Abnormal heart rhythm or cardiac arrhythmia is most commonly caused by atrial fibrillation: atrial fibrillation involves the two larger, upper chambers of the heart and fibrillation is the medical term used to describe "quivering" of the affected muscles of the heart.

Before we take a more detailed look at atrial fibrillation, we must first understand a little about the structure of the heart to better understand what is happening with this condition and how we treat it.

The heart is composed of four chambers; as we have already said, the two larger chambers, known as atria, sit on top of two smaller chambers known as ventricles and each atrium is connected to the lower ventricle. The atrium's job is to take in blood after it has passed through the lungs and which is then rich in oxygen waiting to be delivered to the rest of the body. The atrium then contracts to force this blood into the lower ventricle. The ventricle is smaller than the atrium but much more powerful and when it contracts, this forces the blood out of the heart and around the body under pressure.

It is the double contraction of the atria followed by the ventricles which forms the typical heart beat we hear as a double thud - "duh-dum".

With a-fib, the regular double-beat becomes uncoordinated and this leads to blood not being transferred to the ventricles when it is supposed to - the blood literally misses the beat of the heart.

The actual cause is usually that the electrical signal which coordinates the heart is disrupted or not passing across the heart as it needs to in order to trigger the contraction of the muscles. Disruption is frequently caused by the electrical signal being drowned out by electrical impulses generated elsewhere by the atria or by the pulmonary system. This creates the arrhythmia or irregular heartbeat and an episode may last for a few moments or for an extended period of time, sometimes for years until it is detected.

Fortunately, a-fib is not usually life threatening but a range of symptoms may present themselves and are not generally pleasant - fainting, palpitations, pain in the chest or more seriously, congestive heart failure. Having atrial fibrillation will lead to a higher risk for other illnesses such as strokes due to blood clots forming from the blood which pools in the atrium due not being transferred fully to the ventricle. In general, those with atrial fibrillation are seven times more likely to suffer a stroke than the general population but other risk factors also need to be taken into account.

Treatment for atrial fibrillation includes medication used to slow or regulate the beat of the heart while a pace maker may be fitted to ensure the electrical signal used to regulate the contractions allows for coordinated contractions. Surgery may be performed to prevent atrial fib from recurring which may be minor (inserting a catheter) or major if the heart or electrical generation is significantly damaged. Those with atrial fib are frequently treated with anti-coagulants such as Warfarin to reduce the risk of blood clotting which causes strokes.



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A major contributor to heart disease is high cholesterol, in particular LDL cholesterol. Saturated and hydrogenated fats and trans-fatty acids can raise the level of cholesterol in the blood. Monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats do not raise cholesterol levels and some studies even suggest that they may lower LDL levels when eaten as part of a diet low in saturated fats. So where do we find these fats, what are the types of foods that contain the good and what types contain the bad.

Saturated fats for the most part are found in foods from animals. It is the main dietary cause of high blood cholesterol. Beef, pork, poultry, butter, cream, cheese, and dairy products made with whole or 2 percent milk all contain saturated fat. There are some plant products that contain saturated fat, the main ones are coconut, coconut oil, palm oil, and cocoa butter. When food is processed the fats in the food undergo a chemical process called hydrogenation. It is considered a saturated fat and will be listed as such on nutrition labels. Margarines and shortenings are the most common items with hydrogenated fats.

During the process of hydrogenation, trans-fatty acids are produced. In clinical studies TFA tended to raise the level of blood cholesterol, some believe that they raise it more than saturated fats. In 2006 the FDA made it mandatory to list the TFA content on nutrition labels. A food can be labeled as cholesterol free but if it contains TFA it can raise the LDL levels. Fast food items tend to have high TFA levels and since there are no requirements for them to label fast food consumers are often eating food that is harmful even though it is advertised as cholesterol free. The main source of TFA in the American diet is from partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.

Because of the recent TFA concern and because it is found in margarine the debate started over which is better, butter or margarine. Because butter is high both in saturated fat and dietary cholesterol it is still more harmful to blood cholesterol levels than margarines because they do not have any dietary cholesterol. It should be noted that the more liquid the margarine is, the less TFA it will contain.

Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats are found in fish, nuts, seeds and oils from plants. Salmon, trout, avocados, olives are sources. Liquid oils such as soybean, corn, safflower, canola, olive and sunflower are the ones that should be used.

Studies have shown that both polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats may lower your blood cholesterol when used in place of saturated fats but still should be used in moderation. It is recommended that most of the daily fat intake comes from these types of fat sources such as fish and nuts.

The American Heart Association recommends these fat intake guidelines for a healthy diet:

* Limit total fat intake to no more than 25-35 percent of the daily caloric intake.
* Limit saturated fat to 7 percent of the daily caloric intake.
* Limit trans fat intake to less than 1 percent of the daily caloric intake.
* The remaining fat should come from poly and monounsaturated fat sources.
* Limit daily cholesterol intake to 300mg per day.

The best way to follow these guidelines is to eat smart choices. Choose a diet containing many fruits, vegetables, whole grain, high fiber foods, and low fat or fat free dairy products. Use canola and olive oil most often to cook and to flavor foods. Limit the amount of fried foods in your diet both at home and especially at fast food restaurants.



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Are you worried or concerned about the health of your heart? If you follow the advice of one organization about omega 3 oil, you could be better protected.

These fatty acids are the so called good fats that fall into the essential nutrients group that we need to replenish from our dietary intake. According to the American Heart Association all of us, even people that have nothing wrong with them, should be eating at least two portions of fish a week.

Perhaps there is something to take notice of here, as these types of bodies don't just dish out health advice like this for the sake of it. That aside there is also a large amount of already researched and published evidence that seems to back up the same claims. Let's take a quick look at what the AMA recommends, and which anyone can look at for themselves on their web pages.

If you are looking at trying to lower your triglyceride levels then they say you should be on between 2-4 grams of omega 3 oil every day, taken as a mix of EPA plus DHA, two of the best fatty acids around. The extra piece of advice in this case is because of it being such a large dosage, you ought to be under the guidance of a physician, a good and wise precaution.

They also go on to say that some of the extra heart health benefits from taking such fish oils, is their ability to decrease the risks of arrhythmia which when it occurs, could result in death from sudden cardiac arrest.

Good health is to be valued, so why not take some simple steps and start to include omega 3 oil in your diet, or by taking a suitable capsule.



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As we age, we all seem to become prone to High Blood Pressure, High Cholesterol, and the beginnings of Cardiovascular Diseases. I believe that we do not eat the proper foods that we need to keep our bodies healthy and that we probably do not exercise enough. There are some things that we can do to help keep our bodies healthier.

The first thing we need to do is make ourselves go for a long walk, maybe two walks, every day. The second thing we need to do is watch our calorie intake, and the third thing we need to do is start taking supplements, that will assist our body to stay healthy.

Omega 3 is one of the supplements that, I personally, really believe in.

Their is scientific evidence accumulated from many studies, that support the taking of Omega 3 supplements. It helps to reduce the risk of death, heart attacks, dangerous abnormal heart rhythems, high blood pressure and strokes in people with known cardiovascular disease. It also slows the buildup of plaque in arteries.

I personally really believe in Omega 3's ability to reduce plaque. In Feb. a few years ago, I went to see a chiropractor, as I was having trouble with my back. He took xrays and then brought them in to show me. He said to me "Do you see this long slender bone in your lower back? That is not a bone. That is your artery. Your arteries are so filled with plaque, that they appear to be bone." He strongly recommended Omega 3 supplements. In August, of that same year I visited a Medical Doctor for another problem and I was shocked to discover that my arteries were clear and that my cholesterol was fine. That made me a real believer in Omaga 3.

It is fine, and recommended, to have a healthy diet, and that includes at least a couple of servings a week of omega 3 enriched foods. But I find that I just don't do it. Maybe it is because I live in the Midwest, and we just did not eat fish often. So I faithfully take my Omega 3 supplements every day. The side benefit for me, that I have not seen in the studies done on Omega 3, is that my always extremely dry skin is no longer extremely dry. For me, that is a very valuable benefit.



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