7 Simple Lifestyle Changes to Protect your Heart Health

You can feel your heart racing as the sweat pours down your forehead. You feel flushed and short of breath. You have just finished a kick-butt workout!

Or, are you experiencing a heart attack? According to the American Heart Association (AHA), cardiovascular disease and stroke cause 1 in 3 womens’ deaths each year. One of my friends, Jennifer Moreen, nearly died from a heart complication called fibro muscular dysplasia (FMD). She is now a passionate advocate for women’s heart health through Go Red for Women.

I am no stranger to heart problems. All but one of my grandparents passed away from heart complications. I never even met my Dad’s father, as he passed away from a heart attack before I was born. I have a friend who lost her active and healthy husband to a heart attack in his late 20s, leaving her widowed with a young daughter. As a society, the risk for men having a heart attack are well known.

But, statistics show that women today suffer more from heart disease than men.

Did you know that heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women, and is more deadly than all forms of cancer combined? Even more sobering for me is Hispanic women are likely to develop heart disease 10 years earlier than Caucasian women. I am a Hispanic woman, and a heart attack took my Grandma Espinosa over 14 years ago. It is amazing to me how my ethnic background can influence overall health.

The good news is- you can do something about this deadly disease, and it is easier than you think.

[bctt tweet=”80% of the risk of heart disease and attack can be prevented through lifestyle changes. Find out how”]

Lifestyle changes can protect your heart health by reducing the risk of disease or attack, no matter what your age or genetic disposition. This is not some Biggest Loser competition- this is a way to shift your daily habits so that you live a longer and healthier life. Plus, you get to experience the side benefits of fitting into your clothes, feeling sexy and walking with a whole new confidence!

Here are some 7 simple lifestyle changes you can make to improve your heart health today!

1. Get Active
2. Control Cholesterol
3. Eat Better
4. Manage Blood Pressure
5. Lose Weight
6. Reduce Blood Sugar
7. Stop Smoking

Even if you only focus on one of the Life’s Simple 7 listed above, you can rest assured that are protecting your heart. Hint: I help my clients master 1, 3, and 5. Get started with a complementary health strategy session.

If you need help with losing weight, get started with eating a healthy breakfast. Most women skip breakfast or drink a latte, and find themselves bingeing at lunch or crashing around 3. Stop the madness and get my Breakfast Blueprint.

You have lots of love to share with your family and friends. Take these simple steps to protect your heart and love your life.