Live to One Hundred: Prevent Heart Disease

Step One: Be More Boring Sorry, smoking and drinking have both been proven to increase the risk of heart disease. Over 100,000 annual deaths in the US are directly attributable to heart failure brought on by cigars and cigarettes. While smoking more than doubles the odds of dying from a heart attack, quitting will eventually lower those odds back to normal. Drinking, however, is another story. Alcohol in moderation is actually good for you; one or two cups of red wine each day, or one beer can help prevent heart diseases. But it’s a double edged sword; too much liquor, on a regular basis, can actually cause a heart attack.

Step Two: Be Less Boring The most efficient way to prevent heart disease is to get regular exercise. Notice that regular does not mean strenuous. A hard workout has its place, but it can kill someone who already has heart problems. Regular activities--gardening, swimming, bowling, etc--are good for the heart. Even walking the dog every day counts. Hint: Obesity and Heart disease are linked. If you're overweight, you're at risk for heart disease, and you need to get away from the computer desk and step toward the diving board. People may look down on the overweight, but if you're five hundred pounds and you start hitting the pool every day, you'll have the most famous cannonball dive in existence. Splash!

Step Three: Speaking of Weight Problems High cholesterol is your enemy. Reduce it! Also find out from your doctor (not your friend, not a supermodel, not your dog, your doctor) if you're overweight, and if you are, what weight range you need to be in. Then work to hit that weight range. For most Americans this means dropping a few eight course meals, but there are a few out there who're at risk from being too small.

Step Four: Got Headaches?

Headaches can be a sign of high blood pressure, which is, of course, also a risk factor for heart disease. Aspirin is your best friend. Low doses of aspirin every day can actually work to reduce the risk of heart disease by making it harder for the blood to form clots. This doesn't cure the high blood pressure, though. Your doctor will have all sorts of helpful advice to help control your blood pressure, and you might even need to take medication for it--but you can get a good head start by following the advice I've given you.