Heres a sobering statistic that may cause the steadiest heart to skip a beat: In the United States, heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women of most ethnicities, with more than 700,000 people dying annually from the disease. The cost is staggeringunquantifiable in terms of human losses, and almost $110 billion in costs related to from coronary heart disease alone (the most common type of heart disease) in terms of health care and medications, and the amount lost in productivity. And just think about the cost of health insurance.
With stakes this high, its important to recognizeand avoidthe major risk factors for developing heart disease. The good news is that these risk factors can be lessened or even eliminated:
Sedentary lifestyle
Obesity
High blood pressure
Smoking cigarettes
High cholesterol
Diabetes
Where to Begin?
Exerciseget hearts pumping with aerobic exercise, which increases the hearts pumping capacity. Schedule exercise sessions as one would any other important meeting; bailing out is non-negotiable.
Make getting healthy a family affairhaving little ones at home is no excuse to defer a workout; take them along in a jogging stroller or a child trailer attached to a bike. In the process they will learn that exercise is a part of life.
Eat from the rainbowenjoy a mix of colorful vegetables, fruits, and nuts, with less emphasis on meat.
Get enough sleeptoo little will increase the stress hormone cortisol, which can raise blood pressure.
Manage stressmeditate, do yoga, listen to soothing music; they all help reduce the heart rate.
People who want to embrace a heart-healthy lifestyle should begin with their doctor, who can provide a physical and prescribe a program for diet and exercise. Also, health insurance providers and their brokers often have a variety of tools and services availablee.g., counselors and classes to learn about nutrition and healthy cooking, online apps to log diet and exercise progress, low-fat, low-calorie recipes, and more. Be sure to ask them for guidance and material that can be shared with family members.
The key is to make getting healthy a priority and give it the time and attention it deserves. Its never too late to start!
1National Center for Health Statistics, 2011.
2Heidenreich PA, Trogdon JG, Khavjou OA, et al. Forecasting the future of cardiovascular disease in the United States: a policy statement from the American Heart Association, 2011 Jan 24.
3National Center for Health Statistics. Health, United States, 2010.
With stakes this high, its important to recognizeand avoidthe major risk factors for developing heart disease. The good news is that these risk factors can be lessened or even eliminated:
Where to Begin?
Exerciseget hearts pumping with aerobic exercise, which increases the hearts pumping capacity. Schedule exercise sessions as one would any other important meeting; bailing out is non-negotiable.
Make getting healthy a family affairhaving little ones at home is no excuse to defer a workout; take them along in a jogging stroller or a child trailer attached to a bike. In the process they will learn that exercise is a part of life.
Eat from the rainbowenjoy a mix of colorful vegetables, fruits, and nuts, with less emphasis on meat.
Get enough sleeptoo little will increase the stress hormone cortisol, which can raise blood pressure.
Manage stressmeditate, do yoga, listen to soothing music; they all help reduce the heart rate.
People who want to embrace a heart-healthy lifestyle should begin with their doctor, who can provide a physical and prescribe a program for diet and exercise. Also, health insurance providers and their brokers often have a variety of tools and services availablee.g., counselors and classes to learn about nutrition and healthy cooking, online apps to log diet and exercise progress, low-fat, low-calorie recipes, and more. Be sure to ask them for guidance and material that can be shared with family members.
The key is to make getting healthy a priority and give it the time and attention it deserves. Its never too late to start!
1National Center for Health Statistics, 2011.
2Heidenreich PA, Trogdon JG, Khavjou OA, et al. Forecasting the future of cardiovascular disease in the United States: a policy statement from the American Heart Association, 2011 Jan 24.
3National Center for Health Statistics. Health, United States, 2010.
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