SMOKING
Smoking is harmful to your lungs, but it also damages your heart and blood vessels. Smokers are 2-4 times more likely to have a heart attack or stroke. The chemicals inhaled while smoking can damage your arteries, reduce the amount of oxygen your blood can carry, raise your blood pressure, and make your blood more prone to clotting. It is important to remember that smoking not only affects your health but the people around you as well.
HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE
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 will rise and fall throughout the day but if it stays high for 3 consecutive readings then you may have high blood pressure and should consult your physician.
HIGH CHOLESTEROL
Cholesterol is a fatty, waxy substance carried in the bloodstream made mostly by the liver as well as the foods we eat, family history of high cholesterol is also a major contributor. Cholesterol plays an essential role in how the cells in the body work but too much can increase your risk of heart disease. 75% of your blood cholesterol is made by your liver and other cells in the body but the other 25% is from the foods you choose to eat. Your body needs some cholesterol to work effectively but too much can cause a heart attack or stroke.
DIABETES
Diabetes happens when the body can’t process sugar properly, either because of a lack of insulin or because the insulin doesn’t work effectively. Diabetes increases your risk of developing heart disease, high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels.
POOR DIET
We are not all meant to be skinny but you can be healthy by practicing lifestyle medication. You can start enjoying a healthy balanced diet 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.
PHYSICAL INACTIVITY
30 minutes of moderate exercise a day, even in 30-minute chunks can help to reduce your risk of heart disease, diabetes and your risk of developing a stroke and high blood pressure.
WEIGHT
As you get older, maintaining a healthy weight is one of the best things you can do for your health and well being. Eating healthy and doing physical activity everyday is the key to maintaining a healthy weight.
STRESS
Stress symptoms can affect your body, your thoughts and feelings, and your behavior. Being able to recognize common stress symptoms can help you manage them. Stress that's left unchecked can contribute to many health problems, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity and diabetes.
Though there are some risk factors you can combat, like the ones above, there are also some you can’t really do anything about, like the following:
AGE
As you get older your risk for heart disease increases due to changes in the heart and
blood vessels. This can cause your heart to beat slower during physical activity or times of stress. Adjusting your workout routine and/or diet can help decrease your risk.
ETHNIC BACKGROUND
Your ethnic background plays a role in your risk 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.
FAMILY HISTORY
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 percent higher.
MEDICAL HISTORY
If you have already experienced certain medical issues then your chances of suffering from a heart related illness are higher. Angina, heart attack, angioplasty, coronary artery bypass grafting, stroke, problems with circulation to your legs, some genetic lipid disorders or diabetes causing kidney impairment are just a few of those issues.
PREVENTION
Heart disease can be prevented through several different measures, such as the following. Incorporating these elements into your lifestyle will significantly reduce your chances of developing a heart-related illness.
EXERCISE
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, try starting small with short workouts but 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.
HEALTHY EATING
What we put in our bodies is one of the most important factors in determining how healthy we are. A poor diet can lead to obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease and a host of other issues. To ensure that you stay healthy eat a variety of nutrient rich foods in moderate portions, snack healthier, enjoy home-cooked meals, and eat slowly.
REGULAR CHECKUPS
Seeing your physician on a regular basis will help you stay aware of what you need to do to maintain good health. Take whatever advice your doctors gives you and continue to practice the other preventative measures.
SELF-CARE
Taking time to do something you enjoy can decrease stress which decreases your risk for illness. Healthy self-care includes, taking a nature walk, doing yoga or pilates, dancing, and many more physical activities. Other forms of self-care are therapy, journaling, mediation or any positive thing you choose to do that brings you joy.
