Prevention is the Key!

Ok, I had a friend request for me to share things women can do to prevent heart disease so here we go!

First off.....Know your risk factors! Schedule a checkup for your heart! We are good about scheduling our yearly mammograms, etc but never give our heart a second thought. Your heart pumps 70 gallons of blood thru your body a day!

Know the symptoms (as I posted earlier) and seek medical attention when having symptoms. Don't wait! If you do not get answers, seek another medical professional until you get a DR that will listen to you and agree to check your heart to rule out heart disease!

Know your numbers! Know your total cholesterol and what it means! Take steps to lower it if need be. Know your blood pressure and take steps to lower it by exercise or medication. Over time, high blood pressure damages your heart.

If you have diabetes, keep it under control!

Maintain a healthy weight. Weight gain around the waist increases your risk of heart disease. Make time every day to EXCERCISE!

Eat a heart healthy diet that is low in fat and cholesterol.

If you smoke, quit!

Know your family history. Heart disease often runs in families. You can't do anything about your genes but you can do a lot to prevent major problems just by knowing your family history and getting regular heart check ups!

If you have not done so, set up an appointment with your doctor to talk about Heart health and to evaluate your heart risks.

Hope this helps!