Live a Healthy Lifestyle to Prevent Heart Disease
The term “heart disease” refers to several types of heart conditions. In the United States, the most common type is coronary artery disease, which can cause heart attack, angina, heart failure and arrhythmias.
Some lifestyle factors can put people at a higher risk for developing heart disease. Everyone can take steps to lower their risk of heart disease and heart attack by addressing these risk factors. Control of risk factors is especially important for people who already have heart disease.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggest a few tips to live a heart-healthy lifestyle:
| • | Eat a healthy diet. Choosing healthful meal and snack options can help you avoid heart disease and its complications. Be sure to eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. Eating foods low in saturated fat and cholesterol and high in fiber can help prevent high blood cholesterol. Limiting salt or sodium in your diet can also lower your blood pressure. |
| • | Maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight or obese can increase your risk for heart disease. To determine whether your weight is in a healthy range, doctors often calculate a number called the body mass index (BMI). Doctors sometimes also use waist and hip measurements to measure a person's excess body fat. If you know your weight and height, you can calculate your BMI at CDC’s Assessing Your Weight web page at www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/assessing. |
| • | Exercise regularly. Physical activity can help you maintain a healthy weight and lower cholesterol and blood pressure. The Surgeon General recommends that adults should engage in moderate-intensity physical activity for at least 30 minutes on most days of the week. |
| • | Don't smoke. Cigarette smoking greatly increases your risk for heart disease. If you don't smoke, don't start. If you do smoke, quitting will lower your risk for heart disease. Be smoke-free. If you're ready to make a change, enroll in the Best Health smoking cessation health coaching program. It’s free for Sharp Health Plan members. Call 1-877-849-2364 or email besthealth@sharp.com. |
| • | Limit alcohol use. Drink alcohol in moderation. Drinking too much alcohol can cause high blood pressure. |
Source by: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
