The chemicals inhaled while smoking can damage your arteries, lower your blood oxygen level, raise your blood pressure, and increase the risk of clotting. Smokers are two to four times more likely to have a heart attack or stroke. Smoking also affects the health of the people around you.

High blood pressure/hypertension can affect anyone’s health and increase their risk of heart attacks or strokes. Since there are usually no warning signs, it is important to get checked regularly. Your blood pressure rises and falls throughout the day, but if it remains elevated for three consecutive readings, you should consult your physician.

Cholesterol is a fatty, waxy substance carried in the bloodstream. Cholesterol is essential for cell function, but too much can increase your risk of heart disease. Your liver and other cells produce 75% of your blood cholesterol, but the other 25% is from the foods you eat. A family history of high cholesterol is also a major contributor.

Diabetes occurs when the body can’t properly process sugar because of a lack of insulin or because the insulin doesn’t work effectively. It increases the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and high cholesterol.

You don’t have to be skinny to be healthy. Begin your journey to better health by:

• Eating a Variety of Foods Daily (Including Veggies, Whole Grains, Fruit, Nuts, and Seeds)
• Choosing Healthier Fats and Oils
• Limiting Sugary, Fatty, and Salty Take-Away Meals and Snacks
• Drinking Mainly Water

Exercising 30 minutes every day, even in 30-minute chunks, helps reduce your risk of heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and high blood pressure.

As you age, you need to maintain a healthy weight. Eating healthy and staying active daily are key to achieving this.

Stress affects your body, mind, and behavior. Recognizing and managing stress symptoms can prevent high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and other health concerns.

Though there are some risk factors you can combat, like the ones above, there are also some you can’t really do anything about.

The older you get, the higher the risk for heart disease due to changes in the heart and blood vessels. This can cause your heart to beat more slowly during physical activity or times of stress. Adjusting your workout routine and/or diet can help decrease your risk.

Your ethnic background can affect the likelihood of developing a heart-related illness because certain ethnicities are more susceptible to them. For example, people of African descent are disproportionately sensitive to salt, which causes them to have high blood pressure.

If one or more of your blood relatives has had heart disease, then you are automatically at risk. If one of your parents experienced heart disease at a young age (younger than 55), then your risk is 60% to 75% higher.

If you have already experienced certain medical issues, then your chances of suffering from a heart-related illness are higher. These health problems include:

• Angina
• Heart Attack
• Angioplasty
• Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting
• Stroke
• Problems with Circulation to Your Legs
• Some Genetic Lipid Disorders
• Diabetes-Causing Kidney Impairment

For each hour of regular exercise that you complete, you gain two hours of additional life expectancy, even if you start in middle age. It is never too late to start, but if you need help, start small with short workouts and gradually increase the amount of time you exercise, eventually building up to 30 minutes a day. Find an activity you enjoy and ask family or friends to join you to help keep you motivated.

What we put in our bodies is one of the most important factors in determining how healthy we are. A poor diet contributes to high blood pressure, obesity, heart disease, and a host of other issues. You can stay healthy by:

• Eating a Variety of Nutrient-Rich Foods in Moderate Portions
• Snacking Healthier
• Eating Home-Cooked Meals
• Eating Slowly

Consult a physician regularly to stay aware of what you need to do to maintain good health. Follow your doctor’s advice and continue to practice the other preventative measures.

Taking time to do something you enjoy can decrease stress, which decreases your risk for illness. Forms of self-care include:

• Taking a Nature Walk
• Doing Yoga or Pilates
• Dancing
• Therapy
• Journaling
• Meditation