This is what matters the most in preventing Cardiovascular events
The new assumption is that inflammation is a much bigger culprit of the damage to the lining of the blood vessels your cardiovascular system that leads to the formation of plaque. So what are the biggest sources of inflammation for the body?
Smoking / Air Quality
Quitting smoking is the number 1 thing that you can do to reduce your chances of heart disease. Smoking sits number one on the list of preventable causes of death . Nicotine activates white blood cells called neutrophils which in turn release molecules that lead to high levels of inflammation.
High Blood Pressure
High Blood pressure is the single biggest risk factor for death globally and the most important risk factor for stroke prevention. High blood pressure increases the pressure of the blood flowing through the arteries and directly increases the risk of damage to the blood vessels. Think of washing your house siding with a hose vs washing your car with a professional grade pressure washer at the highest setting.
Type 2 Diabetes
The most common cause of death for diabetics is a complication related to blood clotting whether that be a heart attack or stroke. High levels of glucose flowing through the cardiovascular system (due to insulin not being able to maintain a normal range) causes direct damage to the blood vessels and increases clotting risk
Metabolic Syndrome
Only 1 in 8 Americans can say that all of their metabolic markers are in the optimal range. There are 5 markers that are the focus of metabolic syndrome and having 3 of these markers at abnormal levels increases the risk of heart attack , stroke or death in the next 10 years. These markers are:
Blood pressure above 120/80 mmHg
Blood Sugar reading above 5.7%
Blood Triglycerides above 1.7 mmol/L or 150 mg/dL
HDL cholesterol below 1.0 mmol/L or 40 mg/dL (men) or 1.2 mmol?L or 50 mg/dL women
Waist circumference of over 102 cm / 40 inches in men or 89 cm / 35 inches women
