Take steps today to lower your risk of heart disease. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States.
To help prevent heart disease, you can:
- Eat healthy.
- Get active.
- Stay at a healthy weight.
- Quit smoking and stay away from secondhand smoke.
- Control your cholesterol (“koh-LEHS-tuh-rahl”) and blood pressure.
- If you drink alcohol, drink only in moderation.
- Manage stress.
Everyone is at risk for heart disease. But you are at higher risk for heart disease if you:
- Have high cholesterol or high blood pressure
- Smoke
- Are overweight or obese
- Don’t get enough physical activity
- Don’t eat a healthy diet
Your age and family history also affect your risk for heart disease. Your risk is higher if:
- You are a woman over age 55
- You are a man over age 45
- Your father or brother had heart disease before age 55
- Your mother or sister had heart disease before age 65
But the good news is there’s a lot you can do to prevent heart disease. Throughout National Heart month we will be sharing healthy heart tips and stories.
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