If you have had a parent who has suffered a heart attack before the age of 55, that means you are now at higher risk for heart disease. If you didn’t know that before, it’s important you take note of it now.
The American Journal of Cardiology did a study looking at 20,000 US male doctors over two decades to see how many of the men suffered a heart attack. The study showed that the men with the genetic risk factor had a slightly greater chance of having a heart attack.
Although there is nothing you can do to change genetics, there are other things you can control. Having a healthy lifestyle is extremely important, and even more so if you are already at risk for heart disease. The healthy habits researchers studied include: not smoking, exercising regularly, keeping a normal weight and drinking alcohol in moderation.
This may sound like common sense, but it’s always nice when we can tell you we have the research to prove that your lifestyle decisions really do affect your overall health.