Heart disease is the number one cause of death in the United States today for both men and women. In years past the prevailing thought was heart attack and strokes “just happen.” There was nothing you could do to stop them. How wrong we were!
Although the damage done by heart disease can’t always be reversed, there are many ways to keep the disease from getting worse. Some of the simplest ways don’t always involve surgery, or even medication — they involve you.
By changing what you eat, losing weight if you weigh more than you should, controlling your blood pressure and getting more exercise, you may begin to feel better than you have in years.
When lifestyle changes alone aren’t enough, your doctor may prescribe medications to help you feel better, or recommend surgery to improve your health.
To reduce your risk of heart disease:
Don’t smoke
Smoking is the single largest risk factor for heart disease, as well as cancer, that you can control. Tobacco smoke can aggravate asthma and poor blood circulation. Children exposed to second-hand smoke experience more colds, pneumonia, bronchitis, and other breathing problems. If you can’t stop smoking on your own, get help from your health care provider, or enroll at a smoking cessation course at a nearby hospital or adult education program.
Keep Your Blood Pressure Under Control
Think of your blood pressure as an indication of the fitness level of your blood vessels. The lower the numbers, the more fit your blood vessels are. A normal blood-pressure reading is 120/80, although a reading of up to 135/85 is still considered healthy. If your blood pressure is consistently higher, see your health-care provider to learn what you should do to lower your blood pressure. To begin with:
- Lose weight, if you need to.
- Limit your alcohol consumption to two drinks, or less, per day.
- Exercise regularly.
- Reduce your salt consumption.
- Reduce the amount of saturated fat and total fat in your diet.
- Stop smoking.
Control Your Cholesterol
Cholesterol readings are given for three measures: high-density lipoproteins (HDL), low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and triglycerides. HDL cholesterol is the “good cholesterol” while LDL cholesterol is the “bad cholesterol.”
If your total cholesterol level is higher than 200 mg/dl, you are considered to be at high risk for heart disease; a reading of 180 mg/dl or less is considered desirable.
Before resorting to medication to control the level of cholesterol in your blood, you can lower your cholesterol by making the following lifestyle changes:
- Cut back on the total amount of fat in your diet.
- Eat two to three servings of fish each week. Fish with darker flesh, such as salmon and halibut, have more of the healthful omega-3 oils that help lower the level of cholesterol in your blood.
- Exercise more.
- Stop smoking.
- Lose weight if you need to.
- Eat more fiber in your diet.
Read more Heart Disease Prevention Tips.
