Heart is the most important organ of a human's body. When heart stops, everything will come to the end. Some people call the heart "the powerhouse" of the body - the engine that drives blood to all the organs in your body. When the arteries become narrower or blocked due to various reasons - ageing, poor diet, unhealthy lifestyle, coronary heart disease occurs.

The following 8 questions are commonly posed by people to cardiologists on how to maintain a healthy heart. Typical answers to these questions were taken from one of the many cardiologists and are compiled below for your reference:

1. How can I know whether I have a healthy heart?
   Apart from conditions such as hole in the heart, heart muscle disease, and heart rhythm abnormality, coronary heart disease will take years to develop and may be silent for a long time before its conditions surface. In the early phase, there are practically no symptoms or signs. But if you experience chest pain and/or breathlessness with exertion or at rest, perhaps it is time for you to seek help from doctors for tests to confirm the presence of coronary heart disease.

2. What should I do to ensure that my heart is healthy?
   High cholesterol, high blood pressure, and smoking are the three important causes of damage to artery wall. You should make sure you are away from the three risk factors. Meanwhile, you should be more proactive and see your doctor and do blood tests, electrocardiogram and treadmill stress tests on a regular interval.

3. Are there any particular types of food I should eat?
   Take steamed, grilled or boiled fish and lean meat, and plenty of fruits and vegetables. Try to avoid trans fats that are found in pies, cookies and fries.

4. Do I need supplements?
   Recent studies showed that high dose of vitamins B6, B12, and folic acid could not reduce the risk of heart attacks or heart related deaths.

5. What are the risks for heart disease?
   Besides high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and smoking, diabetes, obesity, and physical inactivity are important risks, too.

6. If I am already predisposed to heart diseases, do I need to watch my cholesterol?
   Certainly, especially LDL, or what is known as the bad cholesterol, must be lowered to below 100, and for some people, to as low as 70.

7. When does my heart start going downhill?
   Plaque build-up starts from childhood, and it is important that fried foods, candies, fries, and soft (sweetened) drinks are discouraged among children.

8. How do I avoid triggers for sudden heart failure?
   You should not stop your statin, blood pressure, or diabetic medicines if you are already on them. Sudden, strenuous, and unaccustomed exertion should be avoided.

Remember, well taking care of your heart is important and it is your duty. Having all the advices from the doctors and professionals is not good enough unless you do it immediately.