PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Overall heart health is impacted by how we treat our bodies. There are genetic factors at play, but what we eat, the amount we exercise, and the way we handle stress all play a role.
Most of us think about having a healthy heart when we are adults, but the choices we make as children — or the choices our parents make for us — can have major lifelong impacts.
The American Heart Association has been studying this for decades. Some key factors to consider beyond diet and exercise are learning about proper food choices and why we should not smoke cigarettes, and incorporating exercise into the school curriculum.
In addition, there needs to be a focus on getting proper sleep and monitoring blood pressure.
Get more medical reports from Dr. Brian McDonough.
KYW Newsradio’s Medical Reports are sponsored by Independence Blue Cross.