Here are proven ways:
- Cut down your blood cholesterol level. Lowering cholesterol levels will lower the risk of heart attack. Your doctor can arrange a simple blood test to measure your blood cholesterol levels as part of the overall assessment of your cardiovascular risk. Most people with heart problems should aim for a general blood cholesterol level of less than 4mmol/L.
- Control that weight. Strive to maintain your recommended body weight. If you are overweight, you need to diet and trim your waistline to reduce your heart disease risk. Avoid diets that promise rapid weight loss, and do not starve yourself or miss meals. Most vitamins do not reduce heart risks, but certain vitamins (B6, B12, and folic acid) may have some benefits. Consult your doctor.
- Quit smoking. If you smoke, your chances of a heart attack are two or three times those of a non-smoker and you have a higher risk of stroke and other diseases. Lifetime smokers have a 50 percent chance of dying from smoking-related diseases. Their life span is also shorter by an average of 14 years. Smoking even affects the health of others around you. If you stop smoking, all the above risks immediately fall. Stopping now will lower your risks of a heart attack to that of a non-smoker within five years.
- Bring down your blood pressure. A high blood pressure can enlarge and weaken the heart and damage the blood vessels. Get your blood pressure checked regularly and more often if you are older, are taking any medication ( including contraceptives), are overweight, or have diabetes or a family history of heart disease.
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