Maintaining a fit heart is the cornerstone of healthy living; heart disease is the second leading cause of death for adults in the United States. The most common source of heart disease is typically the hardening of the arteries due to excessive cholesterol levels. This condition, known as atherosclerosis, tends to affect the arteries that supply the heart with blood and oxygen.
After the cardiac arteries harden, they deliver less oxygen to the heart, making a person susceptible to a heart attack. Once the four cardiac arteries are plugged with cholesterol, a heart attack is imminent with the only remedy being a heart bypass surgery followed by a drastic life change.
However, making life changes before the point of no return is reached will result in better overall wellbeing and an easier journey to a healthy heart.
Managing Heart Health
The first step in properly managing heart health is to check and record cholesterol levels. Home cholesterol test kits are an effective and easy way to accomplish this. Home testing removes the hassle and expense of doctor visits. This convenience is especially critical for anyone with reduced mobility or the ability to travel to a doctor's office. Home cholesterol test kits can also be used to supplement medical records with a personal heart health log that can track progress while a person is on a diet, exercise regimen, or undergoing medical treatment.
In addition to tracking the numbers with home cholesterol test kits, paying attention to the symptoms of high cholesterol is important for health management. This condition does not have a large amount of overt symptoms, but there are many factors that can put a person at risk. Some risk factors cannot be controlled but they should be kept in mind, namely, age, gender, and heredity. A family history of heart disease, advancing in years, and being male or a post-menopausal woman tend to put a person at higher risk.
Controlling Risk Factors
Obviously, the first three risk factors cannot be controlled. However, every person can control their diet and activity level. Diets high in saturated and trans fats promote cholesterol accumulation in the arteries by raising LDL, or "lousy," cholesterol. Mono-unsaturated fats are HDL, or "healthy", cholesterols that can improve heart health and mitigate the effect of LDL. Both numbers taken together, meaning a lower LDL and higher HDL, are the key to managing heart disease risks.
One big, controllable factor for heart disease is smoking. Non-smokers enjoy many benefits and heart health is definitely one of them. While quitting smoking is a journey unto itself, it can be one of the best things anyone could do for themselves. The entire process for quitting is beyond the scope of this article, but it is vitally important to accomplish.
Overall, cholesterol numbers are the ultimate benchmark for heart health. In cases where people do not, or cannot, have access to regular doctor visits and blood work, home cholesterol test kits offer that access. Being able to test oneself or a loved one will ultimately save lives.
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