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Heart disease is the leading cause of death in American adults and, if left untreated, can lead to hardening arteries, stroke and heart failure. Treatments are designed to manage conditions like obesity, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes, which can increase your heart disease risk, and include medication, surgery and rehab.
If you're at risk for heart disease, speak with your healthcare provider and follow the recommended treatment. Your doctor may prescribe lifestyle changes like a healthy diet, more exercise and stress reduction in lieu of, or in addition to, medications.
A high-fat and high-sodium diet can put stress on your heart. Too much fat and cholesterol cause plaque buildup in the arteries, and sodium can increase blood pressure. Plus, poor eating habits are linked to obesity, another risk of heart disease.
A heart healthy diet, rich fruits, veggies, unsaturated fats and whole grains, can reduce a person’s risk of heart disease. How to build your perfect meal?
Rule of thumb: Load half your plate with non-starchy vegetables. Then add a 3-ounce serving of lean meat and finish with a cup-sized serving of grains and a touch of healthy fat.
Diabetes, a condition that prevents the regulation of glucose in the blood, and prediabetes, higher than normal blood sugar levels, are two risks for heart disease. Managing your blood glucose levels can reduce the risk of developing the condition. In some cases, medication is needed to stabilize blood sugar levels, but a healthy diet and regular exercise are two great ways to reach your target glucose numbers.
Talk to your healthcare provider if you're at risk for diabetes or you think your blood sugar could affect your heart.
Cigarettes and excess alcohol consumption are linked to heart disease, so quit smoking and limit your drinking. Too much drinking may cause obesity and high blood pressure, both conditions associated with heart disease. Excess alcohol intake may also increase your stroke risk, a consequence of heart disease.
Cigarettes damage the heart and blood vessels, increasing risk of atherosclerosis, or arterial plaque buildup, a leading cause of heart disease. It’s never too late to quit; your risk of smoking-related heart disease decreases almost as soon as you stomp out your final cigarette.
Regular exercise can strengthen your heart, decrease high cholesterol and blood pressure, control blood sugar and promote weight loss. Keeping all of these in check can help decrease risk of heart disease.
The American Heart Association recommends about 40 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity, three or four times a week to help lower blood pressure or cholesterol levels. Moderate activity can be a brisk walk, a game of doubles tennis or even gardening your yard, while vigorous exercise may be running, swimming, hiking, jumping rope or a swift bike ride.
Can’t fit in 40 minutes today? Do as much as you can—something is always better than nothing. Or break up your exercise into four 10-minute segments that you can do throughout the day.
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