10 Tips to Prevent Heart Disease and Stroke !

1. Take responsibility for your health.

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in The United States, accounting for 34% of deaths, many of them sudden and almost all premature. This is below 40% from just 40 years ago mainly due to the treatment of common risk factors. If you've got diabetes, your risk increases dramatically. The best prevention against heart condition and stroke are to know the risks and treatment options. The greatest risk is ignorance or not being informed. The first step then is to take responsibility for your health.

2. Know the risks.

The most influential risk factor for the disorder is age - the older you're, the upper your risk. The second is its genetic makeup. Although everyone is excited about scientific progress in genomic research, genetic testing is not yet conclusive as it is in its infancy. But, as I tell our medical students, "A good family history is genetic testing for the poor man." We have long understood that if your parents, grandparents, or other relatives were affected with or died of heart disease, diabetes, or stroke, your risk is much higher.

 3. Do not smoke or be exposed to secondhand smoke.

The evidence is overwhelming that cigarette smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke increases the risks of heart disease, lung disease, peripheral vascular disease, and stroke.

4. Maintain healthy blood pressure.

High blood pressure, called hypertension, is known as "the silent killer" since it goes without symptoms in most individuals. Hypertension causes wear and tear on the delicate inner lining of blood vessels. The higher the vital sign (BP) the greater the danger.

 The risk begins to increase from a pressure of 115/70 mmHg and is doubled for each 10 mmHg increase in systolic pressure (the largest number) and the 5 mmHg increase in diastolic (the smallest number). Heredity and increasing age increase risks. Checking your blood pressure at home may be a better indicator to measure your blood pressure than at the doctor's office. A blood pressure monitor to measure blood pressure is a good investment for your health.

`It is best not to rely solely on blood pressure readings in your doctor's office as some people suffer from" white coat "hypertension - that is, their blood pressure is only high when they are in the doctor's office. Others have "hidden" hypertension as it is usually highest when they are out of the office. The prognosis is better in relation to measuring blood pressure at home. However, it is important that you only measure blood pressure in your upper arm as your fingers or wrists will not give you an accurate reading.

5. Control your cholesterol (lipids in the blood).

Abnormal or elevated blood lipids (fats) are a major contributor to cardiovascular disease. Your blood lipids include LDL (bad cholesterol) HDL (good cholesterol)and triglycerides. The lower your LDL and the higher your HDL level, the better your prognosis. The amount of cholesterol in the blood is mainly determined by three factors: the amount produced by the liver (this is largely genetic), the amount absorbed by the intestinal tract (this is made up of what you eat as well as what is produced by the liver and removed in the digestive tract and eventually age - your cholesterol increases with age. If you are at risk, the use of medications is almost always necessary to lower LDL or to raise your HDL level. The ideal ratio of total cholesterol divided by HDL cholesterol is 3.0. If it is higher, you may need a diet as therapy. The problem with diet is that, in general, It can only lower total blood cholesterol by about 10%. If you have a strong family history of elevated Lp (a) (rare abnormal cholesterol that increases your risk), this is usually when drug therapy is required.

6. Limit calories.

Fad diets don't work. If any of them did, we'd all be at it, wouldn't we? The obesity rate among Americans is alarming and contributes to what could almost be an epidemic of diabetes, which is cardiovascular disease. If you have diabetes, your risk is the same as someone who has already had an attack. Obesity is caused by consuming more calories than your body burns in one day. The accumulation of abdominal fat is the main risk. Serving sizes and the number of sugars in the American diet have increased dramatically in recent decades. At an equivalent time, the daily amount of exercise has been decreasing. It is good advice to "drink slim" (water, tea, coffee).

7. Make exercise a daily habit.

Lack of exercise is contributing to the obesity epidemic among Americans. Studies indicate that walking two miles a day is optimal for overall health, and those two miles of walking don't have to be all at once. Exercise does more than burn calories; It also activates genes that are of benefit to health in other ways. Also, exercise is one of the best treatments for depression and anxiety. However, exercising alone cannot control or reduce your weight - you must also change your diet.

8. Choose your pills wisely.

There is a great interest in alternative medicine and it is understandable, since patients want to take responsibility for their own health. However, many take alternative medicines, due to the way they are marketed. The true fact that a substance is "natural" does not prove its health benefit. After all, no one in their right mind could take arsenic simply because it is "natural." It is important to know that research data is often lacking for alternative medications, supplements, and vitamins, none of which are regulated by the FDA (US Food and Drug Administration).

Do we ever prescribe alternative medicines? Sometimes we do it! The biggest risk with many alternative medications is that the patient thinks they are doing something to improve health, when in fact it is not the fact. Although some vitamins have been shown to possibly help some conditions, to date none have been shown to actually decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease. There are some rare exceptions, like fish oils and niacin (vitamin B). It is also important to note that high doses of some vitamins may interfere with or offset the beneficial effects of some prescription medications.

9. Reduce stress.

Stress contributes to heart disorder and, if severe, can cause an attack or overtime. There are several options that help reduce stress, like regular exercise, getting enough sleep, an honest relationship along with your partner, laughing, volunteering, or attending religious services. Watching television, in general, is not a good way to relax and could even exacerbate stress. Also, attempt to avoid situations and folks that cause you to anxious or angry.

10. Stay informed: Science is constantly changing.

The only constant changes
. This is especially true in medicine as new techniques and new knowledge are constantly being developed. Don't believe all the pieces of "scientific information" found in the media or advertisements. A large number of scientific research studies are published but poorly designed or contain performance data that is not representative, for example, due to the lack of a sufficient number of participants. Please note that many studies are funded or sponsored by individuals or legal entities with a personal interest in obtaining favorable results. The situation can be especially confusing when scientific studies give different or even contradictory results, and this occurs very often.