February is heart health month. Now is a perfect time to learn about your risks for heart disease and steps you can take today to keep your heart healthy for the long journey.

Think you’re too young to start thinking about your heart? Think again. According to the Centers for DiseaseControl & Prevention (CDC), heart disease and the conditions that lead to it can happen at any age. High rates of obesity and high blood pressure among people ages 35-64 are putting them at risk for heart disease earlier in life. And what’s more concerning is that half of all Americans have at least one of the top three risk factors for heart disease:

1. High Blood Pressure — Having uncontrolled high blood pressure is one of the biggest risks for heart disease and other harmful conditions, such as stroke.

2. High Cholesterol — Having diabetes and obesity, smoking, eating unhealthy foods, and not getting enough physical activity can all contribute to unhealthy cholesterol levels

3. Smoking — Smoking damages the blood vessels and can cause heart disease.

What’s Your Heart Age?
On average, U.S. adults have hearts that are 7 years older than they should be. 
‍Watch this video, to learn how your heart could be younger than you are.

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Other conditions that can put you at risk for heart disease include:

• Obesity — Carrying extra weight puts stress on the heart.
• Diabetes — Diabetes causes sugar to build up in the blood. This can damage blood vessels and nerves that help control the heart muscle.
• Physical Inactivity — Staying physically active helps keep the heart and blood vessels healthy. Guidelines recommend getting 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity activity.
• Unhealthy Eating — Most Americans, including children, eat too much sodium (salt), which increases blood pressure. And, diets high in trans-fat, saturated fat, and added sugar increases the risk factor for heart disease.

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