Heart disease signs and symptoms vary depending on which form of heart disease is present, but experts agree that proper nutrition and regular exercise are an important part of treating and preventing cardiovascular disease.

According to a September 2006 survey, 99% of Washington state family physicians agree that nutrition is important and that they as doctors have a responsibility to give dietary advice.

However, there was little agreement about the best heart disease diet to recommend. For example, 57% of the physicians were aware that fish oil plays a role in heart disease prevention, but only 17% highly recommended dietary consumption of fish.

Coronary artery heart disease signs and symptoms include shortness of breath, irregular or quickened heartbeat, weakness, dizziness, nausea and sweating.

Generally, research concerning the best heart disease diet focuses on coronary artery disease. This is the condition that occurs when plaque builds up in the blood vessels leading to the heart, limiting blood supply and often leading to heart attack or heart failure. Research focuses on this disease because many of the risk factors are considered controllable and because it is considered a global epidemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) with more than 17 million deaths occurring worldwide every year.

The World Health Organization reports that while coronary heart disease signs and symptoms resulting in death and disability are decreasing in many developed countries, there has been an increase in this condition in developing and transitional countries, indicating that socio-economic factors are involved.

The typical Japanese diet has been promoted as the best heart disease diet by some, but interestingly, when Japanese people migrate to the United States, their risk of heart disease increases to the same level as those born in the country. Apparently, diet changes when one moves.

The research concerning the low prevalence of coronary heart disease signs and symptoms in people with high dietary intake of omega-3 fatty acids is nearly thirty years old. Dyerberg-Bang based this supposition on casual observation of Greenlandic Inuit.

A more recent study by the Department of Neurological Surgery at the University of Virginia found that coronary heart disease was present in 26% of Alaskan Eskimos over the age of 55, even though their average daily consumption of omega-3s was about 3-4 grams per day. 1-2 grams per day has been used in research relating to the best heart disease diet and the average American consumes less than a half a gram per day. Only 6% of the Alaskan Eskimos under the age of 55 exhibited coronary heart disease signs and symptoms.

After reading these findings, one may think that the study group is saying that fish is not a factor in the best heart disease diet, but the same group concluded that high consumption of omega-3 fatty acids protects against the development of metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is a combination of medical problems that increases ones risk for developing heart disease signs and symptoms, as well as diabetes.

There is an enormous amount of information and research relating to the best heart disease diet. It would be impossible to relate all of it to you here in this one article. The American Heart Association publishes an annual recipe book for those who suffer from heart disease signs and symptoms or for those who simply want to maintain a healthy heart. What follows is a synopsis of recommendations made by dietary experts, doctors, scientists and researchers.

The build up of plaque in the coronary arteries is caused by inflammation resulting from LDL (bad) cholesterol irritating the lining of the arteries.

LDL cholesterol can only effectively be removed from the blood stream by HDL (good) cholesterol. Smoking decreases levels of circulating HDL cholesterol. Obesity increases inflammation in the arteries. C-reactive protein, found in most meat, circulating in the blood stream increases inflammation and can be reduced by an increase in consumption of the B vitamins and folic acid.

The best heart disease diet, therefore, can be enhanced by adding natural anti-inflammatories, like those found in mangosteen health supplements and adding B-vitamins and folic acid, also found in mangosteen. LDL cholesterol must be oxidized in order to form into plaque, anti-oxidants prevent this oxidation.

The mangosteen, in particular, contains numerous anti-oxidants. Only available in the form of a puree or juice in most areas of the world, the mangosteen fruit is commonly eaten in Thailand, one of the areas with the lowest number of lost years of healthy life due to coronary heart disease signs and symptoms.

Mike Leuthen is chief editor of http://www.restore-your-health.com Visit us on the web to learn more about heart disease and what you can do to protect yourself.