A healthy heart is critical for health and well-being. Men were often credited with having more heart disease than women. However, that situation no longer seems relevant, today just as many women as men are affected by heart disease.

Heart Disease: Heart disease covers a number of health conditions, among which are coronary artery disease, valve and rhythm problems and plaque in the arteries.

Typically heart disease is caused by an inflammatory process. Inflammatory irritants such as bad cholesterol, high blood sugar levels or nicotine all play a major role in heart disease. On the other hand, a number of people do have a genetic predisposition to heart disease.

Damaging Risk Factors: There is much you can do to ensure that you have a healthy heart. It requires your attention to get rid of possible risk factors. 

High blood pressure, high-stress levels, overweight issues, unhealthy food habits and minimum exercise are all contributing risk factors for heart disease. Strive to keep your ticker going for a long healthy life, changes in lifestyle can make a world of difference for your heart's health.

Change Risk Factors: You can prevent heart disease by following a heart-healthy lifestyle. Even though you cannot change some risk factors such as family history, sex or age there are many things you can do reduce your chances of getting heart disease.

 Your goal is to minimize or avoid plaque that ignites inflammation in the arteries. Several key heart disease prevention steps are linked to best heart practices self-care

Heart Disease Prevention Steps:

1. Exercising regularly can reduce your risk of heart disease. A planned daily exercise regimen is very beneficial. Any physical activity that discourages a less sedentary lifestyle goes a long way to reduce your risk of heart disease. 
2. Physical activity can also help you control your weight and maintaining a healthy weight is a plus. Managing your weight to avoid obesity can improve your blood pressure and cholesterol levels and improve diabetes; this will help to prevent heart disease.
3. Follow a heart-healthy diet, eat healthy fats from plant-based sources such as avocado, nuts, olives and olive oil. However, limit certain other fats,
4.  it is important to keep Trans-fat out of your diet and to limit or avoid saturated fats. 
5. Reduce your salt intake and eat a lot of fruits and vegetables. Eating a healthy diet reduces your risk of heart disease.
6. You'll need to keep certain other key things under control. Get tested for diabetes, keep your blood sugar level in check if you have a diabetic condition. 
7. Your blood pressure matters you should know the range of your blood pressure and keep it in a healthy state. 
8. You should know your cholesterol and triglyceride levels and make sure you manage to keep it within healthy limits.
9.  If you drink alcohol it's better for your heart to do so in moderation as this will help you lower your LDL or bad cholesterol.
10. If you're a non-smoker you deserve kudos it's simply great for your heart's health. Your risk of coronary heart disease drops when you don't smoke compared to someone who is a smoker.
11. Chemicals in tobacco build up plaque in arteries that can damage your heart and blood vessels leading to narrowing of the arteries (arteriosclerosis). 
12. It's prudent to quit smoking because you'll reap heart healthy dividends by kicking the habit.

Try nipping in the bud your journey down the road to heart disease, choose heart-healthy habits. Pamper your heart and consult with your healthcare provider to discuss your heart's health.