Heart disease takes more lives each year than the total of all cancers. Though early detection can lead to effective treatments and a prolonged life, the treatments are sometimes invasive and most always expensive. Fortunately, heart disease is easily preventable, and prevention is benefited by understanding the causes of heart disease and the risk groups associated with it.

Heart disease is caused by declining circulatory health, usually due to a mixture of poor diet and lack of exercise. Risk groups for heart disease are well-established. Unavoidable risk groups include old age, post-menopause, males, and genetic predisposition. The risk factors that can be changed include chronic stress, smoking, obesity, a sedentary lifestyle and untreated precursor conditions, like hypertension, diabetes and high cholesterol.

The most effective means to removing risk factors are talking to a doctor about treating existing conditions and adopting lifestyle changes to counter the risk of heart disease. Changing to a healthy diet and exercise routine remain the best methods of maintaining a healthy circulatory system.

What does a Heart Healthy Diet Look Like?

For the best chance of success, make dietary changes in a way that is sustainable. Removing all the poor food choices at once will just cause cravings and be hard to sustain. Instead start by introducing nutritious foods to the diet. Remember, one rack of ribs won't cause hypertension. It is consistently eating damaging foods over the long-term, which causes the problem.

Go for whole grain options, and include beans, legumes and nuts for both variety and a complete protein. Minimize the use of butter, and cut out the fake butters that contain hydrogenated oils and trans fats. Replace these with seed oils. There is a lot of research available on heart healthy dieting, so start reading!

What Kind of Exercise is Best to Prevent Heart Disease?

Aerobic exercise will help strengthen the heart, and there are many programs available to choose from. Not everyone can begin with aerobics, however. For the elderly or obese, it is a good idea to start small and build-up. Yoga, Pilates and other forms of relaxing exercise will promote body awareness and increase the metabolism by building lean muscle in a gentle manner.

Heart disease is preventable. The body is designed to be healthy. It is up to each person to learn about preventing heart disease and start making the changes to gain a longer life free of chronic disease.