How to Prevent Coronary Heart Disease

Coronary heart disease refers to a condition that occurs due to insufficient oxygenated blood traveling to the heart and its surrounding tissue. Although genetics is an attributing factor and your likelihood of developing coronary heart disease increases with age, there are still preventative measures you can take to decrease your chances of developing it.

• Eat a healthy diet consisting of little trans fat and saturated fat. You should also avoid sugary foods and items high in simple carbohydrates.


• Make sure you are at a healthy weight for your body size, based on your BMI. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health both provide accurate listings for you to refer to.


• Add or continue to eat a diet containing soluble fibers like broccoli, bananas, oats, celery and whole grains.


• Manage your cholesterol by having it checked regularly. Decrease the amount of sodium you use to cook with and you use on your food. Eat foods low in fat and cholesterol content.


• Do not smoke, or quit if you do. Your risk of developing coronary heart disease increases radically with regular use of tobacco products.


• Limit how much alcohol you consume. An excessive and/or frequent intake of alcohol leads to coronary heart disease. However, the antioxidants in wine have heart healthy benefits, but only if you drink in moderation, which is equivalent to about one glass per day.


• Exercise at least two and a half hours per week. Consistently partaking in moderate aerobic exercise helps to provide your heart with oxygen and strengthens it.


• Take any medications prescribed to you, such as your diabetes medications or antihypertensive. Heart medications and cholesterol lowering drugs are also vital in warding off coronary heart disease.