Know Your Heart Risk Factors

Coronary heart disease claims more lives than any other disease in American, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, but if know your heart risk factors, you can reduce the chances of being burdened with heart disease. Although there are some heart risk factors that you cannot control—such as advancing age and heredity—the majority of them can be eliminated or modified by lifestyle choices. 

The American Heart Association has identified these six health and lifestyle factors that significantly increase your chances of developing heart disease:

1. Smoking – Many studies have shown that cigarette smoking is the single greatest threat to your heart. It not only causes heart disease all by itself, but it can lead to other health conditions—such as high blood pressure and blood clots—that cause heart disease. If you smoke, quitting this nasty habit, studies show, will significantly reduce your chances of developing heart disease.
2. High Blood Pressure – This heart risk factors causes your heart to work much harder than it should be working which can, eventually, lead to heart disease. Although heredity can influence your tendency to develop high blood pressure, smoking, obesity, and/or high cholesterol levels greatly increase your chances of developing high blood pressure. 
3. High Cholesterol – High levels of cholesterol in your blood causes plague to form in your coronary arteries. Over time, this plaque can obstruct adequate blood flow to your heart, which will cause heart disease or heart failure. Eating a low cholesterol diet and getting regular exercise will help to lower your cholesterol.
4. Obesity – Studies have shown that obesity is a major heart risk factor, especially if your extra weight is concentrated around your waist. You may think that a few extra pounds is no big deal, but those pounds can cause your heart to work harder, raise your blood pressure, and increase cholesterol levels in your blood—all heart risk factors. So lose those extra pounds. Your heart will thank you.
5. Inactivity – Studies have shown over and over again that exercise is good for your heart. Regular exercise not only strengthens your heart, but it lowers blood cholesterol and may even lower blood pressure. So get off that couch and move that body!
6. Diabetes – Diabetes damages your blood vessels and, as such, is a major heart risk. Fortunately, proper diet can modify this risk factor. Check with your health care provider for tips on how to control your blood sugar levels, your diabetes, and—ultimately—your heart risk factors. 
   

Although these heart risk factors are listed separately, each factor influences the other factors, which is very good news. This means that if you work on just one heart risk factor, you will be working on all of them. So get started! Do it for yourself.  Do it for your heart. 

References:

Risk Factors

Heart Disease Facts