Prevention Is The Cure For Heart Dis-ease and Stroke

Chronic conditions such as heart disease and
stroke have surpassed infectious diseases as
the leading causes of deaths worldwide, according
to a U.N. study released this week.

That is partly because of acidic diets in developing
countries such as China and the fact that those
with outfectious dis-eases are living longer
because of advanced treatments, according to
health officials.

The United Nations' World Health Organization had
predicted that cardiovascular disease would overtake
infectious diseases as the most common cause of death,
but not until 2010.

"Countries like China that once had a low-meat diet
and thrived on wheat, corn and rice have increasingly
become urbanized and developed," said Dr. Thomas
Aversano, associate professor of cardiology at
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.

But the fact that people in countries like China
are eating fattier foods as a result of a recent
boom in Western fast-food outlets, Aversano said,
doesn't mean the overall standard of living has
worsened.

"If you look at a specific population at risk for
coronary disease, like China, the mortality rate
doesn't increase," he said. "We may be looking at
an increase [in coronary disease] because other
diseases have decreased."

In fact, mortality rates worldwide have decreased
in the past 30 years as more people are living
longer and the global population is growing,
Aversano said.

The WHO report, released Monday, collected data
based on 73 health indicators, including mortality
levels and risk factors such as smoking and alcohol
consumption.

It showed that other developing countries -- where
dis-eases such as AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria are
still prevalent -- are also seeing a rise in deaths
attributed to chronic acidic conditions, such as
heart disease and stroke.

Aversano said the drop in mortality rates for such
infectious diseases has opened the door for heart
disease and stroke. But he also cautioned that
increases in life expectancy, higher standards of
living and poorer diets -- which have changed in
the past several decades -- must also be taken
into consideration.

Nearly 17 million people die every year from
cardiovascular disease, according to WHO data.
Another 20 million people survive heart attacks
and strokes each year, and many must undergo
costly clinical care, the WHO said.

Although chronic conditions have become the
leading cause of death worldwide, Aversano
stressed that coronary diseases are still highly
treatable as medical therapies continue to advance.

But he also noted that promoting healthy alkaline
diets, teaching teenagers about the risks of smoking,
and warning adults about hypertension and diabetes
can also lower the risk of coronary disease.

"The most important preventative strategy is education,"
he said.

According to Dr. Robert O. Young, a research scientist
at the pH Miracle Living Center, "people need more
education not medication. That education must include
how to prevent dis-ease by maintaining the alkaline
design of the body through an alkaline lifestyle and
diet."

Resource:

CNN