Preventing Heart Disease With AFib

Is it Atrial Fibrillation or a Heart Attack?

There are big differences between atrial fibrillation and a heart attack and it's important to know what they are.

Atrial fibrillation is a fluctuation in the electrical circuitry of the heart; and it feels like a fluttering or as a very rapid heartbeat. There is no pain in the chest with atrial fibrillation. This may be followed by a feeling of tiredness, lightheadeness and/or as if you lost your breath. You may also feel weak, fatigued, and confused. It's uncommon for an attack of atrial fibrillation to go into a heart attack; 90% of the time this does not occur.

Signs of a Heart Attack

A heart attack is quite different. The pain in the chest may be a crushing type of pain and it lasts a long time, up to a few minutes and then returns. It may also feel as if your chest is being crushed or you are being squeezed.  It's also common to have nausea, sweating, and the feeling that you have lost your breath. However, the pain felt in a heart attack may also occur in other parts of your body, such as the back, arms, neck, jaw or stomach.

Symptoms of a heart attack may vary in women. In men, it's the crushing pain in the chest, but in women, the pain may be in the jaw or the back and occur along with nausea and vomiting.

Start Preventing Heart Disease

Both atrial fibrillation and a heart attack are types of heart disease. There are many things you can do to prevent heart disease. Some of the most beneficial ways to keep your heart healthy include lifestyle changes such as diet and exercise.

Start preventing heart disease now using some of these diet changes:

1. Stop eating fried foods.
2. Replace your margarine and oils such as vegetable oil, corn oil, canola oil, and soy oil with olive oil, butter, and coconut oil.
3. Eat 8 or more servings of vegetables daily. One serving is defined as 1 cup raw vegetables or ½ cup cooked vegetable.
4. Eat 3 to 4 servings of fruits daily, including berries. One serving of berries is ¾ cup to 1 cup. If you can eat a fruit in your hand, a serving size is the amount you can fit in your hand, such as two apricots or two plums or one smal apple, orange, or pear.
5. Eat foods closer to their raw state (except for meats, fish, and poultry).
6. Choose to not eat foods that are processed or have added sugars and preservatives.
7. Avoid overconsumption of caffeine and caffeinated foods.
8. Drink enough water during the day.
9. Avoid alcohol, keeping it for only special occasions.
10. Consider using herbs that help heal the heart as well as hot peppers.

These may seem like they are difficult guidelines to keep to some people, but you will find they are relatively easy to adhere to if you take them one at a time. For example, you might work on #8 and #9 during the first week to week and a half. Then you could work on #1 and #2 during the next two weeks.  By the 3^rd to 4^th week, you'll want more vegetables and fruits. And by the 5^th to 6^th week, you will naturally be avoiding caffeinated foods and sugary foods. By taking a few positive steps in the right direction, your body responds by helping you continue going in the right direction. Then it starts to heal.