About 610,000 people in the United States die of heart disease every year and heart disease is the number one killer of both men and women in our country. A lot of things can lead to heart disease including family history, lifestyle, and age. Could you be at risk for heart disease?
Risk factors of heart disease
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), high blood pressure, high LDL cholesterol, and smoking risk factors for heart disease.
Other conditions and lifestyle choices can also put people at a higher risk for heart disease, including:
- Diabetes
- Overweight and obesity
- Poor diet
- Physical inactivity
- Excessive alcohol use
Want to know more about heart disease? Click HERE.
The good news is that heart disease is often preventable. Exercising regularly, eating healthy, and not smoking are just a few things that can help keep heart disease away. What are some simple ways to improve heart health?
- Do at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise daily. Don’t like to run? Put on your dancing shoes. Dancing is a legitimate form of exercise. Pick a few of your favorite songs, turn up the volume, and dance your way toward your 30-minute daily goal!
- When it comes to heart healthy eating, there is a lot to consider but you can never go wrong with eating fresh fruits and vegetables, especially when it comes to snacking. Just about everybody needs a little snack to get through the day and snacking doesn’t have to be a bad thing. Fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, low-fat yogurt, raisins – there are a million great healthy snacking choices out there. You just have to find the one that suits you.
- Don’t smoke. There is nothing good about tobacco. It’s also not easy to quit but there is help. Using Georgia Tobacco Quit Line can help you improve your chance of quitting for good. The Quit Line is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
English: 1-877-270-STOP (877-270-7867)
Spanish: 1-855 DEJELO-YA
Hearing Impaired: 1-877-777-6534
A high Body Mass Index or BMI (a ratio of weight to height) may put you at risk for heart disease. Check your BMI using this BMI Calculator.
