Although heart disease is the leading killer in America today, it is easily preventable. You know the drill: eat less fat, eat more fruits and vegetables and keep blood pressure and cholesterol levels in check.
But wait, there’s more:
• Don’t skip breakfast. Studies indicate that most heart attacks occur between 7 a.m. and noon –– that’s the time when cells that cause blood to clot are stickiest. Eating breakfast makes those platelets less sticky –– and thereby less likely to clump together and cause a blockage.
• Chill out. People who lose their cool during stressful situations are more likely to have heart trouble. In one study, people whose blood pressure and heart rate jumped the most when they got aggravated were also the ones most likely to have reduced blood flow to the heart.
• Get moving. A sedentary lifestyle is one of the greatest risk factors in heart-attack deaths. Just a half hour of moderate physical activity –– including opting for the stairs rather than the elevator and walking around the block at lunch –– delivers fitness benefits that are similar to traditional exercise routines.
