Managing Heart Disease With New Scientific Treatments

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  Posted By
  Victoria Stephens

• Published On
  Sat, April 16

• Reading Time
  4 Minutes

Heart disease is the No. 1 cause of death in the United States but there are plenty of lifestyle changes you can make to lower your risk. Here are a few of the best know changes that you could start doing today.

Manage Your Weight

Being obese is a major health concern in America. Many people try fad diets and supplements in order to lose weight, but they are not the answer. The only way to maintain a healthy weight is through good nutrition, controlling calorie intake and being physically active. Obesity increases your risk for high cholesterol, high blood pressure and insulin resistance, which is a precursor for type 2 diabetes. By eating healthy foods, controlling your calorie intake and being physically active, you can help prevent obesity and its related health risks.

Quit Smoking

Tobacco use is a hard-to-break habit that can slow you down, make you sick, and shorten your life. One way it does this is by contributing to heart disease. In fact, researchers examining the relationship between cigarette smoking and smoking cessation on mortality during a decades-long perspective study of over 8 million people found that smoking is linked with a significantly higher risk of death from cardiovascular disease. The risk was highest among those who continued to smoke compared to those who quit, but even those who quit still had a higher risk of cardiovascular mortality than those who never smoked.

Exercise

Clinical trials are available for:

According to the American Heart Association, regular physical activity is one of the best things you can do for your heart health. Exercise helps to control weight, lower blood pressure, and reduce the risks of developing other conditions that can strain the heart, such as high cholesterol and type 2 diabetes. Even if you have not been active for a while, gradually working up to these goals is still beneficial.