Keeping up with a healthy heart in our day-to-day lives can be a challenge. According to the American Heart Association, heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the U.S., causing one in four deaths every year.
Although these studies may be troubling, heart disease can often be prevented when people make healthy choices and manage their health conditions. That's why every year, February is designated American Heart Month, to make Americans aware of how to keep their hearts happy and healthy.
Are you at risk?
Heart disease does not only affect older adults. Recently, younger adults -- ages 35-64 -- are showing more and more signs of having heart disease. This is partly because the conditions that lead to heart disease are happening at younger ages. High rates of obesity and high blood pressure among young adults are the main causes putting them at risk for heart disease earlier in life.
The conditions and behaviors that put people at risk for heart disease include:
- High blood pressure: Millions of Americans of all ages have high blood pressure, including millions of people in their 40s and 50s. Having uncontrolled high blood pressure is one of the biggest risks for heart disease and other harmful conditions, such as stroke.
- High blood cholesterol: Having diabetes and obesity, smoking, eating unhealthy foods and not getting enough physical activity can all contribute to unhealthy cholesterol levels.
- Smoking: Blood vessels are damaged due to smoking, causing heart disease.
- Obesity: More than 1 in 3 Americans -- and nearly 1 in 6 children ages 2-19 -- have obesity, which causes fat and plaque buildup on the heart.
- Diabetes: Caused by sugar built up in the blood, diabetes can damage blood vessels and nerves that help control the heart muscle.
Most of these conditions are preventable and, with a little willpower, you can keep it that way.
Getting control over your health
Preventive diseases only emerge due to carelessness or ignorance over what our bodies need. Becoming aware of what you put into your body is the first step to preventing heart disease. Here are other preventive measures you can take:
- Don't smoke: The leading cause of preventable death in the U.S. is smoking. If you don't smoke, don't start; however, if you do there are several resources to help get you smoke free.
- Manage your conditions: Work with your health care team to manage conditions such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol. This includes taking any medicines you have been prescribed.
- Make heart-healthy eating changes. Your diet should consist of food low in trans fat, saturated fat, added sugar and sodium. Try to fill at least half your plate with vegetables and fruits, and always aim for low sodium options. If you drink alcohol, limit your drinking to no more than one drink a day for women and two drinks a day for men.
- Stay active: Get moving for at least 150 minutes per week. If time is a factor, try to come up with a system that allows you to break up your minutes whenever you are free.
Sometimes, those who try to get healthy alone end up failing. A solid support system can be what leads to a successful healthy lifestyle. Even if you are in good health, try to offer someone you know support by being healthy with them. Go shopping together for heart-healthy foods, and then cook and enjoy a healthy meal together. You can get active together by meeting every day for a walk. With so many possibilities and opportunities to keep your heart in check, there is no excuse for keeping that heart off-beat.
For more information, visit www.cdc.gov or call (800) 232-4636.
