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Is your heart the same age as the rest of you? In the United States, one out of two men and two out of five women have a heart that is, biologically speaking, at least five years older than they are. The culprits are risk factors that “age” your heart, increasing your chances for having a heart attack. Since heart disease is the No. 1 cause of death in the U.S., that’s cause for concern. The good news is you can take action to help get your heart in sync with your actual age–and isn’t it nice to know you can, in effect, turn back time?
Here are the factors that could be making your heart older than it has to be—and what you can do about them:
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High blood pressure: This is the biggest predictor for heart disease. For most adults under 60, a normal blood pressure reading should be under 120/80. Make sure you know what your ideal range is and ask for your reading every time it’s checked. If you’re concerned, talk to your health care provider about steps to lower your blood pressure, which may include medication. If you’re already on blood pressure medication, take it as prescribed.
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High cholesterol: If you have a high level of LDL, the “bad” kind of cholesterol, it can cause plaque buildup around your heart, making it work harder than it should. High cholesterol is often preventable and treatable, so talk to your provider about steps you can take to get it under control through a healthy diet, lifestyle changes and possible medication.
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Diabetes: Adults with diabetes are at least twice as likely as others to have heart disease, and they tend to develop it at a younger age. But diabetes treatments have come a long way over the past decades, ranging from living a healthy lifestyle to taking new medications. Controlling your diabetes with the help of a diabetes team can help your heart stay strong and keep it as young as you are.
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Obesity: Excess weight puts stress on many parts of your body, including your heart. If you are 20% above your ideal weight, with a BMI of 30 or more, you are one of the millions of Americans whose weight is jeopardizing their heart health. You can get free obesity screenings and counseling through most insurance plans and Medicare or Medicaid. If you’ve tried and failed to lose weight in the past, talk to your doctor about other weight loss options.
Even if you don’t have these risk factors, you can make good lifestyle choices that will help keep your heart young:
- Eat a healthy diet. Focus on lowering salt and trans fats and increasing fruit and vegetables.
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Get active. Aim for at least two and a half hours of moderate activity a week. Brisk walking is something most people can do if sports or the gym is not your idea of a good time. Any activity is better than none.
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Don’t smoke. There are programs to help you quit, some of which are free. Talk to your health care provider for more information.
If you want to know your heart’s age compared to the rest of you, take an online quiz. If you’re not wild about the answer, talk to your doctor about steps you can take. Treat your heart well, and it will do the same for you.
