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The Dangers of Heart Surgery: What You Should Know

heart disease

The Dangers of Heart Surgery: What You Should Know

It is no coincidence that coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death in Australia. A sedentary lifestyle, poor diet and high levels of stress are just some of the reasons for this. Many people see heart surgery as an easy fix and a solution to their heart problems. Yet, they don’t realise exactly what is involved in such surgery or the dangers involved in it. The fact is, heart surgery is major and carries with it big risks, yet, it is merely a band-aid solution to a deeper problem.

 

Why is heart surgery so dangerous?

Heart surgery is very dangerous and carries with it some serious risks. It can take many months to recover fully, and in the meantime you are liable to infections or injury if you do not take the right precautions. On average, surgery can take up to five hours and the recovery time can vary from person to person.

Some of the most common risks of heart surgery include: chest wound infections, heart attack or stroke, irregular heartbeat, lung or kidney failure, blood clots, pneumonia and blood loss.

The recovery from heart surgery can be very painful, and most people find that they need to take pain medication for some time following surgery.

 

What are the risks?

Surgery comes with some inherent risks. While heart surgery may act as a band-aid solution to the problem, it cannot prevent future heart attacks or strokes. It can deal with existing arterial blockages, but cannot prevent new ones from forming. Yet, while doctors may encourage an increase in exercise or a healthy diet, in reality, there is very little emphasis placed on proper lifestyle changes. One look at the average hospital food menu alone is proof of this! Therefore, heart problems will often go on to manifest themselves in more serious conditions, such as further heart attacks or strokes.

High blood pressure–from which most sufferers of heart disease suffer–is in itself a risk factor for post-operative complications. Stroke, obesity and taking certain medications also increase the risk of heart surgery.

You will be put under general anaesthesia. This alone carries with it risks.

 

What can be done to avoid heart surgery?

Making lifestyle changes can absolutely improve your cardiovascular health and lower your chances of needing heart surgery. Regularly taking certain herbs such as cayenne, garlic, red clover and hawthorn berry (wouldn’t you know it?…the very herbs in my heart formula!) can help promote clean blood, elasticity in the veins and great cholesterol scores.

Making a decision to make regular exercise a part of your life is crucial in getting that blood pumping, maintaining a healthy weight and staying away from the surgeon’s scalpel.

Diet is one of the most important changes you can make. I recommend a whole-food, plant-based diet for my patients, in line with the work of Dr. Michael Gregor and Colon T Campbell (the author of ‘The China Study’) which concluded that this is the best diet for preventing and treating heart disease.

 

When it comes down to it…

I’m sure you will agree with me that we are not living long enough. This really is a sad indictment of our society when the average life expectancy for a man is 83 years, and an average life expectancy of a woman is 82 years.

In fact, a Dutch study (namely, one of the most scientific and most up-to-date) published in the prestigious medical journal ‘The Lancet’ concluded that the Dutch ‘culture’ of high exercise and healthy eating are what keeps them in shape and healthy. By contrast, the Dutch have a very low rate of coronary heart disease. This proves that we really do have to get up and walk!

The bottom line is that there is no simple answer to heart disease. Either you make a commitment to permanent lifestyle changes, and include heart herbs as one of those changes, or you risk being one of the three quarters of Australians at risk of developing the condition. It is good to know, though, that little changes we make can have a big impact on our heart health. 

Comments 2

  1. Where can I get Hawthorne in liquid
    Formula?
    I used to take it for years but the health shop has been closed
    Thank you

  2. I am onto my 2nd bottle of Arteries Ease & have 2 more in the cupboard. My arteries have major blockages in my abdominal & the doctors want to operate & give me artificial arteries from below my heart to my groin. How long should I wait before I have another CT scan to see if they are clearing to avoid surgery? I have also changed my diet guided by a nutritionist given up smoking.

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