By Kac Young ND, PhD, DCH
Continued from part 1 of this article…..
Signs of Heart Failure (2)
Heart failure means the heart is not functioning as well as it should. Some early warning signs may include:
• Weight gain. If your heart starts to fail and fluid starts to build up in your tissue, causing edema, you might see a sudden weight gain.
• Frequent urination. Heart failure may cause decreased blood flow to the kidneys, which causes you to retain more fluid. One of the signs of this fluid may be frequent urination.
• Cataracts. Although the exact connection is not known, studies show that people who have cataracts are at higher risk for heart disease, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.
• Nighttime cough. “One of the signs of heart failure may be the build-up of fluid in the chest and heart when lying flat at night. This pressure can cause a nighttime cough.
These warning signs may have several different causes. They do not automatically mean you have, or will get, heart disease. But combined with other heart disease signs and symptoms, blood tests, and your family history, they provide your doctor with information to detect heart disease early on.
“Signs like ankle swelling or weight gain do not necessarily mean you have heart disease, but taken together with diagnosis of heart disease or heart failure,” says Carl E. Orringer, MD,(3) director of preventive cardiovascular medicine at the University Hospitals Case Medical Center in Cleveland.
The real message here is to pay attention. Don’t just assume that one condition is not related to a bigger issue. Chronic swelling may be an indication that you have inflammation present in your body. Inflammation that does not subside is a key factor in heart disease. Mention symptoms to your doctor so he or she can order the proper tests that may, in fact, save your life!
Reference:
(1) http://www.everydayhealth.com/heart-health/surprising-physical-signs-of-heart-disease.aspx?xid=tw_everydayhealth_sf
(2) Chris Iliades, MD
(3) http://www.everydayhealth.com/heart-health/surprising-physical-signs-of-heart-disease.aspx?xid=tw_everydayhealth_sf
– Kac Young, a former television director and producer, has earned a PhD in Natural Health and is a Doctor of both Clinical Hypnotherapy and Naturopathy. She is the author of 10 books. Heart Easy is a system of nutritionally sound, delicious meals that promote heart health, long life and taste great. In the Heart Easy Cook Book sound nutritional advice is followed by family favorites that have been turned into heart healthy meals anyone can make and everyone will love.