Risk Factors for Heart & Blood Vessel Disease:
And what you can do about them
Risk factor: High blood pressure
- High blood pressure = 140/90 or higher
- Healthy blood pressure = 120/80 or lower
High blood pressure (hypertension) makes the heart work harder than normal. This puts blood vessels under strain - and over time, it can damage them.
High blood pressure has no symptoms you can see or feel. The only way you can know you have it is to get it checked.
What you can do...
- Eat a low-fat diet that includes eight to 10 servings of fruits and vegetables, and three servings of low-fat dairy a day. These foods contain calcium, magnesium and potassium - minerals that help control blood pressure.
- Get regular, brisk exercise - at least 30 minutes most days.
- Lose extra weight.
- Cut back on salt - About 10 to 15% of Americans are "salt sensitive."
- Limit alcohol - More than one drink a day can contribute to high blood pressure.
- Manage stress.
- Buy a home blood pressure monitor. This can give you a better picture of your average blood pressure.
- Ask your doctor about blood pressure-lowering medications if lifestyle changes don't help.
Risk factor: Smoking
It more than doubles a person's risk of heart and blood vessel disease. Breathing secondhand smoke can increase your risk of heart disease by 20% or more.
What you can do...
- Join a support group if you need help to quit smoking. Online support groups are available. Search the Web with words like "quit smoking" or "stop smoking."
- Ask your doctor about quitting aids like nicotine patches, gum, nose sprays and antidepressants. Some are available over-the-counter. For others, you'll need a prescription.
- Avoid secondhand smoke.
Risk factor: Overweight
Extra weight can strain the heart. It may also lead to high blood pressure, unhealthy blood cholesterol levels, and diabetes.
Studies show that people who carry extra weight around the waist have more risk than those who carry it on the hips and thighs.
What you can do...
- Get 30 to 60 minutes of brisk exercise every day. Brisk walking is all it takes.
- Limit foods high in saturated fat (e.g., red meats, egg yolks, butter, etc.) and trans fat (e.g., foods made with hydrogenated oils such as deep-fried foods, store-bought cookies, crackers, shortening, etc.).
- Cut back on sugar and other refined foods (e.g., white flour and products made with it). Your body quickly converts refined foods to fat, even if a product is marked "fat free."
- Losing even a few pounds can lower your risk of heart and blood vessel disease.
Risk factor: Unhealthy cholesterol & triglyceride levels
The general rule for healthy cholesterol levels is:
- Total blood cholesterol = 200 or lower
- "Good" HDL cholesterol = over 45 (the higher the better)
- "Bad" LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels = under 130 (the lower the better)
- Triglycerides = under 200 (the lower the better)
Different people have different cholesterol needs. Ask your doctor to explain what "healthy" cholesterol levels mean for you.
What you can do...
- Exercise to raise your "good" HDLs.
- Eat plenty of fiber, found in whole grains, fruits and vegetables.
- Use monounsaturated oils in your cooking, such as olive and canola oils. They can lower harmful LDLs.
- Limit foods high in saturated fat (e.g., red meats, egg yolks, butter, etc.) and trans fat (e.g., foods made with hydrogenated oils such as deep-fried foods, store-bought cookies, crackers, shortening, etc.).
- Eat more fish. It contains omega-3 fat, which can help lower triglycerides.
- Cut back on sugar and other refined foods (e.g., white flour and products made with it).
Risk factor: Lack of regular, brisk exercise
Regular exercise helps keep your weight, blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels in the healthy range.
All of these things are good for your heart.
What you can do...
- Get a total of 30 minutes (minimum) exercise most days of the week. This can include brisk walking, jogging, swimming, stair climbing, etc. You should breathe harder than normal but not get "out of breath."
- Find an exercise buddy. Making a pact to exercise with a friend can help you stick with it.
Risk factor: Diabetes
Diabetes is a disease that causes high blood sugar levels. Over time, this can damage blood vessels.
- Type 1 diabetes starts at birth or in early childhood.
- Type 2 diabetes usually starts later in life - although it's becoming more common in overweight children.
Being overweight is the greatest risk factor for type 2 diabetes.
What you can do...
- Get diabetes screenings every three years if you are 45 years or older. (It's possible to live with diabetes for a long time without knowing you have it.)
- Ask your doctor about screening for your child if he or she is overweight and/or your family has a history of type 2 diabetes.
- If you're diagnosed with diabetes, work with your doctor to control it. This may include losing extra weight, changing your diet, or taking medications to keep your blood sugar levels under control.
Risk factor: Stress
Frequent feelings of stress and/or anger can contribute to cardiovascular disease.
What you can do...
- Practice changing the way you think and feel about stressful events - especially if you can't control them.
- Look for stress-reducing information online. Search the Web with the words "less stress" or "stress reduction."
- Read self-help books on dealing with stress.
- Seek professional counseling or join a support group.
- Breathe - deeply and often.
Risk factor: Low levels of B vitamins
Research shows that low levels of the B vitamins folic acid, B-6 and B-12 may increase a person's risk for cardiovascular disease.
What you can do...
- Ask your doctor about your B vitamin needs. Some people get enough through the foods they eat; others may need supplements.
- If your doctor recommends supplements, choose a B-complex supplement to get balanced amounts of the different B vitamins.
Risk factor: Family history
If any member of your immediate family has heart and blood vessel disease, your risk increases.
Risk factor: Age
Your risk also increases as you get older.
What you can do...
- Follow the advice listed above to lower your overall risk for heart and blood vessel disease.
- Get regular checkups for heart and blood vessel disease as you grow older - starting at age 45 for men and age 55 for women - or sooner if you have two or more risk factors.
All information contained on this page is from the books of Dr. Lester Sauvage, Better Life Press. Updated as of 2002
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September 19, 2008 |
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November 7, 2008 |
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