But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. Daniel 1:8
Daniel during the time of King Nebuchadnezzar did not object to schooling he will undergo nor to the change of name; but he would not accept the portion of the king’s meat nor his wine. Daniel knew that partaking of the king’s meat and wine has its adverse effects in the body.
In our present time, if we analyze the nutrient content of the meat offered by King Nebuchadnezzar to Daniel, we would surely find that it is rich in cholesterol. Dietary cholesterol is found primarily in animal and animal products, such as eggs, meat and cheese.
Daniel and his companions during the time of captivity were in their youth. If a person takes high level of cholesterol in their diet in their youth, then when they reach adulthood, surely he/she would suffer the effects of such diet. Coronary artery disease is one of the major disease that is associated with the intake of high cholesterol diet.
CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE
Coronary artery disease, also called coronary heart disease, is the No. 1 killer in United States of America, affecting more than 13 million Americans.
CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE PROCESS
Certain foods can cause the body to make too much of a substance called cholesterol. Cholesterol can combine with fat, calcium, and other substances in the blood to form plaque in the blood vessels. Plaque then slowly builds up and hardens in the arteries, causing them to narrow. This buildup of plaque, a condition called atherosclerosis, can lead to coronary artery disease or heart disease, heart attack and stroke.
From a young age, cholesterol laden plaque can start to deposit in the blood vessel walls. As you get older, the plaque builds up, causing inflammation of the blood vessel walls and raising the risk of blood clot formation with eventual blockage of the blood vessel. The plaques release chemicals that promote the process of healing but make the inner walls of the blood vessel sticky. Then, other substances, such as inflammatory cells, lipoproteins, and calcium that travel in the bloodstream start sticking to the inside of the vessel walls. In some cases, a blood clot may totally block the blood supply to the heart muscle, causing heart attack.
Symptoms of Coronary Artery Disease
The most common symptom of coronary artery disease is angina, or chest pain. Angina can be described as a viselike heaviness, pressure, aching, burning, numbness, fullness, squeezing or painful feeling at the middle or left side of the chest. Angina is usually felt below the breast bone and may radiate to the left shoulder, arms, neck, back, or jaw.
Treatment of Coronary Artery Disease
Treatment for coronary artery disease involves making lifestyle changes, taking medications and undergoing invasive and/or surgical procedures.
Lifestyle changes involves reducing risk factors. If you smoke, stop smoking. Avoid high-cholesterol foods and adopt a low-fat, low-salt diet. Exercise more to maintain a healthy weight. When healthy foods are taken, coronary artery disease can be stop and can even be reversed.
If making lifestyle changes isn’t enough to control your heart disease, medications may be needed to help your heart work more efficiently and receive more oxygen-rich blood.
Common procedures to treat coronary artery disease include angioplasty, stent placement, and coronary artery bypass surgery. All of these procedures increase blood supply to your heart, but they do not cure coronary heart disease. You will still need to decrease your risk factors to prevent future disease.
DARE TO BE A DANIEL?
Daniel during the time of King Nebuchadnezzar did not object to schooling he will undergo nor to the change of name; but he would not accept the portion of the king’s meat nor his wine. Daniel knew that partaking of the king’s meat and wine has its adverse effects in the body. Dare to be a Daniel of the present times?