AND THE BEAT (HEART BEAT THAT IS ) GOES ON
Modifiable Risk Factor 4: Having Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 Diabetes is a serious and increasingly common disease in which the body doesn’t properly use insulin, the hormone produced 
by the pancreas that is responsible for transporting sugar in the blood into cells of the body where it can be metabolized. Left untreated, blood sugar levels increase and will damage blood vessels, thus increasing the risk of having a heart attack or stroke. Being overweight and sedentary are two big risk factors for developing Type 2 Diabetes, and once again, modest weight loss can help prevent diabetes from developing in the first place. If you already have diabetes, weight loss, improvements in your diet and the addition of fiber can help to naturally improve your blood sugar control. Regular visits to your health care provider are critical if you already have diabetes. If you have a family member with diabetes or you are overweight, have your doctor screen you for diabetes, which can often be without symptoms until it is advanced.
Modifiable Risk Factor 5: Being Physically Inactive
Being a couch potato increases your likelihood of developing heart disease. And increasing your physical activity can make a big
difference. If you’re overweight it will help you burn calories, it will also help lower your blood pressure and improve your cholesterol. The American Heart Association recommends 30 minutes a day, most days of the week. If you don’t have time to do all 30 minutes at once, no worries, breaking it up into shorter periods of exercise is fine just be sure it all adds up to 30 minutes a day. In addition to vigorous activities like walking, running, or swimming, simple day to day activities count too. Activities like gardening, housework, mowing the lawn are all activities that can help improve your heart health.
