Summit Pedorthics: Heart Health: The Risk Factors

Summit Pedorthics: Heart Health: The Risk Factors

Heart disease and cardiovascular disorders are the number one cause of death in both men and women, followed closest behind by cancer; whose rates are half of what are seen from cardiovascular deaths. This means that knowing your risk factors can help you to help yourself live a life that will support you until 100, instead of 50. Certain risk factors are in your control, while others are definitely not. The uncontrollable factors are: gender, increasing age, and heredity. Having heart disease or cardiovascular issues in your blood line put you at direct risk.

These risk factors can sometimes be controlled with natural methods or medication:

-High Cholesterol

-High Blood Pressure (hypertension)

-Obesity and being overweight

-Physical Inactivity

-Type 2 Diabetes

-Smoking

-Early Menopause

-Stress

-Alcohol

-Birth Control and Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) pills

 

Many of these tests can be done at your regular check-up with your family physician. Things like physical inactivity, smoking, alcohol and certain medication choices can be manipulated by the human having the issues. We all know that reducing the levels of toxins we take into our bodies helps to ward off all progressive illnesses and boosts overall health, but sometimes limiting them and eliminating them is harder than it may seem. Alcohol and nicotine are both drugs. Seeking help when your own attempts to stop have failed is absolutely okay, and normal. Don’t ever feel bad for asking for help. Avoiding stressors and living life can be a bigger challenge, but completely do-able with the right mindset.

There are many things that play into the risks of heart disease. Exercise and dieting are at the top of the list, and our next blog in this series will cover more details and dieting options available. Being heart healthy does not mean limits!