Know someone who has heart disease?  My Grandfather Meredith died of a heart attack at 63, after lingering for 2 weeks in his two-flat on the west side of Chicago in 1944.  With him went his dreams of retiring with my grandmother to a cottage on Lake Geneva in Wisconsin, which reminded him of the southwestern part of Michigan where he'd grown up.

I'm sure you could add your own stories of friends or relatives who have had a heart attack or stroke.  It's still the #1 killer of both men and women.  More women die of heart disease than of all forms of cancer combined, which surprises many women.

Did you know that 47% of sudden cardiac deaths occur outside a hospital?  Did those people have symptoms they didn't recognize?  Ignored?  Probably there was some of both.  Would prevention have made a difference?  Yes, most likely.

So how can you prepare?  Let's start with 5 Shaklee products that form the core of heart health: OmegaGuard, CoQHeart, Fiber Plan, Cholesterol Regulation Complex and/or Cholesterol Reduction Complex.  To these I'd add a few basics, such as Soy Protein or Cinch and either Vita-Lea (multi) or Vitalizer (strips of vitamins).

OmegaGuard   Remember hearing about 20 years ago that omega-3 fatty acids were the reason that Eskimos didn't get heart disease?  Their diet was very heavy in fish - and especially the darker, oilier fish.
OmegaGuard is the latest Shaklee formulation of those very heart-protective omega-3s.  There are 7 of them, including EPA, DHA & ALA.  These come from whole fresh fish. 

Have you heard that you need to be wary of toxins in fish?  That's true.  OmegaGuard is completely free of toxins, meeting the highest standards for quality and purity.  You get higher levels of EPA & DHA per serving than from other brands. 

OmegaGuard reduces the risk of plaque formation in the arteries.  It also reduces triglycerides, cholesterol, elevated blood pressure, and inflammation.  It's essential for the brain in preventing Alzheimer's and learning disabilities.  Pregnant women also take omega-3s for brain and eye development in the fetus.

I'll give you information on the other 4 heart helps in Part 2.