12 Surprising Ways You May Be Harming Your Heart

Photo by: nichel

Forgetting Your Family History
To know your own risk for heart disease, you need to know if it runs in your family. "You should be aware of what sicknesses not only your parents have or had, but also how your siblings are doing," says Dr. Foody. "If your brother or sister have any signs of heart disease, especially at an early age, your risks may be higher than you realize." Ask your family members about their own health and the... more 

Photo by: nichel

Forgetting Your Family History
To know your own risk for heart disease, you need to know if it runs in your family. "You should be aware of what sicknesses not only your parents have or had, but also how your siblings are doing," says Dr. Foody. "If your brother or sister have any signs of heart disease, especially at an early age, your risks may be higher than you realize." Ask your family members about their own health and the health of any relatives, such as grandparents, uncles and aunts. If they have already died, try to find out not only how they died, but at what age. Knowing their lifestyle habits can be helpful, too. For example, if your grandfather died from a heart attack at age 78, but was overweight and smoked two packs of cigarettes a day, your own risk may not be as high as if your grandfather, who appeared fit and never smoked, died while jogging at age 40. less