Eating well, exercising and taking dietary supplements are three ways that modern humans can improve their well-being and promote cardiovascular health. Ancient civilizations did not have the luxury of supplements, and so a recent scientific finding has revealed the oldest known case of heart disease.
The revelation was made at the European Society of Cardiologys International Conference of Non-Invasive Cardiovascular Imaging. Researchers said that, using computed tomography scans, they found that a mummy dating from more than 3,500 years ago showed signs of atherosclerosis.
Theban princess Ahmose-Meryet-Amon, three of whose cardiac arteries were significantly occluded, probably died in her 40s, even though she ate a low-meat diet of primarily grains, vegetables and fruits.
Scientists said that this finding may indicate that humans are genetically inclined to having heart disease, since the mummified Egyptian probably ate well and was not exposed to many of the tobacco- and alcohol-related risk factors that exist today.
With the benefit of advanced technology and scientific health resources, individuals who want to stay healthy longer may feel confident that consuming proper nutrition daily and exercising are steps in the right direction.