the perfect time to learn a little about heart disease, the number one cause of death in the United States! You don’t have control over some risk factors for heart disease like your genetics, your age or race, but YOU CAN make a difference in many other risk factors. You have a higher chance of getting heart disease if you smoke, have uncontrolled high blood pressure, have high LDL “bad” blood cholesterol and low HDL or “good” cholesterol, are inactive, obese, have uncontrolled diabetes or uncontrolled stress and anger. Whew! Sounds like lots of us are probably dealing with one or more of those risk factors! So, what can we do?
It may seem overwhelming, but take one step at a time to reduce your risk of heart disease.
➢ Start moving! Regular physical activity can lower your risk of heart disease. Do something you enjoy, not something you will dread doing! Go swimming regularly, enjoy walking around your neighborhood, take dance lessons, play sports or ride a bike.
➢ Stay away from tobacco. Quit smoking or don’t start. There are plenty of ways to get help with this….it’s tough, but so worth it!
➢ If you are overweight, work on losing weight by making healthier food choices every day. Eat more fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Compare foods in Food City stores by looking at NuVal Scores on shelf tags. The higher the score, the better the nutrition!
➢ Lower your blood sugar if you have diabetes.
➢ Know your blood pressure and cholesterol numbers so you can work with your doctor to improve them if necessary.
➢ Limit alcohol to one drink per day, or less.
➢ Look for healthy ways to cope with your stress.
One of the most comprehensive places to start looking for help and lots of great information is the American Heart Association website, www.heart.org. Do it today!
