By Sharon Stajda

This miraculous muscle is what keeps us alive and breathing...

The heart is a muscle, it is as small as a fist, and its main function is to pump blood to the entire body. This blood supply is responsible for taking nourishing oxygen to cells that enable each cell to perform its bodily function. In turn the spent blood is returned with harmful carbon dioxide to be expelled via the lungs. This miraculous muscle is what keeps us alive and breathing.

The healthy adult body contains about 2 gallons (5 liters) of blood. This blood supply is constantly circulated through the body, via heart, arteries to capillaries to the veins. One entire cycle takes about 60 seconds.

If any part of the circulatory system suffers due to disease, the heart will ultimately be put under greater stress and in time become damaged, and unable to do its job. If the heart is unable to function properly the body will become vulnerable to a variety of health problems.

There are several risk factors that can increase ones chances of developing coronary heart disease. Many of these risk factors can be treated or controlled, some factors are uncontrollable. It is every important to become well acquainted with the risk factors of heart disease. One of the best ways to prevent coronary heart disease is to decrease ones controllable risk factors through life style changes.

There are uncontrollable risk factors that are unavoidable, and out of ones control.

Age: Risk of heart disease increases over the age of 45 in males, over 55 in females.

Family History: Children of parents that developed heart disease before the age of 55 have a higher risk of developing heart disease.

Racial and ethnic background: Mexican Americans, African Americans, American Indians, all have greater risk of developing heart disease than Caucasians.

Risk Factors that can be controlled with life style changes are as follows:

Smoking: Cigarette smokers are at greater risk than pipe and cigar smokers. All forms of tobacco are proven to be detrimental to the hearts health.

Studies have provided good documentation that Second hand smoke is also known to be detrimental to heart health.

Physical Inactivity: Inactivity puts a person at higher risk of developing heart disease.

Overweight or Obesity: Persons that have an excess of body fat are at a higher risk than persons of normal weight.

High blood pressure: blood pressure readings higher than 140/90 increase risk of heart disease.

High Blood Cholesterol: A blood cholesterol levels of 200 mg/dl or higher puts one at risk to develop heart disease.

One must keep in mind that the fewer risk factors one has, the lesser chance of developing heart disease. Two or more risk factors indicate a good possibility that one may be pron to develop heart disease. It is clear that some of the risk factors listed can be avoided with life style changes.

A good place to began, develop a good exercise routine. The hardest part of exercising is getting started. Chose an exercise that is low impact, and make sure to consult your doctor before getting started. Once you have a good exercise routine, you might be surprised how much you enjoy it? Walking is a great way to get your exercise, just 30 minutes three times a week will give good results. Naturally it would be more beneficial to walk every day.

Diet is also very important when promoting a healthy heart life style. It is very important to consult a doctor before starting any new diet. Your doctor will take all risk factors that are affecting you as an individual into consideration, considering problems such as increased cholesterol, high blood pressure, a need to lose weight. Your new diet should be personally geared to assist you with getting that healthy heart you desire.

Last of all, but not least, if you smoke, stop. Smoking is considered the worst risk factor one can have. This fact is backed by a multitude of scientific studies. Studies that give way to substantial evidence that smoking will ultimately lead to poor heart health.