Prevent Heart Disease

Q: My family is fairly healthy, and I want to keep it that way. Do you have some specific suggestions on how I can prevent heart disease?

A: Although you can’t change risk factors such as age and heredity, you do have control over others: diabetes, sedentary lifestyle, obesity, tobacco use, high cholesterol, and blood pressure.
           
A lifestyle that includes a healthy diet, physical activity, and regular medical care can reduce your chances of heart disease and stroke. The following steps are important:

1. Be physically active for at least 30 minutes most days
    of the week.
2. Don’t smoke and avoid secondhand smoke.
3. Eat a heart-healthy diet.
4. Aim for a heart-healthy weight.
5. Limit alcohol intake.

Jennifer H. Mieres, M.D., is director of nuclear cardiology and associate professor of clinical medicine at New York University. She’s also a spokeswoman for the American Heart Association.