1. Start early taking care of your heart

Most people think of heart disease as a problem for older people. While it is true that the older you are, the higher the risk of a heart attack, the process of plaque buildup starts early in life. How early? Over half of all ‘healthy’ heart arteries examined before being used for a heart transplant were shown to have evidence of early plaque buildup. The average age of these heart donors was 33 years of age.

2. Waiting for symptoms of heart disease is a bad strategy

When you develop the symptoms of heart disease, you have reached a point where your heart arteries are severely narrowed. That does not happen overnight. It usually takes many years of being exposed to poor diet, high blood pressure, high LDL cholesterol or diabetes. Waiting for symptoms is therefore not a very good idea. It is the same as waiting for the heart attack.

3. More movement = longer life

Physical activity is as close to a longevity potion as you can get. High levels of aerobic fitness are closely linked to longer lifespans. Compared to those in the bottom 25% of aerobic fitness, those in the top 25% are about four times less likely to die from anything over a ten-year time frame. How about walking? Compared to those who take less than 4000 steps per day, those who take 12,000 steps per day are 65% less likely to die from any cause over a 10-year period.

4. Do you health check-up

Test your LDL and VO2 Max, do an ultrasound of the heart, do a stress ECG and calcium score. The mission is clear: reduce your risk of a heart attack.

Source: Heart – An Owner’s Guide (new book by Dr Barrett released this month).