What are risk factors that make your heart age faster than your biological age?

Heart Health - Find Your Real Heart Age

What is your real heart age? Your heart's age can be higher or lower than your real age. Make sure these lifestyle habits are not making your heart age faster than your biological age. They will make your heart age faster.

1) High Cholesterol - High cholesterol leads to deposits of plaque in the arteries and increases your blood pressure.

Add 5 - 10 years to your real age if you have high cholesterol.

2) Weight Gain - Weight gain can lead to high blood pressure, plaque in the arteries, and higher risk for diabetes.

Add 5 - 10 years to your real age if you are overweight.

3) Smoking - Smoking leads to coronary heart disease and heart attacks oftentimes at young ages (such as in your 40s and 50s).

Add 20 years to your real age if you smoke.

4) Drinking - While a glass or two of wine per day can be good for you, alcohol can be very dangerous to your heart if you drink too much. Excess alcohol can lead to serious heart disease.

Add 10 - 20 years to your real age if you drink too much.

5) Stress - Emotional stress can also do damage to your heart.

Add 15 - 20 years to your real age if you suffer from chronic stress.

The good news is you can take years off your real heart age (RHA) by exercising regularly, eating healthy, and by avoiding the five culprits listed above.

Related Heart Fitness Articles:

Target Heart Rate Calculator
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Measuring Your Resting Heart Rate / Resting Pulse Rate
Is your Resting Heart Rate / Resting Pulse Rate in the normal, healthy range? Read this short health and fitness article.

Find Your Target Heart Rate
Finding your target heart rate and monitoring the exercising heart rate is most important in the early stages of a cardio training program so as not to train too hard. Read how to find your target heart rate.

Relaxation Exercises to Reduce Stress and Save Your Heart
You know about the importance of relieving stress by exercise. There are simple techniques to relieve stress by meditation. The Relaxation Response is one of the best of the relaxation exercises.

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