Heart disease is the number one killer in the United States

Heart disease is the number one killer in the United States. A combination of a sedentary life and diet that would scare an elephant is much to blame. Given this, it is vital that you know the four risk factors that are tied to deaths caused by cardiac events.

There has been much talk about the various factors that can be a sign of impending heart trouble. It seems a week doesn't pass without a new sign coming out. While there are merits to these new discoveries, study after study shows that the presence of one of four health problems is present in nine out of ever ten heart attacks or strokes.

The first factor is smoking. If you smoke, you are asking for a host of health problems. This includes the rather obvious damage done to your lungs as well as damage done to your arteries and heart. Quitting smoking can be difficult, but dying is much more so. I smoked a pack a day for seven years and quit. So can you. Stop smoking!

The second factor is high cholesterol counts. Well, high bad cholesterol counts. There are two types of cholesterol, LDL and HDL. LDL is bad. You can influence it by what you eat. Fast food is not a good choice! Still, a large percentage of the cholesterol in your body is based on what the liver is producing. Make sure to get your levels checked, develop a good dietary plan and see if medication is appropriate.

High blood pressure is our third factor. It is associated with damage to arteries and strain on your cardiac system in general. It is easily treatable with medication in most situations which can help you immediately. You should then look to diet and exercise to develop a health long term strategy.

Diabetes is the fourth factor to consider. The inability of the cells in the body to gain access to sugar in the bloodstream because of an insulin problem is catastrophic in so many ways. Unfortunately, we all know that Type 2 Diabetes has become an epidemic. If you have it or suspect you might, it is time to get checked out by a medical professional.

I am a typical male. I dislike going to the doctor. I've learned that failing to do so is asking for big trouble. You can't risk it with your heart. Most people don't show any symptoms of cardiac problems until they have a major event like a heart attack or stroke. That is the last thing you want.

About the Author

Thomas Ajava writes for RiskFactorsHeartDisease.com [http://www.riskfactorsheartdisease.com/]