Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States. Every year, 1 in 5 deaths are caused by heart disease. It doesn’t just happen to older adults. It is happening to younger adults more and more often. This is partly because the conditions that lead to heart disease are happening at younger ages. February is National Heart Disease Awareness Month and is a great time to learn the risk factors for Cardiovascular disease… those that you can control and those that you cannot and to find out what you can do to reduce your risk.

Know The Risk Factors for Heart Disease

Did you know… Smoking accounts for about 1/5 of all deaths from heart disease in the United States. Smokers have a two to fourfold increase in coronary artery disease and about a 70 percent higher death rate from coronary artery disease than do nonsmokers.
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/17488-smoking.

And …

Your risk of heart disease starts to drop in as little as one day after quitting. After one year, your risk decreases by ½ of that of a smoker. The bottom line… every day counts when it comes to stopping smoking.

Eating Well, Exercising and Reducing Your Stress Levels are Key Components for Managing Your Rish of Cardiovascular Disease (CDV)

Stress is a normal part of life; we all have it and we all respond differently to it. There is good stress, the kind that helps us to respond to dangerous situations, and then there’s bad stress or chronic stress. This is the kind that is associated with things like illness or injury (either personal or involving a loved one), the death of a loved one, starting a new job, or financial concerns. When left unmanaged, chronic stress can lead to emotional, psychological and even physical problems including heart disease.

Researchers are unclear if it is the stress itself that is the risk factor for heart disease because of the increased and unhealthy levels of stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol or if high levels of stress increase or that stress makes other risk factors worse (i.e. high cholesterol and high blood pressure). Stress may also increase unhealthy behaviors like overeating, drinking, and smoking which increase your risk of CVD.

It is important that you identify the cause(s) of your stress and identify strategies for managing it. Exercising regularly, especially doing aerobic exercise, has been shown to release endorphins, the “feel good” hormones that make you feel better naturally. Learning to relax through modalities like yoga, deep breathing, and meditation is another great way to fight stress.

Meditation has become one of the most popular techniques for relieving stress for people of all walks of life. By learning to calm your body and mind, your physical and emotional stress can melt away. This leaves you feeling better, refreshed, and ready to face the challenges of your day with a healthy attitude. With regular practice over weeks or months, you can experience even greater benefits.

Try Box Breathing to Calm Your Mind and Reduce Stress

Box breathing is a simple yet powerful relaxation technique that can calm and clear your mind, reduce stress, and improve focus. It is simple and easy to learn and you can practice it anywhere, especially when you are in a stressful situation.

• Step 1: Breathe in, counting to four slowly. Feel the air enter your lungs.
• Step 2: Hold your breath for 4 seconds. Try to avoid inhaling or exhaling for 4 seconds.
• Step 3: Slowly exhale through your mouth for 4 seconds.
• Step 4: Repeat steps 1 to 3 until you feel re-centered.

Repeat this exercise as many times as you can. Thirty seconds of deep breathing will help you feel more
relaxed and in control.