You Can Control Many Risk Factors for Heart Disease
Six of the major risk factors for heart disease can be modified, treated or controlled. "No one risk factor equals heart disease," says Alison D. Schecter, M.D., F.A.C.C., an assistant professor at Mt. Sinai School of Medicine and co-director of the Women's CARE Program. "All are contributory." By keeping these risk factors in check, you'll help keep your heart running smoothly and reduce your chances of developing disease.
Smoking
Quite simply, if you smoke, you should quit. "That's the most incredibly positive thing that someone can do for their health," says Dr. Schecter. Cigarette smoking is the largest preventable cause of premature death in the U.S. Smokers have a higher chance of developing clogged arteries and in turn, a heart attack.
Cigarette smoking is so hazardous to your heart that it can put a person under 50 years of age at a higher risk for heart disease than someone over 50 years of age. Just 24 hours after kicking the habit, your chance of a heart attack goes down.
High Blood Pressure
Your blood pressure is measured by two numbers. The first, the systolic pressure, is the pressure of your blood flow when your heart beats. The second, the diastolic pressure, is the pressure between heartbeats. Higher blood pressure numbers can mean that blood is having a harder time flowing due to reasons such as narrowed arteries or stiffened vessels.
The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends that blood pressure in all adults be checked every two years. Your blood pressure should be less than 140/90 mm HG, and less than 130/85 mm HG in people with diabetes, heart failure or renal insufficiency, other stresses on the cardiovascular system.
High Blood Cholesterol
Cholesterol is a waxy substance found in fats in your blood and cells. The cholesterol in your body comes from your liver, which produces it, and your diet. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL), also known as the "bad" cholesterol, is the major blood cholesterol. It can build up in your arterial walls, causing vessel-clogging plaques to form. High-density lipoprotein (HDL), also known as the "good" cholesterol, seems to protect against heart attack by carrying cholesterol away from the arteries.
Total cholesterol and HDL in adults over the age of 20 should be measured at least every five years, according to the American Heart Association. For people without other risk factors, LDL levels should be lower than 200 mg/dL and HDL levels more than 35 mg/dL.
Dieting & Staying Active
DietEating healthfully can help you avoid high blood cholesterol, reducing your risk of heart disease. Below are the AHA's dietary recommendations for a healthy person:
- Limit fat intake to no more than 30 percent of your total calories; it should break down as follows:
- monounsaturated fatty acids — 10 to 15 percent of calories
- polyunsaturated fatty acids — 8 to 10 percent of calories
- saturated fatty acids and trans fats — less than 10 percent of calories (less than 7 percent if you've had a heart attack, have heart disease or have high cholesterol).
- Consume less than 300 milligrams of cholesterol each day.
- Consume less than 2,400 milligrams of sodium each day.
- Eat no more than three to four egg yolks per week.
- Eat six or more servings of breads, cereals, pasta and starchy vegetables each day.
- Eat five or more servings of fruits and vegetables each day.
- Eat no more than six ounces of cooked lean meat, poultry and fish per day.
Consume two to four servings of fat-free or nonfat milk and low-fat dairy products per day. Consume fats, oils, nuts, seeds and sweets sparingly.
Dr. Dean Ornish, founder, president and director of the Preventive Medicine Research Institute in Sausalito, Calif., Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, and a founder of the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine there, has pioneered a program in cardiovascular care based on a combination of low-fat diet, exercise, and stress reduction. His program has significantly reduced cardiovascular symptoms in his patients and is now recognized by major insurance providers around the country.
Physical Activity
A lack of physical activity can more than double your chances of getting heart disease, making a lack of exercise comparable in significance as a risk factor to cigarette smoking, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. To benefit your heart, lungs and circulation, the American Heart Association recommends vigorous exercise three to four times a week for 30 to 60 minutes. One study found that walking on a treadmill at least three hours a week at a brisk pace (three to four miles an hour) cut heart attack and stroke risk by more than half.
Obesity & Diabetes
Obesity and Overweight
If you're 20 pounds over your ideal body weight, a definition of obesity, you'll be more likely to develop heart disease, even if you have no other risk factors. The excess weight can put a strain on your heart, raise your blood pressure and blood cholesterol and increase your risk of diabetes. Reaching and maintaining a healthy weight will help your heart out — and you'll feel and look better too.
Diabetes Mellitus
If you have diabetes, it's extremely important to work with your doctor to keep the disease under control. Diabetes greatly increases your risk of heart disease because it can affect cholesterol and triglyceride levels and makes high blood pressure more likely. Your doctor may recommend dietary changes, an exercise program, weight control or medication.
Psychological Factors
Are you feeling stressed or down? Have you stopped hanging out with friends and family? Believe it or not, psychosocial factors — depression, anxiety, social isolation, low socioeconomic status, and stress — can affect your heart health. The most significant ones are social isolation and depression. "They constitute a risk factor that's equivalent to high cholesterol or high blood pressure," says Alan Rozanski, M.D., a professor of medicine at Columbia University's College of Physicians and Surgeons. Furthermore, these risks tend to cluster together. For example, a person who's isolated tends to be depressed. They'll also be more likely to have poor lifestyle factors such as a lack of physical activity, smoking, drinking, and poor dietary habits. Here are some tips on beating these heart-defeating risk factors.
Don't be blue Fifteen percent of heart patients have significant depression and another 15 percent have depressive symptoms. If you're feeling down, see a health care provider. They may recommend counseling or medication. The important thing is to get help, says Dr. Rozanski, especially because this is an easily treatable risk factor.
- Don't go solo Surrounding yourself with friends and family is a smart heart decision. One study found that people with a small social network were two to three times more likely to develop coronary artery disease. If you'd like to expand the people you know, join a group of some kind — whether it's to share a mutual interest or to volunteer.
- Slow down "There are any number of people who can live very busy lives and that's okay," says Dr. Rozanski. "But you've got to have flexibility and balance." If you feel that you're constantly stressed, then you are. It's important to recognize this and find ways to insert quiet, down time into your busy, harried schedule.
- Be like a Buddha Several studies have shown transcendental meditation to successfully lower high blood pressure, reduce cholesterol levels, and even reverse some hardening of the arteries. For more information on how to learn TM, visit www.tm.org.