We have just witnessed the passing of an icon.
Although I am not really old enough to remember everything he accomplished in his life, I will always remember New Years Eve.
I remember it when he was healthy, and I remember it after his stroke. It was painful to watch, but I admired his courage and determination.
His stroke occurred in 2004, and the official cause of his death is a massive heart attack.
Here is the lesson for today, and something that most people don’t understand. Stroke and heart attack are caused by exactly the same thing.
Plaque formation and build up in the arteries.
In a heart attack, it’s the arteries supplying the heart. In a stroke, it’s the arteries supplying the brain.
Here are some sobering facts about heart attack and stroke:
Heart Attack Facts:
1. Every 34 seconds, someone in the USA suffers from a heart attack.
2. Coronary heart disease often results in a heart attack and is the leading killer of both men and women in the U.S.
3. Men over 40 have a one-in-two risk of developing some form of cardiovascular disease.
4. More women die of cardiovascular disease that the next five causes of death combined, including all forms of cancer.
Stroke Facts:
1. Every 40 seconds someone in the U.S. suffers from a stroke.
2. Stroke is the third leading cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the U.S.
3. Twice as many women die of stroke than breast cancer every year.
4. High blood pressure is the number one cause of stroke.
5. Up to 80% of strokes are preventable.
So what can you do about it?
For sure start exercising. Find something you enjoy doing, otherwise you just won’t stick with it. I am a huge fan of Matt Furey’s Combat Conditioning.
He uses simple, but extremely powerful exercises that can be done in 10-15 minutes per day with no equipment needed. I have been using his workouts for over 7 years.
The second thing you can do is start taking a Nitric Oxide (NO) boosting supplement. This is one of the most important pieces of research that came out of the 21st century and won the Nobel Prize in 1998.
Nitric Oxide is found naturally in the body and dilates the blood vessels.
Our favorite by far is Optimal BFF from Optimal Health Systems.
Also, beware of most of the bodybuilding sites that promote nitric oxide boosting supplements. They are usually loaded with artificial colors and sweeteners, and who knows what else.
So, if you are concerned about your blood pressure, cholesterol, or have a family history of heart disease, you might want to get some of the new supplement.
That’s all for now.
Keep your heart healthy.