heart problems in family?

Question

hi there, my family friends father just passed away and me and my mum were talking and basically she told me that

im highly at risk from heart problems because:

1. my dad's dad has heart problems...but hes alive today and takes aspirin every day

2. my mum's dad had heart problems because he smoked + never visited the doctor


despite me being on 15(male), im worried about the high risk of heart disease because of the two people in my family that already have it...how much at risk am i really ?
or am i worrying too much...

and also could any of you give me advice on what i should do( diet wise/exercise or whatever) to lower my chance of having heart problems when im older


thank you so much in advance

Answer 1

I have a long family history of cardiac problems including a number of relatives who have died from heart disease. If people in your family have heart disease, you should be concious of your own heart health. Here are some things that have helped me:

- Learn about good cholesterol vs bad cholesterol and understand what a low fat diet is. At your age, you don't have to stick to it strictly, but if you're aware of the value of good nutrition, you'll think about it when you're choosing something to eat.

- Exercise now, while you're younger. Build up a good aerobic routine to make your heart and lungs strong. Anything you do now will benefit you greatly as you age. A strong heart and low blood pressure at an early age will help to prevent the buildup of plaques in your arteries (which is what causes blockages and heart attacks).

- Don't smoke. That's self explanatory.

- Once you reach your 20's, start going to the doctors. Have your blood tested for fats and cholesterol. You don't have to go every year, but don't ignore the fact that you have a family history. Prevention will make all of the difference.

- Don't start taking asprins unless a doctor tells you to. They can cause stomach problems, and you probably don't need to do that now.

Above all, don't let this occupy too much of your thoughts. Learn what you can about eating well. Exercise. But, don't live your life in fear of heart disease. Keep your head about you, but enjoy your life! Laugh and have fun. Stress is bad for your health in many ways.

Answer 2

You are at risk but you probably have a lot of time to get things right. Do your parents have any problems? I am 43 and probably about the same age as your parents. I have a family history of heart disease but I thought I had some time. I had a heart attack a few months ago. You can start taking steps now to prevent it such as eating healthy. When you are a little older maybe you can have a cholesterol test. I knew my grandparents on one side of the family both died from heart attacks but they were much older than I am now. I found out within the last few years that my uncle on the other side of the family and my grandfather on that side died of heart attacks in their mid 30s. I wish I would have learned that earlier because I may have prevented it for myself. You are young and informed. That gives you a headstart on preventing it from happening to you.

Answer 3

Hi
Unless your grandparents were under 50 when they had these problems I wouldn't think you were any more likely than anyone else to be at risk from heart problems. If you don't smoke and you aren't obese you shouldn't need to worry. Just look after your health in normal way.
If your relatives did have these problems at a younger age you may need to ask your GP how likely you are to have health issues at a similar age. They will know your family history so can give you a better answer than I can.

Answer 4

You can avoid the above disease by avoiding risk factors, there is nothing to worry:

Factors that increase your risk of coronary artery disease include some you can't control and several that you can. You can't control your age, gender, race, family medical history or heart conditions you may have had previously. But you can control, treat or prevent the following risk factors:

* Cigarette smoking and tobacco smoke
* High blood cholesterol
* High blood pressure (hypertension)
* Physical inactivity
* Overweight and obesity
* Diabetes
Take lot of fish , avoid fat, salt & red meat.
Best of luck.

Answer 5

First of all you have to cut the fat. No french fries, hamburgers, pizza's or hot dogs. You can eat salads with no salad dressing, no salt, fruit is good, vegetables are good , skim milk, or soya milk, whole grain breads and cereals are good , turkey or chicken without the skin is good, fish is good baked or broiled is good. Stouffer's Lean frozen dinners are excellent because they have the right amount of everything that you need without going overboard. Also serratia peptidase cleans the inside of the arteries out, this might be good for your dad so one day he can get off the aspirin and yes very is important physical activity is also very important for overall good health, doctors are calling it the fountain of youth.

Answer 6

My cardiio recomr\ends eating fish once week ,salmon is best. low fat foods exercise. .. See a dietition

Answer 7

if both your brandfaathers had heart problems you havea it in the family