Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death, not just in the United States, but in the entire world. It comes with devastating consequences to the patients and to the loved ones since dealing with a heart condition requires a lot of resources and many families usually find themselves constrained financially. This is why it pays to know how heard disease comes about and also to learn about the variety you can use to lower its risks. This is one of the best approaches you can use to have a healthy heart and enjoy your life without necessarily putting your health at risk.

Risk factors for heart diseases you can’t change

There are certain heart diseases risk factors you can’t change, and which you will just to accept and hope that you don’t become a victim due to some of those risk factors. They include the followings:

• Family history – if you have a close family member who suffered from a heart disease, then you too may have greater chances of having a heart disease later on in life.
• Ethnicity or race – people from certain races or ethnicities have higher risks of getting a heart disease than people of other races or ethnicities. For example, it is believed that African Americans are more prone to getting heart diseases compared to whites. The same is the case for Hispanic Americans who are also at more risks compared to whites. Again, South Asians are also at more risk of getting heart diseases compared to East Asians.
• Gender – it is believed that women are at more risks of suffering from a heart disease more than men.
• Age – the risks of getting heart disease increases with one’s age. It is estimated that women who are over the age of 65 and men who are over the age of 45 are at more risk than others.

How to lower the risk of getting heart diseases

Despite the risk factors, it is fortunate that there a number of things people can consciously do to avoid the risks of getting a heart disease. It should be noted that other than the risk factors noted above, heart disease is sometimes invited by the lifestyle choices people make in life. It means that if you can make the right choices, and stick only to those that will be healthy to your heart, then you will have greater chances of never falling a victim of the dreaded heart diseases. Here is a brief look at some of the things you can actively do to ensure you that you have reduced risks of getting any form of heart diseases:

Take control of your blood pressure

Having a high blood pressure is a huge risk factor for heart diseases. As such, you must ensure that you control your blood pressure. For adults, it is important to have your blood pressure checked at least once every year or after every few months if you normally experience high blood pressure. If your blood pressure is constantly high, it imperative for you to take all the steps that will be recommended, including changing your lifestyle so that you can ensure that the pressure is within a normal range.

 Ensure low cholesterol and triglyceride levels

Bad cholesterol is known to clog the arteries and increase chances of heart attack or complications with the coronary artery. Make proper lifestyle changes and also consider using heart supplements such as those with organic apricot seeds to help you maintain the cholesterol levels within the recommended range.

Have a healthy weight

Being obese or having too much weight increases the risks of getting a heart disease. Weight should especially be a huge factor of consideration if there are other known heart disease risk factors such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels in the body.

Eat proper diet

When it comes to the diet, consider heart-healthy meals and overindulging in foods with less nutritional value and which may put your heart into unnecessary risks. You should try to avoid or limit foods that are high in saturated fats, added sugars and flavors and those that also have high sodium content. Instead, eat lots of whole grains, fresh fruits, and vegetables which are all friendly to the heart.

Be physically active

A sedentary lifestyle will increase your chances of getting your heart into trouble since you will have increased risks of obesity amongst others. An active lifestyle or regular exercises come with a myriad of benefits to your heart health. To begin with, it will improve circulation, and this includes circulation of the heart itself. This will lead to stronger cardiac muscles which in turn will make the heart work at its best all the time. Additionally, getting physical will help you put a check on your weight and also help lower the levels of cholesterol and blood pressure. All these are vital in reducing your risks of getting a heart disease.

Avoid alcohol

Drinking too much alcohol has the potential of increasing your blood pressure and this is not good for your heart. Additionally, alcohol will pump more calories into your body, leading to unnecessary weight gain, and this will do nothing, but put you on a collision course with your heart health. It is recommended that an adult male should take no more than two bottles of beer every day, while women should limit their daily intake to just one alcoholic drink per day. 

Avoid or manage diabetes

Diabetes increases the risks of heart diseases by a factor of two – it doubles your chances of getting a heart disease. This is due to the fact that diabetes will come with an increase in the blood sugar, and over time, the nerves and the blood vessels that control the heart will begin to get damaged. Therefore, if you don’t have diabetes and you want to avoid heart complications, be sure to avoid getting it and if you already have it, ensure that it is properly managed.

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