info@drhealthshow.com  Visit us online: www.drhealthshow.com  Facebook: TheDrHealthShow