There are several conditions that increase the risk of having a heart attack or stroke.
The good news is, if you know what they are, you can improve or reverse almost all of them.
If you have any of the following, give yourself one point for each one.
1.
Metabolic Syndrome is present if you have 3 or more of the following.
If you only have 1 or 2 you do not get a point here.
- Waist measurement is over 35 inches for women or over 40 inches for men
- Blood pressure numbers are higher than 140 systolic or 80 diastolic or you take blood pressure medication
- Triglyceride on lab test is 150 or higher
- Fasting glucose on lab test is 100 or higher
- HDL on lab test is less than 50 for women or less than 40 for men
Diabetes is present if you have had a fasting glucose of 126 or higher, a random glucose of 200 or higher or the 3 month average blood glucose test is 6.
5% or higher.
3.
Pre Diabetes is present if you have had a fasting glucose of 100 or higher or the 3 month average blood glucose test 6-6.
4%.
4.
Overweight is present if your Body Mass Index (BMI) is 25-29.
9 and obesity is present if your BMI is 30 or higher.
Use this link to the Mayo Clinic BMI calculator to determine your BMI: http://www.
mayoclinic.
org/bmi-calculator/ITT-20084938.
5.
Blood pressure is high if your numbers are higher than 140 systolic or 80 diastolic or you take blood pressure medication.
6.
Abnormal lipids are present if any of the following are true for you.
You have a total cholesterol over 200, LDL cholesterol over 100, HDL cholesterol less than 50 for women or 40 for men, triglycerides are over 150, total cholesterol/HDL ratio is higher than 3.
5.
Count one point for each abnormal result.
7.
You smoke or chew tobacco.
8.
You have ongoing high levels of stress.
9.
You do not have a regular exercise program.
10.
You have a family history of heart disease that occurred below the age of 55 in men or below the age 65 in women.
11.
Your age is over 45 if you are a man or 55 if you are a woman.
All but 2 of these risk factors (3 if you have Type 1 Diabetes) are modifiable and/or reversible.
You can't change your age and you can't change your family history.
Be proactive and learn how to make the necessary changes to improve your health and lower your risk of heart disease! The road to success will usually be found in what you eat and how active you are.
Pick one thing to work on at a time.
Once you are progressing with that problem, start working on another.
Let's change the fact that heart disease is still the number one cause of death.
That fact is not going to be changed with drugs.
Start eating whole foods as much as possible.
Avoid packaged foods, especially those that contain sugar, high fructose corn syrup and monosodium glutamate.
Be physically active 5 days a week for 30 minutes.
If you are currently inactive, start gradually and build up with a few minutes a day.
Consult with nutrition and fitness professionals to develop an individual plan that works for you.