Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States and is a major cause of disability. The most common heart disease is coronary heart disease, which often appears as a heart attack.
It is important to realize that heart disease is a lifelong condition – once you get it, you’ll always have it. That’s why it is so vital to take action now to prevent this disease.
Risk Factors
Many heart disease risk factors can be controlled by making changes in your lifestyle and, in some cases, by taking medication. Risk factors that you can control include:
- Smoking. Cigarette smoking greatly increases the risk of heart attack and stroke, as well as lung cancer and other serious diseases. The rewards of quitting is enormous. Just one year after you stop smoking, your heart disease risk will drop by more than half.
- High Blood Pressure. High blood pressure can lead to heart disease, stroke, congestive heart failure and kidney disease.
- High Blood Cholesterol. The higher your low-density lipoprotein (LDL) number, the higher your risk of heart disease. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) is known as “good” cholesterol because it helps remove cholesterol from your blood. An HDL level of less than 40 increases your risk for heart disease; 60 or higher is protective.
- Overweight/Obesity. If you are overweight or obese, you are more likely to develop heart disease, even if you have no other risk factors. Overweight also increases the risks for stroke, congestive heart failure, gallbladder disease, diabetes, arthritis, breathing problems, as well as breast, colon, and other cancers.
- Physical Inactivity. Not getting regular physical activity increases your risk for heart disease, as well as other heart disease risk factors, such as high blood pressure, diabetes and weight gain.
- Diabetes. Diabetes is a major risk factor for heart disease, stroke, kidney failure and other diseases.
Healthy Lifestyle
Diet and nutrition, exercise and fitness
A healthy diet and lifestyle are the best weapons you have to fight heart disease. Many people make it harder than it is. It is important to remember that it is the overall pattern of the choices you make that counts. As you make daily food choices, base your eating pattern on these recommendations:
- Choose lean meats and poultry without skin and prepare them without added saturated and trans fat.
- Select fat-free, 1% fat, and low-fat dairy products.
- Cut back on foods containing partially hydrogenated vegetable oils to reduce trans fat in your diet.
- Cut back on foods high in dietary cholesterol. Aim to eat less than 300 mg of cholesterol each day.
- Cut back on beverages and foods with added sugars.
- Choose and prepare foods with little or no salt. Aim to eat less than 2,300mg of sodium per day (or less than 1,500 mg if you are in a higher risk group for high blood pressure).
- If you drink alcohol, drink in moderation. That means no more than one drink per day if you’re a woman and two drinks per day if you’re a man.
- Keep an eye on your portion sizes.
Quitting smoking and physical activity in your daily life is an important step to preventing heart disease. You can take a few simple steps at home, at work, and at play to increase the amount of physical activity in your life.
References: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; National Heart Lunch and Blood Institute; American Heart Disease Association.
