Since 1924 the mission of the American Heart Association (AHA) has been to see a “world free of cardiovascular diseases and strokes.” In the past one hundred years they have worked to expand research of cardiovascular disease in order to save, extend and improve lives. Last month the AHA published their annual report which found some fascinating statistics that we here at Holmes Harbor Insurance think are important to know:
1 in 4 adults gets adequate daily exercise
Less than 10% of our adult population meet the guidelines for whole grain, whole fruit and non starchy vegetable consumption daily
An estimated 47% of adults are living with hypertension (high blood pressure).
So why does this matter? According to the World Health Organization, cardiovascular disease remains the number one killer worldwide, with stroke being a close second. While nothing is one hundred percent preventable there are a lot of steps we can take to give ourselves the best chance!
You may have heard the adage “exercise is medicine”; AHA research actually confirms this saying. 30-60 minutes of daily exercise can lower your risk of cardiovascular disease by 20-30%.
Here is a great article from AHA advocating for walking as one of the best forms of exercise to improve your overall well being.
Increasing your daily intake of whole grains, whole fruits and non starchy vegetables can reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes and even cancer according to recent studies from the American Institute of Cancer Research (AICR). Recently the AICR has introduced the idea of the “New American Plate” which can be found here and is a new ideology that many researchers believe can help prevent and reduce disease risk.
Managing hypertension is a struggle deeply rooted in genetics, so while some people may be eating a well-balanced diet and exercising often, they may still battle with high blood pressure. This is where the primary care physician comes into play to prescribe medication to maintain a healthy blood pressure to prevent strokes, heart attacks and kidney damage.
Read “Preventative Healthcare: Why It Matters” to learn how you can get in front of some common health traps before something small or unnoticeable develops into something severe and talk to your doctor to see what preventative steps are best for you!
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