If you’re over forty, there is a great chance that you will at some point experience either minor or major heart attack. Frankly, it is a statistical fact.

And although most people know the clear symptoms of a major heart attack (chest pain leading into the neck, back and left arm), most of the minor symptoms leading up to it go unnoticed… until you’re in the ambulance or worse.

Studies show that up to 80% of people have subtle heart attack symptoms for a month before the major heart attack hits. Imagine how many deaths could be prevented if people sought help that early.

Heart attack symptoms also vary a lot between men and women. So what’s right for you might not be so for your spouse or a parent.

Noticing a heart attack before it hits will save your life. That’s why in today’s feature article, I’ll tell you about some of the symptoms to look out for and tests you can take to protect your heart.

Let’s begin by looking at different symptoms for men and women.

Heart Attack Symptoms for Women:

Women tend to have less “traditionally known” symptoms of heart attacks.

Whereas 30% of women experience chest pain a month before a heart attack, 80% experience more subtle symptoms such as fatigue, heartburn or indigestion problems, shortness of breath, anxiety, excess sweating and dizziness.

Women also tend to suffer heart attacks ten years later in age than men so they may confuse these symptoms with some other health problem they’re experiencing.

It is however important for women not to ignore the more obvious symptoms (more common in men) just it is for men not to ignore the subtle symptoms (more common in women).

Heart Attack Symptoms in Men:

[adrotate group=”5″] Most men feel some kind of pain or angina in the chest. You may experience it like pressure, heaviness, tightness, or even a burning sensation in the chest. It often occurs with discomfort spreading to the back, jaw, throat, or arm

Other common symptoms are tiredness, shortness of breath, heart palpitations or irregular heartbeat, a sensation of fainting and swelling of the legs.

Why You Get Heart Attacks

The function of how a heart attack happens is well known. Over the years the arteries around the heart harden and plaque begins to build up narrowing them even further. When this plaque becomes loose, it shoots into narrower parts of the arteries, completely blocking the blood flow.

So it isn’t the narrowing of the arteries or plaque that causes the heart attack as long as the plaque stays in its place. It however makes it harder for the heart to pump and that’s what causes those pre-symptoms.

It’s like house of cards. With every card you add, you know the risk increases.

There is nothing alternative medicine can do once your heart attack hits. If you experience any of the above symptoms for more than a few minutes, call 911 immediately. Don’t wait until you’re sure it’s a heart attack, as it may be too late.

However if you go for some simple tests and find out that you’re at great risk of having a heart attack, there is plenty you can do using alternative medicine to reduce your risk. For instance, softening and widening the arteries and remove the plaque that has been building up can make a big difference.

Testing for Heart Attack Risk:

EKG or ECG provides information about the rhythm of your heart and indicates damage to your heart muscles. Your doctor places electrodes on your skin which record the electrical activities of your heart. The real benefit is to have this test done regularly so your doctor can track any changes in your heart’s rhythm.

The traditional stress test is used to evaluate if there is enough supply of blood to the heart muscles. Your doctor will have you ride a stationary bike or walk on a treadmill while monitoring your heart rate and blood pressure. Again, taking this test regularly and monitoring changes over time is its greatest benefit.

A Holter monitor is somewhat similar to the EKG test except it records your heart’s activity over a period of one or two days. You wear this monitor night and day and keep a log of your activities. It’s therefore much more accurate than just taking a snap shot of your condition while in the doctor’s office. Your doctor will only give you a Holter monitor if he/she expects any problems. With new technology, you will however probably soon (if not already) be able to buy similar monitors and hook it up with your cell phone.

One of the most detailed tests for plaque and calcium build up is Cardiac Computerized Tomography (Cardiac CT). It produces a detailed 3D picture of your heart and its blood vessels.

How to Use These Tests

Too often doctors run all these tests only to then describe dangerous cholesterol lowering and blood pressure medications possibly even followed by unnecessary surgery.

Although I’m a big fan of great technology in testing, I recommend using it in a different way. I recommend you take thorough and complete responsibility for your health.

– Change your diet
– Change your lifestyle
– Lower your blood pressure
– Reduce Stress
– Exercise more
– Enjoy life to its fullest

Then after a while, take these tests again. Have your doctor monitor your progress. Experience how your stress test improves, how your heart rhythm becomes better and maybe even watch the plaque in the heart disappear.

As soon as high blood pressure begins to drop naturally, the arteries begin to rebuild themselves. As soon as you naturally lower your bad cholesterol, the plaque in the heart begins to wear down. Studies have proven this. But you reap none of those benefits from using traditional medications. They only provide partial benefit.

Where to begin?

The Internet is an endless source of information on natural health. This website includes hundreds of articles on various methods to beat heart disease. And then we of course have the very popular health programs written by some of the leading experts in natural health. In association with this article, I recommend two programs:

The simple guide explaining the exact steps I used to clear my arteries of almost all plaque and get my cholesterol under control in less than 30 days is perfect. You can learn more about the cholesterol program here…

The easy blood pressure exercises that help almost everyone drop their blood pressure below 120/80 as soon as today is also extremely effective. You can learn more about the blood pressure exercises here…

But first, before doing anything else, please leave your comments below.