Prolong Your Life: Heart Disease Health Center
The heart is the body’s largest and most powerful muscle. Its sole purpose is to pump blood throughout the body, providing vital life to the organs, muscles, and nervous system. 
The heart is the center of a complex network of arteries and veins that carry blood throughout the body, which carries oxygen. A strong heart is essential for good health and proper circulation. Heart disease is the most common form of death via disease in the United States. Fortunately, it can be prevented with proper exercise, eating habits, and an overall healthy lifestyle. Any type of issue that affects the heart negatively can be classified as heart disease. Some examples are stroke, heart attack, coronary heart disease, arrhythmia, and others.
Causes
While symptoms can very, and there is generally no single reason for someone to experience heart disease, there can be many different contributing factors. Smoking is the number one cause of heart disease. Diets heavy in cholesterol and people with high blood pressure can also suffer from heart disease. Those who live a sedentary lifestyle and do not exercise or those who are overweight are also at risk. Some forms of heart disease can be genetic, and there is really no way of knowing whether or not the patient will experience it later in life. With congenital heart disease, patients may be diagnosed at high risk even as young children, so it is important that newborns have their hearts monitored for any signs of potential problems. Too much stress, heavy drug use, and too much caffeine have also been attributed to some cases of heart disease.
Are You at Risk?
The risk for heart disease typically increases with age, but it can also affect young people. Anyone who smokes has a much greater risk of heart disease than those who do not, as well as people who consume more than two alcoholic beverages per day. Some doctors claim that people who consume more than two to three alcoholic beverages a week increase their risk. Heavy stress can also contribute to certain forms of heart disease such as stroke or a heart attack. Men are at a greater risk than women, and people of Native American and African descent are also at a higher risk. Adults over the age of 40 should have regular check-ups to ensure their heart is strong. Statistics show that people over the age of 65 who suffer from heart disease have about an 85% chance of dying from it.
Prevention
There are many things people can do to help limit their risk of heart disease. Quitting smoking is a very important step in decreasing the risk for heart disease. For those who smoke, after one year of quitting, your risk of heart disease will return to that of a non smoker’s. If you are currently a smoker, now is the time to quit in order to prolong your life and reduce the risk of heart disease. Limiting caffeine intake, diets higher in fatty foods, and the frequency of alcohol consumption can also help reduce the risk. Regular exercise and diets high in whole grains and fiber can improve the heart muscle strength and limit the odds. There have also been studies that link too much sugar consumption with a risk of heart disease. Overall, a healthy lifestyle and being vigilant about your heart health will help keep the risk lower.
