Heart Disease - Reduce Your Risk
1.
Quit Smoking.
This is a given, but if you are still spending your hard earned money on cigarettes and increased insurance premiums, consider your life.
Smokers have more than twice the risk for having a heart attack as nonsmokers and are much more likely to die if they suffer a heart attack.
Take control! 2.
Improve your cholesterol levels.
Your risk for heart disease increase as your cholesterol increases.
Keep your HDL "good" cholesterol levels over 40 and your LDL or "bad" cholesterol level under 160 in order to decrease your risk for heart disease.
Of course genetics play a role in your risk for heart related problems, but when you can control the risk factors, do it! 3.
High blood pressure.
You should educate yourself on what your own blood pressure is and have a general idea of what it should be.
When the top number (systolic) is over 140 and/or the lower number (diastolic) is over 90, you are considered hypertensive.
Hypertension can be controlled with medication, proper diet and exercise.
If it is not controlled, it can lead to many health problems including heart disease.
Over 50 million people in the U.
S.
have hypertension, making it the most common heart disease risk factor.
Controlling what you eat and controlling your stress levels can decrease your risk for hypertension, thereby decreasing your risk for heart problems.
4.
Get active! Leading a sedentary lifestyle which means exercising very infrequently or not at all increases your risk for heart disease (and a host of other problems).
People who don't exercise have a higher rate of death and heart related problems compared to people who make a point to get even just a moderate amount of physical activity.
You don't have to go out and run the next marathon, but even walking can lower your risk of heart disease.
Don't be the next statistic! 5.
Eat the right foods.
A heart-healthy diet that is low in saturated fats and cholesterol helps to decrease your risk.
Increase the amounts of antioxidants that you eat everyday (found in many fruits and veggies) as these have been proven to lower your risk for heart disease.
Of course if you are genetically inclined for an increased risk of heart related problems, diabetes or stroke, you may have to work a little harder to keep your risk for heart disease down, making it even more important to follow these tips.
If not, you still need to watch your diet, exercise on a regular basis and monitor your blood pressure.
Age is NOT a factor!
Quit Smoking.
This is a given, but if you are still spending your hard earned money on cigarettes and increased insurance premiums, consider your life.
Smokers have more than twice the risk for having a heart attack as nonsmokers and are much more likely to die if they suffer a heart attack.
Take control! 2.
Improve your cholesterol levels.
Your risk for heart disease increase as your cholesterol increases.
Keep your HDL "good" cholesterol levels over 40 and your LDL or "bad" cholesterol level under 160 in order to decrease your risk for heart disease.
Of course genetics play a role in your risk for heart related problems, but when you can control the risk factors, do it! 3.
High blood pressure.
You should educate yourself on what your own blood pressure is and have a general idea of what it should be.
When the top number (systolic) is over 140 and/or the lower number (diastolic) is over 90, you are considered hypertensive.
Hypertension can be controlled with medication, proper diet and exercise.
If it is not controlled, it can lead to many health problems including heart disease.
Over 50 million people in the U.
S.
have hypertension, making it the most common heart disease risk factor.
Controlling what you eat and controlling your stress levels can decrease your risk for hypertension, thereby decreasing your risk for heart problems.
4.
Get active! Leading a sedentary lifestyle which means exercising very infrequently or not at all increases your risk for heart disease (and a host of other problems).
People who don't exercise have a higher rate of death and heart related problems compared to people who make a point to get even just a moderate amount of physical activity.
You don't have to go out and run the next marathon, but even walking can lower your risk of heart disease.
Don't be the next statistic! 5.
Eat the right foods.
A heart-healthy diet that is low in saturated fats and cholesterol helps to decrease your risk.
Increase the amounts of antioxidants that you eat everyday (found in many fruits and veggies) as these have been proven to lower your risk for heart disease.
Of course if you are genetically inclined for an increased risk of heart related problems, diabetes or stroke, you may have to work a little harder to keep your risk for heart disease down, making it even more important to follow these tips.
If not, you still need to watch your diet, exercise on a regular basis and monitor your blood pressure.
Age is NOT a factor!
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