6 Big Ways to Reduce Your Risk of Heart Disease
Why not make 2017 the year you challenge yourself to reduce your risk of heart disease?
February is American Heart Month. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women: about 610,000 Americans die from heart disease each year—that’s one in every four deaths. In the U.S., someone suffers a heart attack every 42 seconds; each minute, someone dies from a heart disease-related event.
High blood pressure, high LDL (bad) cholesterol and smoking are key risk factors for heart disease. About half of Americans have at least one of these three risk factors. Other medical conditions and lifestyle choices can also put people at a higher risk for heart disease.
This year, strive to make healthier lifestyle changes to lower your risk of developing heart disease by:
- Losing weight if you’re overweight or obese.
- Quitting smoking and staying away from second-hand smoke.
- Controlling cholesterol and blood pressure.
- Drinking alcohol only in moderation.
- Getting physically active.
- Eating the right kinds of foods.
This information was provided by the Exchange’s Loss Prevention Directorate.
