lives globally each year. Our genetic code plays a part in our risk for developing cardiovascular

disease; however, our lifestyle is the most important puzzle piece when it comes to heart

disease prevention. It is estimated that 80% of heart disease is preventable. It's important

to know the risk factors, so you can protects your heart. Here are some heart disease risk

factors that can be controlled through lifestyle. Number 1: high blood pressure. High blood

pressure indicates that your heart is having to work harder than it should to pump blood

throughout your body. This could potentially indicate a build up of plaque within your

arteries. Number 2: high LDL cholesterol also known as "bad" cholesterol. This form of cholesterol

can form plaque or fatty deposits on artery walls. This can increase your blood pressure

and ultimately cause a heart attack or stroke. Number 3: Diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is genetic.

However, type 2 diabetes develops over a lifetime, mostly due to poor habits. Diabetes increases

your risk for high blood pressure, narrowing of arteries, coronary artery disease, and

stroke. Number 4: being over weight or obese. Obesity has been proven to cause heart disease,

cancer, and diabetes. Bringing body weight into a healthy range can help mitigate disease

complications. Number 5: Smoking. Smoking contributes to a large number of heart disease

risk factors including: plaque build up in arteries, increased risk of forming blood

clots, reduced blood oxygenation, and increases in blood pressure. All of these factors result

in your heart having to work harder to pump blood and oxygenate your bodily tissues and

organs. Heart diseases is life threatening and it does not discriminate against age,

gender, or race. The power is in your hands to take care of your heart and keep it protected

for years to come.