What Is Coronary Heart Disease?
Coronary heart disease is the result of the accumulation of plagues within the walls of the arteries that supply the heart with oxygen and nutrients. Coronary heart disease is the number one cause of death in the United States. The worst thing about this disease is that people can go decades without any sign or symptoms and suddenly have a massive heart attack and drop dead.
The disease progresses slowly and over time severely limits the amount of oxygen the heart receives. While in some cases there will be outward signs, in some there will be no signs until it is too late. Because of the high incidence of coronary heart disease it is almost better to assume that everyone is a risk candidate and take measures to limit the damage of the disease as soon as possible.
What Can I Do To Prevent Coronary Heart Disease?
There are several steps you can take to limit the dangers of coronary heart disease. The first step is to moderate your cholesterol levels. In order to do so you first need to see a doctor and be tested. Once you know what your current cholesterol level is you can take steps to lower it.
Second easiest thing to control is smoking. If you are a smoker you are at a much higher risk for coronary heart disease than a non smoker. Quitting smoking is the single best thing you can do to help prevent this disease.
Next thing on the list is weight control and limiting a sedentary lifestyle. If you are currently overweight than finding ways to control this will greatly reduce your risk of a sever heart attack. Controlling your weight does not mean dieting. You may diet to lose weight, but if you do not modify your eating habits you will return to your old weight eventually.
The other step to controlling your weight is to exercise regularly. By exercise you are doing several things that will help with coronary heart disease. The first is that you will be helping to control your weight. The second is that you will be increasing the strength of your heart muscle. The third is that by increase the blood flow to your heart you will be pushing your body harder so that it is in better shape to stay art rest.
Hopefully this article has shown you what coronary heart disease is and how to prevent it.
