Signs of Heart Problems & Heart Disease

Not too long ago, Sheryl and I decided to go on a diet together. We were both tired of being fat, and decided what better time to start a diet than now. We did a little research and decided that we were going to give Slim-Fast a shot. The program is already planned out for you, and they have a very intuitive solution online that helps you track calories and overall weight loss. The program is free to use (the online program that is), so that helps. Part of me going on a diet also involves my family history of heart problems. From heart attacks to heart disease, my dad’s side of the family is just a mess. One heart attack after another over there. The older I get, the more I worry about that stuff too.

Risk Factors of Heart Disease

There are actually several risk factors to heart disease:

1. High blood pressure – about one out of three adults living in the United States has high blood pressure. This is one of the most common heart disease risk factors.

2. High cholesterol – about one in every six adults in the U.S. has this. The higher your cholesterol the higher your risk of heart disease. (Funny how those two go hand in hand together.)

3. Obesity – nearly 70% of Americans are obese… Another reason for my diet. The more overweight you are, the greater your risk for heart disease.

4. Increasing age – men older than 45 and women over the age of 55 have a greater risk of heart disease. Not much we can do about that one…

5. Gender – men have a greater risk of heart disease than men. Men tend to die an average of ten years earlier than women.

6. Diabetes – people with diabetes are two to four times more likely to have heart disease.

7. Heredity – you are more likely to have heart disease if your mother, father, sister or brother have heart disease. (Great… Thanks Dad.)

Man… That’s just scary typing that. Looks like this diet wasn’t a bad idea. Yeah, it sucks not being able to eat what I want. But I would rather have a more enjoyable life in the future. I am no longer that once untouchable kid eating Chinese and killing gallons of ice cream. I need to take care of myself so that I don’t end up in the hospital with this very serious disease.

Do you, or anyone you are close to, have heart disease?