Heart disease continues to be the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that heart disease causes 1 in every 5 deaths. Heart disease refers to several different types of heart conditions. Coronary artery disease—caused by plaque buildup in the walls of the heart’s arteries—is the most common. Other forms of heart disease include heart attack, heart failure, arrhythmia, and congenital heart defects.
The symptoms of heart disease can vary, and some people may not even know they have a heart condition until they have a heart attack. Red flags include shortness of breath, chest discomfort, difficulty with speech, heart palpitations, and sudden loss of responsiveness.
Certain uncontrollable factors increase your risk of heart disease, including age, sex, and family history. However, other factors that increase your risk for heart disease—such as stress, inactivity, obesity, diabetes, smoking, and a poor diet—are controllable.
A healthy diet and lifestyle are the best ways to fight heart disease, so consider incorporating these three types of exercise into your routine to improve your heart health:
Keep in mind that the overall pattern of your life choices can determine your heart health. Contact a healthcare professional to find out your risk for heart disease or for more information.
Monitoring your daily sodium intake can have major health benefits—including reducing your risk of a heart attack and lowering your blood pressure. Sodium is hiding in many foods, so step one is to avoid adding salt while cooking. However, more than 70% of the sodium we eat comes from packaged and restaurant foods. Consider these ways to decrease your salt intake:
If you have any questions about your diet, talk to your doctor.
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends adults limit their sodium intake to
less than 2,300 milligrams per day—that's about 1 teaspoon of table salt.
Your reusable water bottle may carry some dirty secrets: bacteria, buildup, and mold. If you don’t properly clean your reusable water bottle—and its cap, straw or other parts—at the end of each day, you’re putting yourself at risk of getting sick. Ideally, if you use your water bottle regularly, you should wash it daily and give it a deep cleaning once a week. Try these cleaning tips:
Preparations