How to Prevent Cardiovascular Disease
Stop smoking., Lose excess weight., Reduce consumption of saturated and trans-fats, and sodium., Address high LDL cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar levels., Moderate alcohol consumption., Reduce stress levels.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Stop smoking.
So simple, and yet so difficult for those who battle addiction to cigarettes or other tobacco products.
The first thing a doctor who is determining your cardiovascular disease risk will ask is likely to be “Do you smoke?”, and his first advice if you reply in the affirmative will be to quit.
Chemical compounds in tobacco contribute to atherosclerosis (narrowing of arteries), while the carbon monoxide in smoke replaces some of the oxygen in your blood.
These two things force the heart to work harder and make arteries much more susceptible to blockage.The bad news:
No amount of smoking is safe, even only occasional use or exposure to secondhand smoke.
Likewise, other tobacco products (like electronic cigarettes) still expose the body to artery-damaging toxins.
The good news:
Smokers, even longtime ones, obtain health benefits almost immediately after cessation.
Five years after quitting, former smokers have about the same risk of cardiovascular disease as comparable non-smokers. -
Step 2: Lose excess weight.
Carrying excess body weight, especially around the midsection, is a gateway to a host of risk factors for cardiovascular disease, including high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and diabetes.A calculation of your Body Mass Index (BMI) is an imperfect but useful measure of the need for weight reduction.
A BMI of over 25 is associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease.
Since excess weight around the abdomen is of particular concern regarding cardiovascular disease, measuring around the waist is also a useful tool.
A measurement over 40 inches for a male, or 35 inches for a female, is considered overweight. , Saturated fats are fat molecules that have no double bonds between carbon molecules because they are saturated with hydrogen moleculeswhile artificial trans-fats are are created in an industrial process that adds hydrogen to liquid vegetable oils to make them more solid.
Saturated fats and especially trans-fats contribute to the fatty deposits that lead to atherosclerosis, while excess sodium intake leads to more fluid retention, which increases blood pressure (and thus atherosclerosis risk).Red meat and dairy products are major sources of saturated fat, while fried foods, bakery items, and prepackaged foods are major sources of trans-fat.
On a food label, “partially hydrogenated” equates to trans-fat.The healthiest amount for these fats is zero, so limit them as much as possible.
The significant majority of salt intake for most Americans comes from sodium in prepackaged foods, not the salt shaker.
Consult the sodium content on packaging and menu boards, and skip adding salt to foods.
Seek to limit sodium intake to 1500 milligrams per day., Elevated levels of one or more of these are significant risk factors for cardiovascular disease, and all can be combated through diet, exercise, and medication.LDL or “bad” cholesterol tends to build up on arterial walls, while HDL or "good" cholesterol helps clean arteries out.
Reducing intake of saturated and trans-fats, exercising more, and taking cholesterol-lowering medications like statins under the care of a physician are all methods for reducing LDL cholesterol levels.
An increase in the force of blood pressing on arterial walls (high blood pressure) can cause damage that makes them more susceptible to blockage.
A blood pressure reading of 120/80 (systolic/diastolic) is considered normal, while a systolic reading of at least 140 or a diastolic reading of at least 90 usually indicates the need for remedial action.
Some one-third of Americans have high blood pressure, and many don’t even know it because of the lack of obvious symptoms, but proper diet, exercise, and possible use of prescription medications can usually control what is often called “the silent killer.” Even without reaching the point of a diabetes diagnosis, elevated blood sugar levels can damage arteries and thus substantially increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Once again, diet, exercise, and, if needed, medication are the keys to reducing blood sugar levels. , While there is a growing body of evidence that small to moderate alcohol consumption (1-2 drinks per day) is in fact beneficial to cardiovascular health, going beyond this amount has no known additional benefit.
Excessive alcohol consumption, in turn, has a host of negative effects upon the body, including increased risk for cardiovascular disease., Excessive stress can increase blood pressure and affect sleep patterns, both of which can contribute to cardiovascular disease.
The best way to reduce stress is usually to identify your stressors and current coping mechanisms, then to consider ways to avoid, alter, adapt, and accept stress in your life (the 4 A’s of stress reduction).Excessive stress about your risk for developing cardiovascular disease, then, can in fact help bring it on.
Seek professional and/or medical assistance if you need it to help manage stress.
It may benefit both your emotional and physical health. -
Step 3: Reduce consumption of saturated and trans-fats
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Step 4: and sodium.
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Step 5: Address high LDL cholesterol
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Step 6: blood pressure
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Step 7: and blood sugar levels.
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Step 8: Moderate alcohol consumption.
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Step 9: Reduce stress levels.
Detailed Guide
So simple, and yet so difficult for those who battle addiction to cigarettes or other tobacco products.
The first thing a doctor who is determining your cardiovascular disease risk will ask is likely to be “Do you smoke?”, and his first advice if you reply in the affirmative will be to quit.
Chemical compounds in tobacco contribute to atherosclerosis (narrowing of arteries), while the carbon monoxide in smoke replaces some of the oxygen in your blood.
These two things force the heart to work harder and make arteries much more susceptible to blockage.The bad news:
No amount of smoking is safe, even only occasional use or exposure to secondhand smoke.
Likewise, other tobacco products (like electronic cigarettes) still expose the body to artery-damaging toxins.
The good news:
Smokers, even longtime ones, obtain health benefits almost immediately after cessation.
Five years after quitting, former smokers have about the same risk of cardiovascular disease as comparable non-smokers.
Carrying excess body weight, especially around the midsection, is a gateway to a host of risk factors for cardiovascular disease, including high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and diabetes.A calculation of your Body Mass Index (BMI) is an imperfect but useful measure of the need for weight reduction.
A BMI of over 25 is associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease.
Since excess weight around the abdomen is of particular concern regarding cardiovascular disease, measuring around the waist is also a useful tool.
A measurement over 40 inches for a male, or 35 inches for a female, is considered overweight. , Saturated fats are fat molecules that have no double bonds between carbon molecules because they are saturated with hydrogen moleculeswhile artificial trans-fats are are created in an industrial process that adds hydrogen to liquid vegetable oils to make them more solid.
Saturated fats and especially trans-fats contribute to the fatty deposits that lead to atherosclerosis, while excess sodium intake leads to more fluid retention, which increases blood pressure (and thus atherosclerosis risk).Red meat and dairy products are major sources of saturated fat, while fried foods, bakery items, and prepackaged foods are major sources of trans-fat.
On a food label, “partially hydrogenated” equates to trans-fat.The healthiest amount for these fats is zero, so limit them as much as possible.
The significant majority of salt intake for most Americans comes from sodium in prepackaged foods, not the salt shaker.
Consult the sodium content on packaging and menu boards, and skip adding salt to foods.
Seek to limit sodium intake to 1500 milligrams per day., Elevated levels of one or more of these are significant risk factors for cardiovascular disease, and all can be combated through diet, exercise, and medication.LDL or “bad” cholesterol tends to build up on arterial walls, while HDL or "good" cholesterol helps clean arteries out.
Reducing intake of saturated and trans-fats, exercising more, and taking cholesterol-lowering medications like statins under the care of a physician are all methods for reducing LDL cholesterol levels.
An increase in the force of blood pressing on arterial walls (high blood pressure) can cause damage that makes them more susceptible to blockage.
A blood pressure reading of 120/80 (systolic/diastolic) is considered normal, while a systolic reading of at least 140 or a diastolic reading of at least 90 usually indicates the need for remedial action.
Some one-third of Americans have high blood pressure, and many don’t even know it because of the lack of obvious symptoms, but proper diet, exercise, and possible use of prescription medications can usually control what is often called “the silent killer.” Even without reaching the point of a diabetes diagnosis, elevated blood sugar levels can damage arteries and thus substantially increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Once again, diet, exercise, and, if needed, medication are the keys to reducing blood sugar levels. , While there is a growing body of evidence that small to moderate alcohol consumption (1-2 drinks per day) is in fact beneficial to cardiovascular health, going beyond this amount has no known additional benefit.
Excessive alcohol consumption, in turn, has a host of negative effects upon the body, including increased risk for cardiovascular disease., Excessive stress can increase blood pressure and affect sleep patterns, both of which can contribute to cardiovascular disease.
The best way to reduce stress is usually to identify your stressors and current coping mechanisms, then to consider ways to avoid, alter, adapt, and accept stress in your life (the 4 A’s of stress reduction).Excessive stress about your risk for developing cardiovascular disease, then, can in fact help bring it on.
Seek professional and/or medical assistance if you need it to help manage stress.
It may benefit both your emotional and physical health.
About the Author
Lori Perry
Creates helpful guides on creative arts to inspire and educate readers.
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