Heart disease is the No. 1 killer in the United States. If you want to increase your chance of staying alive, you should take time to consider what it takes to maintain a healthy heart. Women as well as men need to understand their risks. Breast cancer gets a lot of press, but the National Institutes of Health says, "1 in 4 women in the United States dies of heart disease, while 1 in 30 dies of breast cancer."
Age
Barring any heart condition, it's easy for you to have a healthy heart when you're young. However, the older you get, the more likely you are to develop heart disease. A man's risk of developing heart disease starts to increase at the age of 45 and for women 55. You and your healthy heart may be surprised to learn that according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), "Fifty percent of men and 64 percent of women who die suddenly of heart disease have no previous symptoms of the disease."
Risk Factors
If you want to keep your heart health, avoid risk factors that make you more likely to develop heart disease, including cigarette smoking, being overweight and inactivity. Properly managing your pre-existing health conditions, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes, also helps you maintain a healthy heart. Unfortunately, a family history of heart disease is a risk factor you cannot control. The DHHS says, "If your father or brother had a heart attack before age 55, or if your mother or sister had one before age 65, you are more likely to get heart disease."
Lifestyle
You can have a healthy heart at any age. People from 70 to 90 years old reduce their chances of dying from heart disease by almost two-thirds by living a healthy lifestyle. But what does living a healthy lifestyle mean? DHHS reports the basics of a healthy lifestyle are eating nutritious foods, staying active, not smoking and not becoming overweight.
Diet
Eating healthy food helps you maintain a healthy heart. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends choosing foods that are low in fat, sodium, cholesterol and calories. They also suggest eating more fiber. Look at the nutritional information provided on the labels of the food you buy and avoid foods that contain added sugars, saturated fat, hydrogenated oils and cholesterol. Buy lean meat and bake, broil or grill it. Instead of sautéed vegetables, try steaming them, then squeeze a little fresh lemon juice over them.
Exercise
Physical activity has a positive impact on your heart health. Regularly engaging in your favorite physical activities makes you half as likely to develop heart disease as inactive people, according to the U.S. Surgeon General's Report on Physical Activity and Health. Inactive people have more doctor visits, hospital stays and take more medications. Just 30 minutes of brisk walking each day can help you have a healthy heart.
