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Heart Disease: Here’s What You Need to Know
Heart disease is very prevalent in the United States and is the leading cause of death for both men and women. 1 in 4 deaths are caused by heart disease every year. Although this is scary, there is some good news. Making healthy choices can help prevent heart disease and manage health conditions. By starting a journey to improve your heart health, you’ll see the rest of your body transform too. Ideal heart health consists of several factors:Heart Healthy Behaviors
Take care of your heart by practicing these heart healthy behaviors:- Reduce inflammation
- Obesity management
- No smoking
- BMI (Body Mass Index) lower than 25
- Adequate physical exercise
- Healthy, balanced diet
- Stress Management
- Rest and Sleep
Heart Healthy Factors: Know Your Numbers
Sometimes it can be confusing when there are so many numbers surrounding health, but it’s important to understand what these numbers mean. These are a few of the number you need to know surrounding heart health:- Cholesterol below 200 (untreated)
- Bad Cholesterol below 100
- Blood pressure below 120/80 (untreated)
- Fasting blood sugar below 100
- HbA1C below 5.7
Some Easy Dietary Additions to Look at:
There are many factors that go into a healthy heart, but a proper diet is extremely important. By adding these foods to your diet, you can begin to improve your heart health:- Almonds are a rich source of sterols which help lower cholesterol.
- Apples can block LDL oxidationandcan also scrub artery walls clean since with the skins, they contain soluble fiber.
- Blueberries can stimulate liver cells to better break down fat and cholesterol since they contain the antioxidantpterostilbene.
- Fish can lower LDL by 20 percent with two weekly servings of a fatty fish, like salmon which contains omega-3 fatty acids.