Lifestyle modifications

Healthy eating habits and physical activity are important aspects of anyone’s day. Eating too much and exercising too little can lead to weight gain and related health problems that may affect a person’s health and quality of life.

Many of these impact our heart health; learning how to manage the risk factors you can control will reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease.

Risk factors impacted by lifestyle

• High blood pressure (Cardiovascular)
• Diabetes
• High cholesterol
• Physical inactivity
• Smoking
• Stress management

Pre-determined risk factors

• Age.
• Heredity/ethnicity. Heart disease tends to run families. Heart disease risk is also higher among Mexican Americans, American Indians, native Hawaiians and some Asian Americans. This is partly due to higher rates of obesity and diabetes.
• Male sex (gender). Men have a greater risk of heart attack than women do, and they have attacks earlier in life. Even after menopause, when women's death rate from heart disease increases, it's not as great as men's.