Tip of the Day
American Heart Month
Heart disease is America’s number-one killer, with about 82.6 million people in the United States having some form of cardiovascular disease. Celebrate American Heart Month by reviewing the heart disease risk factors that you can control and take steps to decrease your risk:
- Smoking, including cigarettes, cigars and pipe smoking
- High blood pressure causes the heart to work harder and enlarge and weaken
- High total blood cholesterol and low HDL cholesterol levels
- Diabetes. Even if diabetes is under control, people with diabetes have a higher risk of dying from a heart attack
- Being overweight or obese, especially with excess abdominal fat. The excess fat puts strain on the heart, raises blood pressure, raises total cholesterol and triglyceride levels and lowers HDL cholesterol
- Physical inactivity or living a sedentary lifestyle
Consult your physician to see if you are at high risk for heart disease or already have heart disease, and consult a registered dietitian in your area and visit our Heart Health and Diet page.
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Reviewed December 2012