What can be done to prevent heart disease?
Learning your risk for heart disease can help you and your doctor assess the need for preventive measures. If a person is considered high risk for heart disease based on family history, or is known to carry a gene mutation for a hereditary disease of the heart, then patients will be able to discuss with their physicians opportunities for prevention and/or treatment. Some physicians will recommend more frequent heart evaluations when a genetic risk factor is known, while others may prescribe medications to reduce risk and/or treat current symptoms. Patients who are determined to be high risk will therefore receive more intensive follow-up care, and possibly preventative treatments, than the members of the general population.
If you have a history of heart disease or are over 40 years old, it is wise to visit your doctor for regular blood pressure and cholesterol check and advice on medication. Some doctors may recommend a daily aspirin, which acts as a blood thinner to help prevent the risk of blood clots and blocked arteries. In the meantime however you can greatly reduce the risk of heart disease by leading an active, healthy lifestyle. Diet and Cholesterol Levels Diet can greatly influence the level of healthy cholesterol vs. ‘bad’ cholesterol in the body and assist in the maintenance of general heart health. LDL (‘bad’) cholesterol levels are raised by the intake of certain saturated fats, while HDL cholesterol is raised by the intake of monounsaturated fats and Omega-3 fatty acids. Not all saturated fats raise cholesterol. Palmitic acid, which is found in palm oil, cottonseed oil, lard, cocoa butter and beef tallow, is the most powerful at raising LDL cholesterol. These oils are commonly found in fast
