According to the American Heart Association, nearly half of the adults in the United States have some form of cardiovascular disease. February is American Heart Month. Do you know how your lifestyle choices and risk factors can affect your heart health? It is important to detect the signs of arterial disease early for early intervention!
Heart disease and a healthy lifestyle are not always mutually exclusive. Although you may be exercising, eating nutritious foods, and maintaining a healthy weight, you could still have asymptomatic disease.
There are various screening tools to prevent you from becoming part of the statistic–ranging from maintaining a well-balanced diet to understanding your risk of a heart attack or stroke.
Maintain a Healthy Diet
There are innumerable risk factors for heart disease, and one of them includes a poor diet. A well-balanced diet can help prevent the development of chronic inflammatory diseases and illnesses, such as heart disease and diabetes. Eating nutrient-dense foods may also aid in lowering your cholesterol, maintaining a healthy weight and reducing your blood pressure.
A diet full of high-fat, sugary, and salt-loaded foods daily have innumerable consequences for your health. It makes you more susceptible to heart disease with these factors:
High LDL cholesterol – This type of cholesterol is considered "bad" because it causes plaque buildup, making your arteries become clogged. Clogged arteries can restrict blood flow and oxygen to your heart.
Chronic inflammation – A poor diet can lead to chronic inflammation, which can lead to stress to your blood vessels and heart.
High blood pressure – Your blood pressure is the force of blood flowing through the blood vessels. Therefore, when it is high, your heart has to work harder, leading to weakness over time.
Depending on your genetics and specific test results (i.e., glucose test, inflammatory blood panel, food sensitivity testing), determine a diet that is best for your specific body needs to ensure your heart is in the best condition.
Avoid Smoking
Although there are various risk factors for heart disease, smoking is a leading cause of cardiovascular disease. It can increase blood pressure which hardens the arteries, putting the individual at risk for blood clots. It also reduces the amount of oxygen that blood can carry. Additionally, the chemicals in cigarette smoke may cause blood vessels to become inflamed and narrowed–if your heart muscle does not receive enough oxygen, the likelihood of a heart attack increases.
Although smoking can damage your heart and blood vessels, it is possible to see an improvement in health for people who stop smoking. Those who quit significantly reduce their risk of a heart attack or stroke, which will improve their arterial health.
Discover Your Cardiovascular Risk
Clogged arteries from plaque buildup can restrict blood flow to the heart, increasing your risk of heart attack or stroke and generalized inflammation throughout the body, leading to other inflammatory diseases. There are myriad root causes of cardiovascular disease. For instance, high-stress levels can increase inflammation and cause high blood pressure. It can affect your heart drastically in a silent manner. Most people do not feel the pain nor exhibit symptoms until a heart attack or stroke transpires. This asymptomatic arterial disease is truly an eye-opener for individuals.
Therefore, it is imperative to discover your risk by looking at your arteries. With the Carotid Intima-Media Thickness (CIMT) test, we can identify signs of atherosclerosis, vascular disease, plaque buildup, and much more.
CIMT is a simple, 20-minute ultrasound scan that assesses the lining of the carotid arteries in your neck. The test can be performed in our office at HASPC of Central Ohio. The test allows for early intervention to reduce your risk and optimize your heart health.
Book Your CIMT Appointment in Central Ohio Today!
At The Heart Attack and Stroke Prevention Center of Central Ohio (HASPC) in Columbus, Ohio, our medical and dental professionals are here to thoroughly evaluate your individualized risk and provide a treatment plan—curated to your needs. We provide a guarantee of arterial wellness; no heart attack or stroke.
We are sharing our love with this special offer just for you. Our CIMT scan is now $199 (originally $285). The offer expires at the end of THIS MONTH– book your appointment today by calling us at (614) 412-1157.
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