Is your body getting enough healthy calories?

Are you getting adequate calories everyday? Or are you getting more calories than your body actually requires? Many of us are so caught up in the stress of daily life (and other things) that we tend to overlook what exactly goes on our plate. Add to that unhealthy snacking, and you end up having an unhealthy lifestyle. 
However, healthy eating (and snacking) doesn't mean that you sacrifice taste. You can have healthy substitutes that are tasty as well as nutritious. 

And snacking can actually be beneficial if one makes the right choices. According to clinical nutritionist Dr Nupur Krishnan, "By choosing nutritious snacks, people can not only satisfy their hunger pangs, but also get additional nutrients required for healthy living. The idea isn't to ban snacks, but to plan them well. Healthy snacking boosts energy levels, helps in concentration and makes one more productive. It also distributes the calories required by the body evenly throughout the day. Snacks don't have to be fattening. Eating a low-calorie snack during a long stretch between meals is ideal. Excessive snacking can result in sluggishness at work, so one must be careful to choose low-calorie snacks and eat them in small amounts. A good option would be to consume a low-calorie snack before an evening out when calorie-loaded foods will be served."

Dietician and sports nutritionist Deepshikha Agarwal says, "One can substitute puris with plain phulkas and instead of heavy vegetarian curries, opt for simple cooked dals like moong dal, toor dal etc. Substitute biryani with vegetarian pulav since biryani gravies are high in saturated fat. One plate of biryani has 385kcal. Instead of cold drinks, drink a glass of buttermilk or coconut water. The ill effects of unhealthy food consumption include:
- Weight gain - Ailments like acidity and constipation - High blood pressure due to increase in the salt intake. - Deficiency of important nutrients. - Excess consumption of oily and fast foods can also have a negative effect on the quality of your skin." 

CHOOSE THIS

- Steamed idlis - Coriander chutney - Thoroughly washed raw salads (without dressing) - Clear soups - Coconut water, lime water - Plain soda - Unsalted buttermilk - Vegetable and paneer sandwich - Roasted chana - Fresh fruit salad without cream - Sukha bhel without sev puri - Sada dosa / masala / onion / rava dosa - Fish curry (with rice flour gravy without coconut) - Tandoori roti - Khada pav bhaji (pav without butter) - Air-popped popcorn - Figs bar, fruit bar - Fresh cut fruit or fresh fruit juice - Fresh seasonal soup

OVER THIS

- Idli fry, butter idlis, medu vadas, appams, etc. - Coconut chutney - Salads with dressings like mayonnaise, olive oil, etc. - Soup with cornflour, butter, etc. - Milkshakes - Cold / hard drinks - Sweet lassi - Toast sandwich, cheese sandwich, burgers, pizzas - Peanuts, fried chana dal - Fruit juices, ice creams, falooda - Mitha bhel - Dosas with butter / ghee - Fried fish / fish with coconut gravy - Butter naan, stuffed parathas, kulchas, missi rotis etc. - Mashed bhaji, masala pav - Microwave popcorn with high fat - Granola bars, candy bars often loaded with sugar and fat. Read lebels carefully to find hidden sugar and fat - Fruit drinks (very little fruit juice, but have a large amount of added sugar and high fructose corn syrup) - Canned and dried soups have high levels of sodium

Approximate number of calories required by different age groups on a daily basis

Boys- Girls
TODDLERS 1-3 yrs: 1,230 - 1,165

CHILDREN 4-6 yrs: 1,715 - 1545

CHILDREN 7-10 yrs : 1,970- 1,740

TWEENS 11-14 yrs: 2,220- 1,845

TEENAGERS 15-18 yrs : 2,755- 2,110

ADULTS 19-50 yrs 2,5501,940

SENIORS Over 50 yrs: 2,550- 1,940

Calories present in foods consumed on a daily basis
- Cooked rice 200gms — 222kcal - Biryani (one plate) — 385kcal - Parathas (two) — 297 kcal - Phulkas (two) — 170kcal - Puris (three) — 240kcal - Lentil (one katori) — 95kcal - Potato and peas curry - (one katori) — 132kcal - Ladies finger bhaji (1½ katori) - 226kcal - Buttermilk (one glass) — 30kcal

Warning: Sitting is the new smoking

Warning: Sitting is the new smoking (Thinkstock photos/Getty Images)

With most of us now spending nine hours a day sitting down, here is looking at how our sedentary modern lifestyle is fast becoming a ticking health time bomb

Are you sitting comfortably? You might not be that comfortable by the time you finish reading this, because spending too much time perched on your posterior could be seriously damaging your health.

Those prolonged periods of inactivity increase your risk of obesity, but they also cause a staggering list of other conditions. This includes heart disease, diabetes, colon cancer, muscular and back issues, deep vein-thrombosis, brittle bones, depression and even dementia.

Experts are now describing sitting as 'the new smoking', a ticking time bomb of ill health just waiting to explode. The World Health Organisation has already identified physical inactivity as the fourth biggest killer on the planet, ahead of obesity.

For example, in Great Britain, studies show that the average Brit spends a staggering 8.9 hours every day sitting down. That might be at work, in a car or on the sofa in front of the TV. Add another seven hours sleeping and that means most spend just one third of their time on their feet.


A new campaign has now been started, which aims to get the country back on its feet and help turn back the rising tide of ill health that is caused by spending too much time sitting down.

Gavin Bradley, director of the campaign, says: "It's like smoking during the 1970s and passive smoking during the 90s. We all know a sedentary lifestyle is bad for us, we just don't realise how bad it is. Spending less time sitting down really can add years to your life. That is the most important message. "Unfortunately, it also seems to be the hardest one for people to believe.''

Limits of exercise
The World Health Organisation recommends that an adult should do at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise a week, — 30 minutes on at least five days. That is enough to gain the main benefits of regular exercise. However, it won't protect you from the dangers of a sedentary lifestyle if you spend too much time sitting.

Dr John Buckley, an expert in exercise science at Chester University, says: "A person may have got more than 30 minutes' exercise by cycling to work and home again, but if they have been sitting still all day they will lose some of those benefits. It is like exercising but then eating an unhealthy diet or exercising and being a smoker. Physical inactivity is equally as important as those other well-known issues like diet and smoking."

What happens to your body when you're sitting down?
Sitting for too long slows down the body's metabolism and the way the enzyme lipoprotein lipase breaks down our fat reserves. On the other hand, blood glucose levels and blood pressure both increase.

Small amounts of regular activity, even just standing and moving around, throughout the day is enough to bring the increased levels back down. And those small amounts of activity add up — scientists have suggested that 30 minutes of light activity in two or three-minute bursts could be just as effective as a half-hour block of exercise.

But without that activity, blood sugar levels and blood pressure keep creeping up, steadily damaging the inside of the arteries and raising the risk of diabetes, heart disease and stroke.

Getting people more active so they spend less time sitting down is the single biggest step towards cutting the risk of developing those deadly diseases.

"The human race didn't evolve to spend so much time sitting down," says an expert.

"Up until relatively recently, we spent much of our time moving around."

What's the evidence?
A study of bus drivers and conductors carried out by Transport for London in the 1950s provides stark evidence of the dangers of spending too much time sitting down. It found that drivers, who spend more of their time sitting, were 1.5 times as likely to develop heart disease as conductors, who stood more often.

Getting people on their feet can prevent and alleviate back problems, which are commonly caused by spending too much time sitting or sitting with poor posture.

As well as the physical benefits, there are less-tangible rewards. Many people notice their mood improves, they can think more clearly and enjoy a general sense of well-being. "If you could put that in a bottle, people would pay a lot of money for it," says Dr Napton. "If you want to put that into activity levels, it would be the equivalent of running about 10 -marathons a year, just by standing up three or four hours in your day at work.''

Taking a stand at work
The benefits of standing instead of spending so much time sitting are finally starting to catch on. Just last month, Victoria Beckham was photographed walking while working after swapping her office chair for a treadmill desk.

Such luxuries are not for everyone. Adjustable sit-stand desks that allow workers to alter the height and work while sitting down or standing up offer a more practical solution.

Interestingly, standing desks are much common in Scandinavia, where staff have the right to work standing up. In this country, they are usually seen as treatment tools for patients who already suffer from back problems, rather than a way to prevent issues in later life.

Experts say standing and moving around will make people happier and healthier; it will make them more productive, too. "Winston Churchill used to stand at his desk,'' says an expert. "That's not a bad example to follow. We are more positive, more alert and more task-driven when we are standing."

Time to make a change
There is still some way to go before all of us follow the Scandanavian lead on workers' rights to sit and stand. Convincing firms, schools and families to act will play a vital role in creating a more active lifestyle.

But the benefits of standing apply across all age groups and parents could help their children by limiting the time infants spend restrained in buggies and car seats. The need for exercise remains crucial in later life and the elderly can help keep their bones and muscles strong by standing up and moving around regularly.

How sitting wrecks your body
- Electrical activity in the leg muscles shuts off
- Calorie burning drops to 1 per minute
- Enzymes that help break down fat drop by 90%
- Good cholesterol drops by 20%

After 24 hours:
- Insulin effectiveness drops by 24% and risk of diabetes rises
- People with sitting jobs have twice the rate of cardiovascular disease as people
with standing jobs.
- Take the extra step
- Sitting time adds up, whether it's at the desk or in the car. Walk, ride your bike, and take the stairs instead of the elevator. Also, interrupt sitting time whenever you can.
- Sitting at 1350 puts less strain on the back than hunching forward or even sitting straight.

- Daily Mirror

Want to Sit Less? Here’s What NOT to Do

Photo: Getty Images

You probably know by now that sitting for long periods is a big health no-no. Not only can sitting make you fat, but in 2012, Australian researchers found that people who sit for more than 11 hours a day have a 40% increased risk of death from any cause, according to a study in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

More recently, a study in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute found that people who spent most of the day on their butts had a 24% greater colon cancer risk—and that number shot up to 54% for people who clocked the most hours sitting in front of the TV. And the risks remained even for so-called “active couch potatoes”—people who work out but still spend most of their day off their feet. The study authors said this suggests that regular exercise can’t offset the risks of too much sitting.

So if sitting is so bad, why don’t we just stand all the time? While it’s important to get up and moving when you can, standing for an entire day isn’t good for you either.

That’s what writer Dan Kois learned, according to a recent story for New York magazine. Kois tried standing 95% of the time for 30 days straight, and had cramps in his calves at bedtime and pain in his hips, heels, and legs—even after using cushioned insoles and standing on an anti-fatigue mat at work. The take-home message? The goal isn’t to make a complete switch from one to the other. As one University of Pittsburgh professor told Kois, jobs that require a lot of standing (like nursing or retail) are linked to their own set of health problems including varicose veins, lower-back pain, and increased risk of stroke.

When it comes down to it, you really need both to stay healthy. There are easy ways to incorporate standing into your daily routine for better health—you just need to take it one step at a time.

Here are some tips to break out of a mostly sedentary lifestyle:

Set an alarm

It seems silly, but you literally need to remind yourself to get up. Setting your phone alarm or using an app likeBreakTime for Mac devices are simple ways to encourage more movement throughout the day. Even the scientists that Kois talked to for his article used this strategy to stand up for 10 minutes every hour. Plus, you won’t be able to ignore that loud ping on your smartphone or computer when the time comes.

Start pacing

One activity you can certainly do while standing: talking on the phone. This is especially great for office dwellers who constantly get bogged down by calls or people who have lots of phone dates with friends and family. At work, you just need a long phone-to-ear cord or quality headset to ensure you get more mobile. Even taking a call standing will help your legs shift more naturally.

Walk whenever possible

You’d be surprised how many ways you can sneak walking into your daily routine. A quick walk after a meal can be a relaxing way to get your feet moving. After eating, the fat levels in your bloodstream are at their peak, so simply moving around post meal increases the activity of lipoprotein lipase, a gene that boosts your metabolism.

If you drive to work, park your car a few blocks away from the building, suggests Roshini Raj, M.D., Health‘s contributing medical editor. That way you can get your legs working before you even get through the door. Same goes for you train and subway riders. Get off a stop or two early, or take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator to add some extra steps to your day. Dr. Raj also recommends walking to get your lunch instead of ordering in. It’s that simple!

Choose the right seat

The next time you go out for food or drinks, skip the table and try sitting at the bar. Seating yourself on the front third of a bar stool can help you maintain the S-shape in your spine and distribute your weight more evenly (that is, more weight supported by your feet and less by your butt). To mimic this position, called “perching,” spread your feet just wider than hip distance and gently roll your hips forward, arching your back slightly.

Ditch the chair

Summer is definitely the time for concerts, tailgates, and lazy days at the park. Next time, don’t haul a chair with you. Leaving your folding chairs at home will force you to get up more often while outdoors. Just have a blanket on hand to rest every so often, but don’t be afraid to stand the whole time either–better yet, go for a short walk while you’re up.

Do stuff in person

Sometimes the best way to ask a question is face to face. Yes, it’s super easy to email, call, or IM someone at work. But does walking to your coworker’s desk really take that long? You may even get a faster response to a simple question this way. When it comes time to hash out a project, opt to chat with your colleague in person or even suggest taking a walk to the coffee machine. Both are great ways to get you two moving and working at the same time.

Create mini workstations

The idea here is to give your body the chance to rotate between different positions throughout the day. Start by creating an area at your desk where you can stand and work. A box or milk crate covered with fabric can be a great resting place for your laptop, or you can leave memos to read on a shelf at standing height. If you’re daring enough, you could even try a standing desk.

Here’s to happy standing!

MORE:  
Too Much Sitting May Be Harmful for Older Women
How to Become an Exercise Addict
Walk Off 10 Pounds in 3 Weeks

World Vitiligo Day: Skin disease takes emotional toll

Artist Stephanie Corne took portraits of people with the skin condition vitiligo while attending the 2013 World Vitiligo Day conference in Detroit. " I'm drawn to people suffering from social exclusion, and art can be a healing tool," Corne said. Pictured, Kimberly Boyld.

HIDE CAPTION

Embracing vitiligo

(CNN) -- Broadcaster Lee Thomas' patchwork skin has being losing pigment for 17 years. He's gotten used to the constant stares when his work makeup is off; he doesn't even mind being asked about his varying skin tones.

Thomas laughs when he recalls one of his 6-year-old daughter's friends telling him he looked like a cow. After Thomas explained he had vitiligo, the boy asked if they could play Frisbee.

"It's not really the ignorance," Thomas said about the lack of awareness surrounding vitiligo. "It's the malicious ignorance. Adults are weird."

He remembers playing a "visual tennis match" with a man in his office. The man would stare at Thomas, then as soon as Thomas looked at him, the man looked away. They volleyed back and forth until Thomas told him, "It's OK if you want to look."

He went through what he calls an "angry spotted-guy" period when he would give menacing looks to those who stared at him.

"Eventually I said, 'That's not me' and would do the opposite," he said. "I'd give them the million-dollar smile that got me into my work in the first place and turn it into a conversation rather than a spectacle."

What's vitiligo?

June 25 marks World Vitiligo Day, which is aimed at raising awareness about the incurable disease.

Vitiligo affects roughly 100 million people worldwide, according to the Vitiligo Research Foundation. It's not contagious or fatal, but scientists don't know exactly what causes it.

"The body acts as if it's allergic to its pigment cells," said Dr. Mark Lebwohl, a professor and dermatologist at Mount Sinai School of Medicine. The pigment cells, also known as melanocytes, die or stop producing melanin, leaving patches of colorless skin all over a person's body.

Vitiligo doesn't discriminate, affecting people of all skin colors, but it is most noticeable in people with darker skin.

Michael Jackson probably had the most well-known case of vitiligo; rumor has it Jackson wore a single glove to hide some of the splotches on his hand. Thomas said he also, for a time, wore a single glove while reporting stories to cover his symptoms.

Though there is no cure for vitiligo, there are many treatment options that vary in effectiveness and cost.

Topical creams and ointments can repigment the skin, but Lebwohl said this process can take years. Laser treatments, which target affected skin areas with light therapy, can produce results in just a few treatments. These treatments work best in dark-skinned people and on the face.

There are also some surgical treatments, "but sometimes the healing is not uniform so it can look like there's scarring," Lebwohl said.

Vitiligo patients often struggle for years to find something that works for them. Lebwohl says one of his colleagues at Mount Sinai has done great work in mapping the causes of vitiligo in the immune system. Lebwohl believes better treatments will be available in the next decade or so that target the roots of the disease.

Getting past the stigma

Thomas wore makeup on his face anytime he was out of the house for nearly four years until he was no longer able to hide his vitiligo, he said. Being a TV personality, he worried that he would lose his job if his bosses and co-workers found out about his condition.

Eventually he had to reveal it, and to his relief, it wasn't an issue.

"My bosses here at the time were always very supportive," he said. "The conflict was within."

He now goes without makeup when he's not working, but he still wears makeup on camera because his vitiligo is so visible he feels it distracts from the stories he reports.

Vitiligo isn't physically painful, but Lebwohl emphasized it's not strictly a cosmetic condition either.

"It's debilitating. Imagine every time you meet someone you have a disorder clearly on your face," he said. "It's really a psychological disorder."

Yan Valle, who works with the Vitiligo Foundation, said he's watched his pigment disappear since he was 6. It started on his legs, then spread to his hands, face and neck.

"It's not as bad as on dark-skinned people, but still, kids see everything," Valle said.

Like Thomas, he senses that his vitiligo makes people uncomfortable -- on subways or elevators, strangers purposely avoid looking at the spots.

Valle says he grew up with few resources to help him understand the condition or how to treat it. He helped found the Vitiligo Research Foundation in 2010 and now works full-time to provide resources to medical professionals and those with the condition.

Thomas has written a book, "Turning White," and often speaks about his experience with vitiligo.

He met one woman and her brother at a support group he started in Detroit, which he says was the first vitiligo support group in the United States. The woman's brother told Thomas she hadn't left the house in months because of her insecurities with the disease.

"She said 'I don't know how you do it,' " Thomas said. "There are lots suffering in silence, and I hope to be their voice."

READ: Battling skin shame with fashion

CNN anchor battles her skin and wins

Does cereal have too many vitamins for kids?

On EWG's "excessively fortified cereals" list are several 


brands of bran flakes, raisin bran and wheat flakes

(CNN) -- Most parents are concerned about their kids getting enough vitamins. Should they also worry about giving their kids too much?

A recent report published by the Environmental Working Group says children may be consuming too much vitamin A, zinc and/or niacin from some cereals, thanks to antiquated nutrition information on their labels.

The Food and Drug Administration sets the "daily value" percentages you see on nutrition labels. The total amount for each nutrient is based on recommendations for adults, the EWG saidsa, and the values haven't changed since 1968.

The Institute of Medicine updates their recommended daily values annually based on current nutritional information. IOM guidelines (PDF) state children between the ages of 4 and 8 should be consuming less than 0.9 mg of vitamin A, 15 mg of niacin and 12 mg of zinc each day.

In their report, the Environmental Working Group analyzed the nutrition labels of more than 1,500 breakfast cereals. They found 114 of the cereals -- about 7% -- contained a large percentage of the recommended daily value of vitamin A, zinc and/or niacin per serving.

EWG reported most children eat more than one serving of cereal -- typically defined as 3/4 cup -- in a sitting. So if children consume about 2.5 servings, they would meet or exceed the IOM's limit for these vitamins, even without consuming other foods that are fortified or taking a daily multivitamin.

The Grocery Manufacturers Association, which represents the food and beverage industry, said that fortification of foods has long been successful in helping consumers get the nutrients they need.

"The FDA has a robust and clear regulatory policy in place to ensure that fortification of foods is practiced safely and appropriately," said director of communications Brian Kennedy. "The IOM offers additional guidance for discretionary fortification of foods."

On EWG's "excessively fortified cereals" list are several brands of bran flakes, raisin bran and wheat flakes. While these may or may not appeal to the majority of children, the EWG said cereals are kids' No. 1 source for getting an excess of nutrients.

"EWG identified 23 excessively fortified cereals," said Olga Naidenko, co-author of the report. "Two brands of cereal, Kellogg's Krave and Kellogg's Cocoa Krispies, clearly have product labels that would appeal to children, with cartoon style writing and images."

But some experts say cereal isn't the biggest concern when it comes to kids' excessive vitamin and mineral intake.

A recent study found that 45% of children are getting too much zinc, 13% too much vitamin A and 8% niacin. If the child is taking multivitamins, those numbers are significantly higher: 72% of kids taking a multivitamin are overdosing on vitamin A, 28% are consuming too much niacin and up to 84% are getting too much zinc.

"Overdosing on vitamins or minerals typically occurs when a person takes too many supplements, rather than too much of a certain food," said Dr. Jennifer Shu, a pediatrician with Children's Medical Group in Atlanta.

In the short-term, excessive intake of some vitamins and minerals could lead to gastrointestinal symptoms, she said. The long-term effects of too much vitamin A, include liver and skeletal damage. Overdosing on zinc can lead to an impaired immune function, and excessive niacin is toxic to the liver.

"Parents may want to look at their kids' favorite cereals and bars to check the fortification levels and cut back if they have concerns about the amounts -- or any symptoms their child may have," Shu said.

To prevent excessive intake, the Environmental Working Group recommends parents usea caution when feeding children foods with more than 25% of the adult daily value and monitor their intake of all foods to make sure they're not getting an excessive amount, especially if the child is also taking multivitamins.

"The FDA needs to set percent DV levels that reflect current science," the report concluded.

Opinion: Don't be fooled by dietary supplement claims

How brain maintains activity balance

How brain maintains activity balance

How brain maintains activity balance (Thinkstock Photos/Getty Images)

Ever wondered how we constantly adjust and adapt our social behaviour in response to external stimuli? A mechanism in the brain automatically does that for us. 

Maladjustment of this mechanism, called the E/I ratio, may result in inappropriate behaviour, finds the study. 

"If this E/I balance is broken, it completely alters your perception of the world," said study co-author Massimo Scanziani, a professor of neurosciences at Howard Hughes Medical Institute. 

"You will be less able to adjust and adapt appropriately to the range of stimulation in a normal day without being overwhelmed or completely oblivious. 

"And E/I imbalances may be most easily noticed in social interactions because these interactions require such nuance and subtle adjusting," he added. 

Researchers discovered the mechanism that involves processes that control whether a neuron relays information to other neurons or suppresses the transmission of information. 

There is a constant ratio between the total amount of pro-firing stimulation that a neuron receives from the thousands of excitatory neurons that feed into it, and the total amount of red-light stop signalling that it receives from inhibitory neurons. 

"Neurons in our brain drive by pushing the brake and the accelerator at the same time," said Scanziani. 

"There is always a tug-of-war. It's weird but very clever. It allows the brain to exert very subtle control on our response to stimuli," he explained. 

Scientists have also proposed that some neuro-degenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's and Huntington's disease, may be associated with a shift in the E/I balance. 

"Now that we know how this E/I balance is regulated in a normal brain, we can begin to understand what goes wrong in the diseased state. 

"It paves the way for interventions that might restore the balance in the brain," said lead author Minghan Xue from the University of California, San Diego. 

In terms of clinical applications, the scientists said that neurological diseases such as autism, epilepsy and schizophrenia are believed to be a problem, at least in part, of the brain's ability to maintain an optimal E/I ratio. 

The findings were published online in the journal Nature.

When cholesterol poses a higher risk

WHAT YOUR RISKS MEAN

Elevated cholesterol levels contribute to plaque buildup in the arteries, called atherosclerosis. This buildup can slowly harden and narrow the arteries, increasing the risk for heart attack and stroke.

Having additional risk factors doesn’t necessarily mean you will develop serious heart problems. But it does mean you may need to be more aggressive in managing your cholesterol to prevent them. In addition to making important lifestyle changes such as eating a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, exercising regularly, losing weight, and not smoking, your doctor may recommend a lower target for your LDL, or “bad,” cholesterol. Those at high risk for heart disease should aim for an LDL of 70 mg/dL.

Some risk factors for heart disease that may affect your cholesterol management plan include the following:

Diabetes

The risk for heart disease and stroke among people with diabetes is the same as for someone who is already diagnosed with cardiovascular disease. As a result, lowering LDL cholesterol—which is a major factor for atherosclerosis—is key for people with diabetes.

Diabetes poses a big risk for heart disease because it can offset the balance of good and bad cholesterol in your body. This condition, called diabetic dyslipidemia, can contribute significantly to clogged arteries.

The good news is that by aggressively lowering LDL levels, a person with diabetes can reduce his or her risk of heart complications by 20% to 50%.

Age

As we get older, the likelihood of developing heart disease increases. This is especially true for men older than age 45 and women who have gone through menopause, which is usually around age 55. Women’s risk for heart disease increases at this time because their estrogen levels drop. If women go through menopause earlier, they may also develop heart disease earlier.

In addition to an increased risk for heart disease, the likelihood of developing health conditions that contribute to the disease also creeps up with age. These include high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and diabetes.

Keep in mind that developing high cholesterol and other risk factors isn’t inevitable. There are healthy lifestyle habits like good diet, exercise, and keeping your weight down that can reduce your risk as you age. It’s also wise to work closely with your doctor and keep tabs on these risk factors. For example, experts recommend getting cholesterol levels checked every five years beginning at age 20.

High Blood Pressure

Just like high cholesterol, high blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart disease. High blood pressure damages the lining of the arteries, making it more likely you’ll develop atherosclerosis.

When you have high cholesterol and high blood pressure at the same time, you have a much greater risk for heart attack and stroke. But keep in mind, you may have elevated blood pressure and not even know it. Just like high cholesterol, high blood pressure creates no symptoms. Make sure you know your blood pressure number. If it’s 140/90 mm/Hg or greater, talk with your doctor about steps you can take to keep it under control.

Family History of Heart Disease

If heart disease runs in your family, you have a greater chance of having it, too. This is especially true if family members developed the disease at an early age. There is a greater chance that you will develop heart disease if your father or brother had a heart attack before age 55, or if your mother or sister had one before age 65.

Although you can’t change your family’s health history, you can control other risk factors for heart disease. By reducing high cholesterol through lifestyle changes and possibly medication, you can greatly reduce your likelihood of developing heart problems.

Smoking

Smoking is the main preventable cause of death in the U.S., and is a major risk factor for heart disease. The harmful chemicals in tobacco damage the arteries and blood vessels. This damage opens the door to arthrosclerosis because plaque begins to build in damaged areas of the artery.

When smoking is combined with other risk factors, the likelihood of developing heart disease is even greater. One of the best things you can do to for your health is to quit smoking. Help is available atwww.smokefree.gov.

Obesity

Roughly one-third of all Americans are overweight or obese—a major problem in the fight against heart disease. Obesity raises blood cholesterol and contributes to conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes. Together, these conditions dramatically increase the likelihood of heart attack and stroke.

Although losing weight isn’t always easy, it’s one way you can take control of your health and reduce your risk of heart disease. Losing just 5% to 10% of your body weight can help.

TAKING THE NEXT STEP

If you have one or more of these risk factors, make sure you discuss them with your doctor. It’s important your physician understands your total risk for heart disease in order to create the best treatment plan for you.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Some people have risk factors for heart disease that make it especially important to focus on cholesterol health.
• The risk for heart disease and stroke among people with diabetes is particularly high, so lowering LDL cholesterol is key.
• Men older than 45 and women who have gone through menopause are at increased risk for heart disease.
• Having high cholesterol and high blood pressure at the same time leads to a greater risk for heart attack and stroke.
• If heart disease runs in your family, you have a greater chance of having it, too.