WAYS TO PREVENT CVD

1. Control your blood pressure.

a. Get BP checked regularly, at least once a year for adults. 

2. Keep your cholesterol and triglyceride levels under control. 

a. High levels of cholesterol can clog your arteries and raise your risk of heart
attack. Changing lifestyles or taking medicines (if necessary) can lower the
risk of heart attack.

3. Stay at a healthy weight. 

a. Being overweight or having obesity can increase your risk for CVD.

4. Eat a healthy diet. 

a. Try to limit saturated fats, foods high in sodium, and added sugars. Eat plenty
of fresh fruit, vegetables, and whole grains.

5. Get regular exercise. 

a. Exercise has many benefits, including strengthening your heart and improving
your circulation and thus lowering the risk of CVD.

6. Limit alcohol. 
a. Drinking too much alcohol can raise your blood pressure. Men should have no
more than two alcoholic drinks per day, and women should not have more
than one.

7. Don't smoke. 
a. Cigarette smoking raises your blood pressure and puts you at higher risk for
CVD.

8. Manage stress. 
a. Stress is linked to CVD in many ways. Extreme stress can be a "trigger" for a
heart attack. Also, some common ways of coping with stress, such as
overeating, heavy drinking, and smoking, are bad for your heart and can
potentially cause CVD in the future.

9. Manage diabetes. 
a. Having diabetes doubles your risk of having CVD.

10. Make sure that you get enough sleep. 

a. If you don't get enough sleep, you raise your risk of high blood pressure,
obesity, and diabetes. Those three things can raise your risk for CVD.