Heart Disease: Staggering Stats… and How to Help Prevent It

Did you know: 8,000,000 American women are currently living with heart disease… 435,000 American women have heart attacks each year: 83,000 are under age 65 and 9,000 are under age 45… 6,000,000 women today have a history of heart attack and/or angina… 13% of women age 45+ have already had a heart attack. But heart disease doesn’t just affect women! In fact, more American men die from heart disease than from any other cause… and 1 in 3 men can expect to develop some major cardiovascular disease before the age of 60.

These figures are staggering! And the more you know, the better you’ll be able to prevent this killer from affecting you or your loved ones. Start with these 5 tips, and then learn more at the American Heart Association’s informative website: americanheart.org.
  1. THE CONTROL FACTOR: There are uncontrollable risk factors, such as family history of disease, diabetes mellitus, and age that contribute to your risk of heart disease. There are also controllable risk factors, such as smoking, diet, excess bodyweight, hypertension, high cholesterol, stress, and physical inactivity. Knowing these risks helps you make healthier choices. But don’t just think about them… take action!

  2. CHOOSE FOODS WISELY! A diet rich in fiber and whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and unsaturated fats reduces your risk of heart disease. Pick your proteins: choose soy, poultry, and fish over meat. Watch that portion size! Snacking is okay as long as your snacks are small and healthy. Plan meal menus ahead of time so you put thought into your diet rather than simply grabbing what’s available.

  3. DON’T BE A COUCH POTATO! Inactivity is one of the 4 leading causes of heart disease. Increase your activity level NOW! Consider walking, aerobics, weight lifting, or your choice of sports. It doesn’t matter if you exercise indoors or out, as long as you do it! Wear headphones and lose yourself in your favorite upbeat songs while toning your body and strengthening your heart. Record your exercise goals in your planner and get excited about your progress reflected in the mirror! Reward yourself when you achieve milestones, such as distance walked, time elapsed, pounds dropped, inches lost. Challenge an exercise buddy to fit into a smaller dress or pants size by a certain date and, above all, make it fun!

  4. JUST RELAAAX! Stress is one of the leading causes of heart disease. Find simple ways to reduce stress in your life. Think positively… laugh often… learn self-hypnosis or meditation. Studies show that taking a tea break is beneficial not only because of tea’s antioxidants, but also because the few minutes of relaxation can soothe your body and mind.

  5. SET HEALTH GOALS… THEN RECORD YOUR PROGRESS! Mental goals are daydreams… goals written on paper are reality. Record your progress in your “Go Red For Women”…Original Diabetes Management Planner™…or classic Day-Timer System. When setting goals for weight loss and other lifestyle changes, be reasonable… avoid an “all-or-nothing” attitude. Break big goals into easily attainable smaller goals. Want to lose 25 pounds? Break it down and shoot for losing about 2 pounds a month. The act of simply stating it this way makes it psychologically more believable and attainable.


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