Heart disease is the number one cause of death in the United States and oftentimes, heart disease can be prevented. This prevention starts with you and the choices you make every day.
The American Heart Association recommends following “Life’s Simple 7”.Seven choices you can make to help reduce your risk of getting heart disease. The simple seven include:
Get active
Eat better
Control your cholesterol (Less processed foods. More fruits and veggies.)
Manage your blood pressure (Less sodium and more exercise.)
Weight loss (Eat well and exercise.)
Reduce blood sugar (Less processed foods. More fruits and veggies.)
Stop smoking
Most of the “7” will fall into place if we eat better and get active. Pretty simple right? But how do you know if you are already at risk for being a victim of heart disease? The best place to start is by visiting your doctor. Your doctor will draw your blood in order to take a good look at your lipid panel. This will determine how your cholesterol ranks! They will also take your blood pressure to make sure it’s not too high and more than likely take a waist measurement. These three tests can help your doctor determine your risk of heart disease.