Excerpt from Bragg’s Healthy Heart Book — Chapter 13
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Second after second, minute after minute, hour after hour, day after day our faithful, loyal heart is working to keep us alive. In both our waking hours and during our sleep, our heart takes only a sixth of a second to rest between beats. The hardest work the heart has to do is right after an individual has eaten. The bigger the meal, the more work it has to do in pumping vast quantities of blood into the digestive tract.
Overeating puts more strain on the heart than any other one thing! Many people load up on a ten-course dinner and soon afterward suffer a heart attack! Overeating is a dangerous, deadly habit that can lead to serious consequences. You should make it a habit to always get up from the table feeling that you could eat a little more. New studies done by the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention, found that one out of five Americans are obese and the rate is climbing yearly – it’s an epidemic! Obesity is defined as anyone over 30% of their ideal body weight. This leads to high triglyceride levels which can cause diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Remember, exercise is a major key factor in lowering weight and helping keep the heart healthy and fit. Fact: only 20% of Americans exercise one hour weekly, yet they spend over 15 hours with TV and the web weekly.
Current obesity studies show increases in all age groups. The biggest gain is in the 18 to 29 years old group at 12.1%, up from 7.1% back in 1991. American children (1 in 3) are more overweight than ever! The number of overweight children ages 6 to 17, has zoomed up since the 1960’s. Overweight children are at high risks for adult on-set heart disease and diabetes. Teach your children healthy eating habits by being a healthy, trim, fit example for them.