Cardiac Risk Factors You Can Control or Treat

3/22/2021

You can make a difference in your own heart health by managing the risk factors within your control. Consider the following eight ways you can reduce your risk for heart disease.

1. Maintain a Healthy Weight. Simply being overweight – without any other risk factor – can cause problems. Even seemingly healthy hearts are affected by weight, according to the American Heart Association. A minimal weight loss can make a significant difference in reducing blood pressure and improving your lipid profile. If, at the same time you can also build muscle, that’s even better.
2. Reduce High Blood Pressure. High blood pressure usually has no symptoms, but it raises the risk of heart attack and heart failure by causing the heart to work harder according to the American Heart Association. The first step is discovery. If your blood pressure is high, make lifestyle changes, such as reducing your weight, watching your sodium and cholesterol, and increasing your activity. Consider talking to your doctor about medications that may help.
3. Get Moving. For each hour of regular exercise you get, you’ll gain about two hours of additional life expectancy, according to the American Heart Association. Moderate exercise, such as brisk walking, for as little as 30 minutes daily has proven to boost heart health by improving blood circulation, reducing weight, improving blood cholesterol and reducing blood pressure. Experts suggest being physically active for at least 30 minutes on most or all days of the week.
4. Manage Cholesterol. High cholesterol, particularly high LDL levels, put you at risk for developing coronary artery disease. Have your cholesterol checked and talk to your doctor if it is high. According to the Mayo Clinic, simple ways to reduce your cholesterol through dietary changes include eliminating trans fats, reducing saturated fats, increase your intake of omega-3 fatty acids with foods like salmon, walnuts, and flaxseeds, and add more fiber to your diet.
5. Relieve Stress. Chronic stress has a negative impact on your cardiovascular system and your general health. Pay attention to what triggers your stress and find healthy ways to deal with these triggers. You’ll do your body, and your mood, a world of good!
6. Watch Alcohol Use. Drinking too much alcohol can raise the levels of some fats in the blood (triglycerides) and can also lead to high blood pressure, heart failure and a higher calorie intake explains the National Institute of Health. If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation.
7. Manage Diabetes. If you have diabetes you are two to four times more likely to develop cardiovascular disease than people without diabetes. See your doctor regularly and stay in control of your blood sugar.
8. Quit Smoking. Smokers increase their risk for coronary heart disease by two to four times, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Further, the Office of the U.S. Surgeon General reports that cardiac health problems shorten the lives of tobacco users by an average of 13.8 years. There are many tools available to make quitting easier. Talk to your doctor and check out the free resources at indianatobaccoquitline.net or 1-800-QUIT-NOW.

To find a doctor who can determine your risk factors for heart disease, visit NWMedicalGroup.com.

This wellness information is provided by your friends at Northwest Health.

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