Controllable Heart Disease Risk Factors That You Should Know About

Heart disease is very common which increases the risk for cardiac emergencies like a cardiac arrest or heart attack, so it's important to recognize the factors that put you at risk. There are both controllable and uncontrollable risk factors. High cholesterol and high blood pressure (HBP) are the major risk factors, but fortunately, are controllable. On the other hand, risk factors, such as advancing age, or a family history are beyond your control. But working on your controllable risk factors (managing them) can be as (if not more) beneficial in reducing your risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

We are rounding up some heart-healthy habits that you can adopt:

Perform Regular Exercise- Experts recommend 30 minutes of daily exercise that increases your heart rate, so find an activity that fits your lifestyle and make it a part of your daily routine. Don't go for strenuous physical activities without consulting with your doctor. Also, thirty minutes of exercise doesn't have to be consecutive, you can break it into 10 minute spurts of activity that get your heart rate up.

Quit Smoking- Smokers have about 70 percent higher risk of dying from coronary artery disease than nonsmokers. It's advisable to quit. The most amazing part about quitting is that your ticker will begin to repair itself the moment you quit. Secondhand smoke is as harmful.

Eat A Healthy Diet- A healthy lifestyle including regular exercise and eating a diet low in saturated fats, cholesterol and sodium can keep your heart in great shape for a long time to come. It's crucial to read the food labels so that you can figure out what foods you should avoid or eat in small quantities. Avoid prepared foods (particularly products made with trans fats and hydrogenated vegetable oils) and animal products, including milk, butter, eggs, meats, etc. since they are high in saturated fat. To reduce cholesterol levels in your blood, increase fiber intake with more vegetables, fruits, beans and whole-grain goods, and intake of omega-3 fatty acids by eating more soy protein and fish like salmon, sardines, tuna, etc. Talking about sodium intake, consume only 2 grams or less of sodium per day.

Manage Your Blood Pressure, Cholesterol and Stress- Doctors recommend assessing your stress level, cholesterol level and BP every so often to keep your heart healthy. Find ways to ease stress, and take the medications that your doctor prescribes to keep your BP and cholesterol in check.

Undergo training in the lifesaving CPR procedure to be able to efficiently handle out-of-hospital cardiac emergencies. To register for a course at CPR Tampa in Palm Harbor, call on  727-240-9404. CPR uses chest compressions to mimic how the ticker pumps, which helps keep oxygenated blood flowing throughout the body thus keeping the victim stable until the arrival of emergency medical services. Taking a class or attending a training is the only way you can gain confidence in performing CPR during a real-life emergency.