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Getting To The Heart Of The Problem: Effectively Preventing Cardiovascular Disease

When it comes to your health, there is simply nothing more important than protecting your heart. After all, having the body of a beauty queen or bodybuilder will do little for you if your heart is unable to keep up with your lifestyle as a result of high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or excess plaque in your arteries. Unfortunately, far too many people simply blame genetics for their poor heart health while doing very little to prevent or treat the problem. While it is true that genetics can play a role in the development of cardiovascular disease, bad genes are far from a death sentence. This is because even if genetics are not on your side, there are several steps that you can take to help significantly lower your risk of developing this potentially deadly disease.

Use Your Heart

Surely you have heard the saying, "if you don't use it, you lose it." Well, this saying also applies to your heart.

If you want to maintain good heart health, you will need to exercise your heart just as you would any other muscle in your body. The good news is, keeping your heart healthy really can be fun. This is because, unlike strength training or targeted exercises that require you to perform the exact same motion over and over again in order to get results, your heart simply requires that you are active enough to raise your heart rate. So whether you feel like going for a bike ride, taking a jog through the park, or simply playing ball with your children, you can be sure that your heart is getting the exercise it needs to stay healthy.

Turn The Other Cheek

If you truly want to prevent cardiovascular disease, you are going to need to learn to smile more. This is because medical studies have shown that both physical and mental stress can have a negative impact on your heart health.

There are different ways in which your mood can impact your risk of developing cardiovascular disease. For instance, if you frequently experience high stress levels, you will be far more likely to engage in activities that can adversely impact your heart, such as drinking and smoking. Individuals who struggle with stress and depression will also be at an increased risk for developing weight problems that can put additional strain on their heart.

It's Time To Kick The Habit

If you are currently a smoker, now is the time to kick the habit once and for all. This is because, in addition to the many other medical problems that tobacco use can cause, smoking can significantly increase your risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

If you find that you are struggling to quit cold turkey, don't give up. Reducing your tobacco consumption by even a single cigarette per day can help to lower your risk. Your doctor may also be able to help you quit by prescribing medication to help ease the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal. Speak with experts like Mohan Jacob, MD, FACC, FCCP for more information. 


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