Heart attacks are one of the most common disease killers around the world. The risk factors for heart disease can be controlled but some cannot. The leading risk factors include lifestyle habits such as diet and exercise. By applying proactive healthcare choices you can significantly cut your risk of developing heart disease, heart attack and stroke.
Let’s take a
look at the risk factors that you can and cannot control. The key to preventing heart attacks is being
proactive and not waiting until it is too late.
Age & Gender
Your risk of
developing a heart attack goes up significantly with age. Over 80 percent of people who die of heart
disease are 60 years of age or older.
Men have a greater risk of developing a heart attack earlier in
life. Women commonly experience a heart
attack after menopause.
Lifestyle habits
still play a significant role regardless of your age or gender.
Family History
You may be at
risk if you have a family member or parent that has developed heart disease at
an early age. Genetics is no longer the
primary determinant in the development of heart disease. Learned lifestyle habits such as exercise,
nutritional choices and ways to manage stress has been found to play a
significant role.
The good news –
if your mother or father have heart disease, you can still make lifestyle
changes and reduce your risk significantly.
Your choices are not genetic.
Smoking
Your chance of
developing heart disease is two to four times greater if you smoke cigarettes. Smoking damages the arteries, contributes to
cholesterol problems, raises blood pressure and increases the risk of
developing blood clots. Quitting smoking
is one of the most important ways to reduce your risk of suffering a heart
attack.
High Cholesterol & Blood Pressure
One’s
cholesterol and blood pressure measurements are commonly unknown until a
problem arises. These two conditions are
known to be “silent killers”. About one
in three adults have high blood pressure, which makes the heart work harder to
pump blood. Hypertension increases your risk of stroke, heart attack and kidney
failure.
Losing weight,
becoming more physically active, eating less salt and drinking less alcohol can
help to lower blood pressure and cholesterol naturally.
Diabetes
Your risk of
heart disease goes up significantly if you have type 2 diabetes. Diabetes contributes to narrowing of the
arteries, increased cholesterol and risk of arterial plaquing. Women are at greatest risk as they have
smaller arteries based on body size.
Luckily the same
steps that help reduce heart disease also help to reduce diabetes. Exercise and healthy eating not only prevents
these conditions but it has also been found to reverse them.
Losing Weight
People who have
excess body fat—especially around the midsection—are more likely to develop
heart disease and diabetes. Weight
progressively accumulates over time if lifestyle factors are not proactively
managed. Women over the age of 60 are at
the highest risk of obesity, heart disease and diabetes.
Eat plenty of
fish, vegetables and healthy fats such as olive and coconut oil to lose weight
and reduce your risk of developing heart disease and diabetes.
Get Exercise
It is very
common for people to become less active as they get older which increases their
risk of developing heart disease. Simply
by going for a walk will reduce your risk significantly. It is recommended to have 30 minutes of
moderate-level exercise on most days of the week.
The intensity of
the exercise matters more than the type of exercise. It is important to get your heart rate
up. A fast-paced walk will do more for
your heart than a stroll.
Read Food Labels
Always check the
food label before purchasing or consuming any product. The items to look out for are the amount of
sugar, sodium, cholesterol and saturated fat.
The best recommendation is to limit the amount of foods that actually
have a food label.
Fruits,
vegetables, fish and meats do not have a food label. Boxed and canned goods have a food label
because they are highly processed. Food
processing reduces the nutritional value and will put you at greater risk of
developing heart disease.
Eat Fish
One of the best
nutritional interventions to lose weight, lower blood pressure and cholesterol
is to eat fish that contain omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3s have also been shown to slow down
the buildup of plaque and blood clots, which can clog the arteries.
Eat Fruits & Veggies
One of the best
ways to stay heart healthy is to simply eat more of the foods you’ve always
known are good for you. Eat a colorful
variety of fruits and vegetables. It is
common for people to eat more vegetables than fruit because of their sweetness. The sweetness of fruit comes from sugar. Try to consume more vegetables for this
reason alone. However, both fruits and
vegetables are a great source of vitamins and minerals.
Avoid Added Sugar
Sugar is one of
the most important products to avoid.
Sugar is a lot more than the white crystals that you put in your coffee
or tea. Sugar is hidden in every
processed food item in a box or a can.
It is commonly used as an agent to create a dependence on the product as
well.
Sodas, breads,
cereals, boxed goods and even canned vegetables have added sugar. Sugar is a major contributor to weight gain,
diabetes and eventually heart disease.
It produces inflammation in the body which also contributes to
conditions such as arthritis, hormonal imbalances and even cancer.
The human body
doesn’t need sugar to function properly, and the extra calories could go
straight to your waistline. Products
such as Xylitol or the herb stevia are a healthy, sweet alternative that does
not have the same negative effects.
Cut the Salt
To help keep
your blood pressure under control, and therefore lower your risk of heart
disease, limit the amount of salt you consume.
Up to 75% of the salt in the diet comes from processed foods—everything
from soups to salad dressings.
It is
recommended to choose foods without added salt, and preparing home-cooked meals
with little or no salt. All-natural food
items such as fruits, vegetables, fish and lean meats have very little
salt.
The choices that
we make today impact our health tomorrow.
Improve your daily choices and apply the proactive health tips to reduce
your risk of developing the devastating effects of heart disease, heart attack
and stroke.
Dr. Cory Couillard is an international healthcare speaker and columnist for numerous newspapers, magazines, websites and publications throughout the world. He works in collaboration with the World Health Organization's goals of disease prevention and global healthcare education. Views do not necessarily reflect endorsement.
Email: drcorycouillard@gmail.com
Facebook: Dr Cory Couillard
Twitter: DrCoryCouillard
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