Heart disease is the leading killer of both men and women in the United States, and it is one disease that can be widely prevented with some changes in lifestyle, risk factors, and habits. The American Heart Association has conducted longitudinal studies within medicine and put forth strategies for preventing heart disease. Here are the top five strategies from the American Heart Association research:

 

1.       No Tobacco Products: Smoking and tobacco use in all forms are correlated with heart disease. Smokeless tobacco, cigarettes, cigars, pipes, and second-hand smoke all contribute to increased risks in heart disease. If you smoke, quit. If you don’t smoke, don’t start. Within a year of quitting smoking, the risk of heart disease drops dramatically.

 

2.       Exercise: Daily exercise dramatically reduces the risk of heart disease. The form of exercise can be as easy as walking or as enervating as racquetball, but just moving is the requirement. Regular physical activity can reduce the risk of heart disease by nearly 25%.

 

3.       Healthy Diet: A healthy heart needs healthy food, such as a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, dairy products, whole grains, and low-fat proteins. Some types of foods with high concentrations of Omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon and flax seed, are also good for heart health.

 

4.       Healthy Weight: Maintaining a healthy weight puts less pressure on the mechanisms of the heart as well as makes most people feel better. Most adult weight gain is fat, and excess body fat can lead to high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and both types of diabetes.

 

5.       Preventive Screening: Heart disease is most often preventable even with a family history of heart disease and certain risk factors. By going to your physician for regular health screenings, such as blood pressure and cholesterol checks, annual physicals, and stress tests, heart disease is most often prevented, or health issues are identified earlier when you can still work on modifying your lifestyle and changing habits.

 

For more information on how you can prevent heart disease, take a look at the American Heart Association’s Website at: www.americanheart.org.