Heart disease is the No. 1 killer for both men and women. But research indicates that most heart attacks and other causes of heart disease death could be prevented.

1) Blood Pressure

It is one of the strongest predictors of feart disease.

• Normal blood pressure is 119/79 or below.
• Prehypertension is 120 to 139 (systolic) and/or 80 to 89 (diastolic).

Experts recommend that people with prehypertension — an estimated 45 million men and women — make heart-healthy lifestyle changes to reduce their risk of blood pressure complications, such as heart disease, stroke, and kidney damage.

2) Cholesterol

Cholesterol is a type of fat that is an essential nutrient for your body. However, too much cholesterol — or not enough of the good type of cholesterol — increases your risk for hardening of the arteries that can lead to heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.

Cholesterol is considered abnormal when:

• Total cholesterol is 200 or higher
• HDL or “good” cholesterol level is less than 40
• LDL or “bad” cholesterol is more than 160

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3) Body Mass Index (BMI)

This is an indirect measure of your body fat, a quick way to see if you are overweight. BMI uses a person’s weight and height to gauge total body fat. Calculate your BMI.

• A BMI of 18.5-24.9 is ideal.
• A BMI of 25 to 29.9 is overweight.
• A BMI of 30 to 39 indicates obesity.
• A BMI of 40 or more indicates morbid obesity

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4) Blood Sugar

A fasting blood sugar test — after not eating or drinking anything but water for at least 12 hours — is most commonly used to diagnose type 2 diabetes.

• A normal fasting blood sugar is less than 100.
• Prediabetes is a fasting blood sugar of 100 to 125.
• A fasting blood sugar of 126 or greater indicates diabetes.

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5) Exercise

The American College of Sports Medicine recommends aerobic exercising three to five days a week for 30 to 45 minutes. This doesn’t mean strapping on the leotards and joining others in the gym. Exercise that strengthens the heart comes in all shapes and sizes — biking, swimming, and jogging, to name a few.

Links - Exercise and Health

Reference - WebMD

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This entry was posted on Saturday, June 25th, 2005 at 1:55 pm and is filed under Health Tips. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.