Heart disease and stroke are the top two causes of death in the United States. The good news is that there are things you can do to lower your risk for heart disease and stroke. Making small changes to your daily routine can help keep your heart healthy!
Eat Your Fruits And Vegetables
As you know, fruits and vegetables are good for you. They’re loaded with vitamins, minerals, fiber and other nutrients that help keep your body running smoothly. If you don’t like eating them in their natural state (which is totally understandable), there are lots of ways to incorporate more into your diet:
• Add spinach or kale to smoothies
• Put applesauce on top of pancakes instead of syrup
• Use tomatoes as a base for pasta sauce instead of tomato paste or plain diced tomatoes
Don’t Smoke
Smoking is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke. It increases your risk by 1.5 times if you smoke one pack of cigarettes a day and 4 times if you smoke two packs a day, according to Dr. John Strobeck.
The good news is that quitting smoking can lower your chances of developing heart disease or having a stroke within five years after quitting, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Maintain A Healthy Weight
Dr. John Strobeck It’s important to maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight can increase your risk of heart disease and stroke. In fact, obesity is one of the strongest risk factors for heart disease.
You can reduce this risk by eating less and exercising more, or even by losing just 5-10% of your current weight. Losing even a small amount can reduce blood pressure and cholesterol levels (which are both associated with heart disease), improve insulin resistance (a major cause of diabetes) and help prevent Type 2 diabetes in those at risk.
