Heart disease or cardiovascular disease (heart conditions that include diseased vessels, structural problems, and blood clots) is the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States. Every year, 1 in 4 deaths are caused by heart disease. Additionally, the Center for Disease Control reports someone has a heart attack every 40 seconds in the United States!
What makes someone at risk for heart disease?
Everyone is at risk for heart disease. But you are at higher risk for heart disease if you:
- Have high cholesterol or high blood pressure
- Smoke
- Are overweight or obese
- Don’t get enough physical activity
- Don’t eat a healthy diet ]
How can your age or family history increase your risk?
Your age and family history also affect your risk for heart disease. Your risk is higher if:
- You are a woman over age 55
- You are a man over age 45
- Your father or brother had heart disease before age 55
- Your mother or sister had heart disease before age 65]
How can we prevent heart disease?
The good news? Heart disease can often be prevented when people make healthy choices and manage their health conditions.
To help prevent heart disease, you can:
- Eat healthy.
- Get active.
- Stay at a healthy weight.
- Quit smoking and stay away from secondhand smoke.
- Control your cholesterol and blood pressure.
- Drink alcohol only in moderation.
- Manage stress.
The heart is considered the strongest muscle in the body due to the work it does every single day so in order to make it as efficient as it can be – we need to take care of it!
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