When it comes to living “heart healthy” most of us know by now that this typically involves diet and exercise.
But did you know that heart disease is not just something that men need to be aware of?
It’s true.
Here are a couple of sobering facts for you…
Heart disease has become the #1 killer of women over 25 in the U.S. regardless of ethnic background. Additionally, six times as many women die from heart disease as do from breast cancer.
In other words, heart disease isn’t just a “man’s disease” — everyone is potentially at risk.
How to reduce your risk for a heart attack
It seems a bit obvious to point out that the best way to prevent a heart attack is to identify your risk factors. And then find ways of minimizing their potential impact as it relates to your life.
Some common risk factors are:
- smoking
- high blood pressure
- high blood cholesterol
- obesity
- physical inactivity
- diabetes
- age
- and family history of early heart disease
So it’s fairly clear that most of the risk factors listed above relate to lifestyle. The good news? You have a direct control over many of the most common risk factors, such as smoking, diet and exercise (to name a few). In fact, one of the easiest ways to reduce your risk of a heart attack is to increase your daily activity.
And we’re not talking about joining a gym, either.
If you live in a two-story home consider spending 5 or 10 minutes each day simply walking up and down the stairs.
Sounds silly?
Well, when my wife and I moved into our new home there were 2 sets of stairs to go up (and down) because we have a finished basement. And it so happens that my office is located down there. Within 2 months of moving in I lost 10 pounds and a few inches off my waistline just from going up (and down!) those stairs all day.
When it comes to diet there are other “simple” things you can do to lower your chance for a heart attack.
Consider adding “heart-healthy” foods to your diet, such as:
- adding more fruits and vegetables to your diet
- reducing the amount and types of fat in your diet
- reducing your salt intake
- drinking more water
- reducing how much soda you drink each day
Finally, in addition to making lifestyle changes you can lower you chances of heart attack by getting tested and possibly treated for any medical conditions that directly impact your risk, such as…
- high blood cholesterol
- high blood pressure
- diabetes
Getting a comprehensive medical assessment makes good sense — and this is especially true if you have a family history of heart disease.
In fact, Dr. Jack Hauser, a Cardiologist in Connecticut, recommends getting a comprehensive medical assessment at least once a year. By getting tested now you can adopt a personalized strategy for reducing your risk of a heart attack.
After all, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound cure.
Schedule a medical assessment today
Perhaps now is the best time to schedule an appointment with your doctor, especially if you’re a woman. Did you know, for example, that many women are often undiagnosed with heart disease simply because many of their symptoms are different than they are for men?
If you’re looking for Connecticut Cardiology clinics or services consider contacting HeartCare Associates.
They provide comprehensive medical assessments and services that are designed for the early detection of certain risk factors and conditions, giving you the lifestyle management guidance to keep you feeling your best. In fact, they offer comprehensive heart evaluations designed just for women — their focus is on early detection and prevention to improve women’s life-long health and well-being.
And for readers in other parts of the country take the time to locate a clinic near you that can help you identify specific risk factors for heart disease.
This is, after all, the best way to prevent a heart attack from happening in the first place.