You've probably heard tragic stories about people who have literally dropped dead while running a marathon. The man who collapsed in the heat of the 2007 Chicago Marathon already had heart disease. The Harvard University Gazette published an article stating that marathon running can damage a heart - the problems primarily among inappropriately trained runners.

We've heard it before: you are what you eat. Simply prefacing our foods with "low" - low sodium, low fat, low cholesterol, low whatever - is not enough, and we are bombarded with enough confusing information to send us into a tailspin. This isn't just for a weight loss plan, this is to help control the impact of poor food choices upon your heart's well-being. So, how do you begin to make the healthy choices that can help keep your heart beating strong for life?

By Ed Edelson
EmpowHer's HealthDay Reporter

Bypass surgery provides a lower risk of death and heart attacks than stents for people with blockages of at least two heart arteries, a large-scale study indicates.

The finding is far from the last word on the stent-versus-surgery debate in such cases, said study author Dr. Edward L. Hannan, associate dean for research at the State University of New York at Albany School of Public Health. "But there isn't any other study right now that is better than this," he added.

While blood thinning medication allows many women with heart disease to live productive lives, the risk of bleeding creates peril even from small cuts.