Is Heart Disease in YOUR Future? Let’s prevent it!

Every year millions of people who feel healthy and in control of their lives die of heart disease. Heart disease can be totally silent, meaning you have no symptoms but still have a diseaed heart. This is particularly true of diabetics. You can feel completely healthy up until the day you drop dead of a sudden heart attack. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to protect your heart:

1. Eat a balanced, low fat diet with lots of fruits and vegetables. Today we know that there are both good and bad fats. Good fats include the monounsaturated fats found in nuts and olive oil. It’s okay to consume moderate quantities of these oils. Bad fats include the much talked about trans fats found in fried and many processed foods. They also include saturated fats found in animal products including meat and milk products as well as certain oils such as palm and coconut oil. Bad fats should be limited to less than 7% of your daily caloric intake.
2. Get at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise each day. This can include walking at a fast pace, jogging, jump roping, fast bicycling, or any other activity that causes a sustained increase in your heart rate.
3. Don’t smoke! Smoking is a leading cause of heart disease in this country. There is no safe level of exposure to cigarette smoke. If you care about your heart, kick the habit!
4. Lose excess weight. Being overweight is a known risk factor for heart disease. If you’re over your ideal body weight, take steps to lose those extra pounds now.
5. See your doctor regularly to control underlying risk factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and elevated cholesterol levels.
6. Eat fish twice a week or take an omega 3 fish oil supplement on a daily basis. These supplements have been shown to maintain healthy cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure, and decrease the risk of an abnormal heart rhythm.
7. Reduce your stress load as much as possible. Exercise may play a role in reducing your stress level or you may want to consider yoga which has been shown to promote a sense of well being. Yoga also has been shown to promote weight loss which can furthre reduce your risk of heart disease.
8. Know your family history. Heart disease tends to occur more commonly in certain families. If your immediate relatives have a history of heart disease or if numerous family members have been affected, let your physician know as they may want to do heart disease screening on you at a younger age.

Hopefully, by doing the above, you can reduce your risk of contracting heart disease and lead a healthier, happier and more productive life.