Heart disease is everywhere. Without any peculiarity to nations or tribes, it is the deadliest disease in the world. Due to diets and lifestyles, people in the developed world are at higher risk of heart disease than others.

In the United States, 1 in every 4 deaths of Americans is due to cardiovascular-related disease. According to the United States Center for Diseases and Prevention Control, about 659,000 people die from heart disease in the United States each year. Georgia alone has the 14th highest death rate from cardiovascular disease in the country, with over 20,000 deaths per year, so it is easy to get a consultation with a cardiologist Buford, with over 50 practitioners in that city alone.

Is Heart Disease Preventable?

Yes, you can prevent heart disease. Adopting a healthy lifestyle can help prevent heart disease. Some herbs and dietary supplements can also help fight Atherosclerosis.

Atherosclerosis is the underlying cause of most heart diseases. It is the building up of plaque on the walls of the arteries, obstructing blood flow from and to the heart. This plaque is what leads to heart attack and sudden death. Always remember that it is crucial for you to check your cardiovascular health by having an artery test annually. To set up a precaution, here are 6 things that may help you decrease your risk of developing heart disease.

Eat Balanced Diets

When trying to prevent heart disease, re-evaluating your diet is the best place to start. Start by embracing a heart-healthy eating habit. The DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) is a routine you can follow.  Scientists recommend the dash program for people who want to reduce high blood pressure and the risk of heart disease.

The DASH diet encourages following a plant-based diet. It advises you to:

1. Eat more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein from chicken, fish, and beans.

2. Eat less Sugar, Salt, saturated fat, red meats, processed carbohydrates, and fried fast food.

You can take your time to learn more about the DASH diet.

Get Regular Exercise:

Regular physical activities are excellent ways to lower your risk of heart disease. Exercising and physical activities benefit the body in many ways. It keeps you physically fit, reduces your chances of becoming overweight and curbs the possibility of other chronic diseases.

If you aren't getting enough or regular exercise, it's time to start easing yourself into exercising. Committing to a 30-minute brisk walk 4-5 days a week can be more beneficial than you could imagine. A shorter bout of activity is better than nothing at all

You can turn your regular and fun activities such as walking your dog, playing football, and gardening into sessions of physical activities. It doesn't need to be strenuous and strict to guidelines. Any exercise can make regular time a good starting point. Then you can raise the bar as you progress.

Supplement Wisely

Some supplements can help in reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Research has uncovered the antihypertensive effect of magnesium and potassium intake on blood pressure. High intake of sodium chloride salt- table salt is associated with high blood pressure.

Replacing table salt with these mineral salts will reduce blood pressure. Other natural supplements such as omega-3 fatty acids found in fish are good for better heart function and blood lipid profiles. You should embrace them to beat down the chance of coronary heart disease and fight Atherosclerosis.

Watch Your Weight

Obesity, overweight, or excess weight is a risk factor for heart diseases. Obese people are three times more likely to develop heart diseases and type 2 diabetes than people with smaller BMI (Body Mass Index). The chances of coronary heart disease increase in direct proportion to BMI. BMI is the standard weight metric to track your obesity index. You can use any online BMI Calculator or do it manually.

For manual calculation, divide your weight in kilograms by your weight in meters squared to get your BMI. A BMI below 25kg/m2 is healthy. BMI ranging from 25 to 29.9 kg/m2 is overweight. And a BMI of 30 and above is obese. Obesity is associated with high cholesterol and high blood pressure. Increase the risk of stroke and heart disease.

For people not obese, the circumference of your weight also matters. And can be indicative of higher abdominal fat than BMI. The healthy waist size is below 40 and 35 inches for men and women respectively.

Avoid Smoking

Smoking cigarettes or tobacco puts victims at a higher risk of heart disease. If you don't smoke and vape, make sure you aren't a secondhand smoker. Secondhand smoking also causes cardiovascular disease. You become a secondhand smoker by breathing in smoke from the burning end of a cigarette.

Congratulations if you don't smoke. If you do, you need to start working your way out. Tobacco use can be a hard-to-break habit, but you need to do it to save your life. If you have it too difficult to kick, you can consider seeking expert support.

The chemical in tobacco and cigarettes damages your heart, lung, and blood vessels.  Smoke from cigarettes gets into your blood vessels. It reduces the amount of oxygen in your blood, causing your heart to work harder to supply enough oxygen to your body. The result is an increase in blood pressure which can lead to heart disease.

Manage Your stress

Stress connects to heart diseases in many ways. It may lead to high blood pressure, which can pose a risk of a heart attack. The way some people cope with stress increases cardiovascular events. Smoking, overeating, or alcohol can only aggravate long-term stress.

Alternative ways to manage your stress without increasing your risk of heart disease include; engaging in physical activities, giving yourself a break, yoga, meditation, doing what you love, and listening to music.

Putting It All Together

The simple truth? A healthy lifestyle is the surest way to prevent many chronic diseases. According to the American College of Cardiology, embracing a healthy lifestyle may prevent over 80% of cases of coronary artery diseases. And you don't have to do much. Eat healthily, exercise regularly, keep your weight in check, supplement wisely, quit smoking, manage your stress. That's all. You are investing in a healthier lifestyle- a happier lifestyle.