In addition to the quality of care you receive in the city you live, there are some real effects that are actually related to where you live that will have a profound influence on your risk of heart disease.

If you are able to avoid the harsh winter climates with their radically reduced sunlight exposure, you will go a long way toward lowering your risk of heart disease.

This is related to the fact that sunlight on your skin produces vitamin D, and optimum vitamin D levels are a powerful influence on the amount of calcification that occurs inside your blood vessels.

Additionally, regardless of what studies Iike  the fattest and fittest cities in the United States may imply, living in a "fat city" doesn't prevent you at all from making the changes you need to optimize your health. That may be the "lesson" behind this study of short-term survival rates and treatments for heart attacks that vary widely based on where patients live.

The fact is, you can greatly reduce your chances of ever needing an angioplasty -- no matter where you live -- by making simple lifestyle changes, such as learning how to eat the right foods for your body's unique nutritional type or starting an exercise program today.

Contrary to what you hear on the news, it is not the saturated fat in the foods we eat that is causing all of this heart disease, but rather, and far more, it is the excess carbohydrates from our starch- and sugar-laden diet that is making people fat and unhealthy, and leading to epidemic levels of a host of diseases such as diabetes and later, heart disease.

The bottom line is this: most of us need to reduce our intake of grains, including corn-based foods, and all sweets and potatoes, dramatically. Any meal or snack high in carbohydrates generates a rapid rise in blood glucose and then insulin to compensate for the rise in blood sugar.

The insulin released from eating too many carbohydrates promotes fat and makes it more difficult for the body to lose fat, and excess weight is one of the major contributors to heart disease. You can find out more about the impact of grains on health in my book, Total Health Program. Also, review my nutrition plan to get your diet on the right track.

It's important not to get caught up in the "no-fat" craze. Some saturated fats are necessary and beneficial to human health. For instance, coconut oil, a medium-chain saturated fat, can actually help you to lose weight, lower cholesterol, improve diabetic conditions and reduce your risk of heart disease.

Omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in oily fish and fish oils, also protect against heart disease. Studies have shown that omega-3 works by preventing the buildup of fatty deposits in the arteries.

One of the best ways to make sure you have enough omega-3 in your diet is by regularly consuming fish oil. It's important to use a high-quality oil to ensure that the product is fresh and purified of mercury and other toxins. Carlson's fish oil is the best brand I've come across; you can look for it in your local health food store or in our online store.

Vitamin K, which can be found in ample quantities in leafy green vegetables and natto, a fermented soy product, and, to a lesser extent, in eggs, is another necessary component of an anti-heart-disease diet.

Vitamin K helps to prevent hardening of the arteries, which is a common factor in coronary artery disease and heart failure. If you feel you are unable to obtain enough vitamin K from fresh vegetables, then you might want to consider the form of vitamin K that we carry in our store.

Of course, exercise is a great way to strengthen your heart and cardiovascular system. Even low- to moderate-intensity exercise, such as walking or gardening, can have great benefits.

However, the most common contributing factor to heart disease--and for that matter, cancer--is unresolved emotional stresses. Anger, stress, guilt, sadness--really any emotion that doesn't make you feel good--can lead to heart attacks and strokes. Even the best diet in the world is not likely to overcome the damage created by lingering emotional stresses.

So how can you resolve your emotional issues and get rid of negative feelings? My favorite way is with the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), which involves tapping your body's energy meridians while voicing positive affirmations.

This works to clear the "short-circuit"--the emotional block--from your body's bioenergy system. Although this may sound strange, I encourage you to try it for yourself. You can review my free 25-page EFT manual for more information.

Remember, you don't have to get heart disease. Regardless of what stage your health is at right now, you can make major improvements by changing your lifestyle to one that promotes health rather than discourages it.