Reducing the Risk of Sudden Cardiac Death: It Starts with Fundamentals Sudden cardiac death (SCD) remains one of the leading causes of natural death in the United States. What makes it especially concerning is that many individuals who experience a sudden cardiac event were unaware they were at elevated risk including many women. The good news? Lifestyle matters profoundly. What the Research Shows A landmark study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association analyzed data from the Nurses' Health Study, which followed approximately 81,000 women over 26 years. Researchers evaluated four core lifestyle factors and their association with risk of sudden cardiac death: Not smoking Maintaining a Body Mass Index (BMI) under 25 Exercising at least 30 minutes daily Following a Mediterranean-style dietary pattern (rich in vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, whole grains, fish, and moderate alcohol intake) Each individual factor was associated with significant reductions…

Deficiency of vitamin E is more predictive of heart disease and cardiac death than any other single factorOne of the most important nutrients to protect the heart is vitamin E. Yet according to a study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, only 8% of adult men and 2.4% of adult women in the US met the Estimated Average Requirements (EARs) for alpha-tocopherol intake. Even worse, EARs are about 20% lower than the Recommended Daily Allowances (RDAs).Although many factors are involved in creating heart disease low levels of vitamin E are more predictive of heart disease and cardiac death than any other single factor. Vitamin E inhibits the oxidation of LDL cholesterol, preventing atherosclerosis. When you prevent atherosclerotic plaque, you automatically help to lower blood pressure.In 1910, when heart disease was relatively rare, most people got at least 100 IU a day from freshly milled and baked stone ground whole wheat bread. Yet almost all Americans today…