4, 2022, are led by an ex-smoker and have a high success rate. Mary's American Lung Association Freedom from Smoking classes, beginning Nov. Talk to your doctor about effective ways to quit smoking. Talk to your doctor or schedule a visit with our outpatient nutritionist by calling (706) 389-3669.Įliminate smoking: While the use of tobacco products truly is an addiction, it is best to cut out this habit. These changes will positively impact your blood pressure and cholesterol levels. In the same way, lessen your intake of foods with added sugars and foods with saturated fats and high sodium. More specifically, aim to eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Mary's Wellness Center can help.ĭiet: Work to improve your diet. If you are currently inactive, talk to your doctor about increasing your activity level, start slowly, and set achievable progressive goals. By doing this, you are lessening your risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and obesity, all of which are contributors to heart disease. It’s important to make conscious strides towards an active lifestyle. This can include activities such as walking, biking, swimming, running, and many more. Now that you know your score to the above survey and understand the possible contributors, here are some ways to lessen your possibility of heart disease.Įxercise: Aim to do some physical activity at least 3 times a week. What action can I take to lessen my risk of heart disease? Inactivity: The risk of heart disease increases with physical inactivity.Obesity: 68% of adult Americans are overweight or obese.Only 47% of adult Americans have healthy cholesterol levels. High Cholesterol: Too much cholesterol can build up in blood vessels, slowing and possibly blocking blood flow.In Black Americans, the prevalence of high blood pressure is relatively higher. High Blood Pressure: One in three adults in the United States have high blood pressure.Smoking: Smokers are 2-4 times more likely to develop coronary heart disease than nonsmokers.Diabetes: People living with diabetes are 2 times more likely to develop and die from cardiovascular disease than people who don’t have diabetes.Certain races, including African Americans and Hispanic Americans, have higher rates of heart disease risk factors such as hypertension, obesity and diabetes. Heredity (including race): A family history of heart disease increases your risk.Gender: Heart disease more heavily affects women than men.About 82% of people who die of heart disease are 65 or older. Age: As you age, your risk for heart disease increases.It is important to understand which risk factors affect you and what actions you can take to lower your risk of developing heart disease. Many different risk factors can affect your chances of developing heart disease, including some you can control and some you can't. For example, if you have 3 risk factors you are more likely to develop heart disease than someone who has 2 risk factors. Do you exercise less than 3 times per week?įor each question that you answered "yes" to, your overall risk of developing heart disease increases.Are you 30 pounds or more over your recommended weight?. Is your blood pressure 140/90 or higher? (Normal is 120/80).Are you Black American or Latino American?.Does anyone in your immediate family have a history of heart disease or diabetes?.Are you a woman over age 55 or are you post-menopausal?.This survey is important because it can truly help an individual understand their risk and identify lifestyle choices which may be increasing that risk. Luckily, there is a survey which helps in determining how high your risk may be for heart disease. It’s important to know the aspects of life which lead to heart disease-while many risk factors stem from genetics, you have the power to lessen your risk by conducting a healthy lifestyle. Did you know heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States? In fact, heart disease accounts for 1 out of every 4 deaths.
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