The Heart Truth
Are You En Route To Heart Disease?
Heart disease is the #1 killer in the world!
- About 610,000 people die of heart disease in the United States every year, that's 1 in every 4 deaths.
- Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women. More than half of the deaths due to heart disease in 2009 were in men.
- An American dies from heart disease every 39 seconds.
Just because you're young doesn't mean you should wait to think about heart disease. The lifestyles people establish in college often continue later into life.
The best way to combat heart disease is to make healthy lifestyle changes now, and avoid becoming a statistic!
Explanation Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a group of diseases that affects the heart and blood vessels.
| Risk Factors There are many risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease. Some risk factors can be changed, while others cannot. Modifiable Risk Factors Include:
Non-modifiable Risk Factors Include:
| It's A Choice Your lifestyle is your best defense against heart disease and stroke. A heart healthy lifestyle is a choice that can either reduce your risk of heart disease, heart attack, stroke and death; or it can increase those risk. It's your choice. By following these ideas you can reduce your risk:
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Explanation
Many heart diseases are related to the process called atherosclerosis. Artherosclerosis is a condition that develops when plaque builds up in the walls of arteries resulting in the narrowing of the arteries and making it harder for blood to flow through. If a blood clot forms, it can stop the blood flow which can cause a heart attack or stroke.
Risk Factors
Modifiable Risk Factors Include:
- Avoid tobacco
- Limit intake of saturated fat
- Exercise regularly
Non-modifiable Risk Factors Include:
- Advancing age
- Family history
- Gender - males have greater risk
It's A Choice
By following these ideas you can reduce your risk:
- Limit alcohol
- Stop smoking
- Healthy diet
- Exercise
Go-To Tips
- Swapping whole carbs for wheat grains may lower your risk for heart disease by 33%.
- The average American drinks 576 12-oz soda per year. That's 1.5 cans each day. Swap those empty calories for water and you'll cut out over 6,000 calories a month, which amounts to 21 pounds of weight loss in a year.
- According to the American Heart Association and World Health Organization, you shouldn't consume more than 7% of your total calories from saturated fat.
Stop And Think
- More than 82 million American adults are estimated to have one or more types of heart disease. That is 1 in 3 people in the U.S alone!
- 50% of women in America have one or more risk factors for developing heart disease.
- On average 2,200 Americans die of cardiovascular diseases every day.
Be proactive to prevent your chances of having heart related diseases.