As you started the new year, did you resolve to have healthier habits? Many people do. But a long-term study found that Americans are not doing as well as they were 20 years ago in maintaining a heart-healthy lifestyle. And that increases their chances of having a heart attack, stroke, or heart disease.

Life’s Simple 7 – In the study, the percentage of Americans who met all these heart-healthy lifestyle goals—what the American Heart Association calls Life’s Simple 7—dropped from 8.5 percent risk to 5.8 percent:

• Eat a balanced diet.
• Be active.
• Manage your weight.
• Don’t use tobacco.
• Maintain ideal levels of blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood   pressure.

Best for women.

In the past, it was thought that hormones protected women from heart disease until menopause. Now we know that’s not the case. But two recent studies show that there may be subtle differences in what’s best for women and men.

In one study, women who followed these six habits cut their risk of heart attack by a whopping 92 percent.

• Don’t smoke.
• Maintain a normal body mass index (BMI).
• Exercise—moderately to vigorously—at least 2.5 hours a week.
• Watch no more than seven hours of TV each week.
• Drink no more than one alcoholic beverage each day.
• Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and fish or omega-3 fatty acids. Limit sugary drinks, processed and red meats, trans fats and sodium.

Even women who adopted just one or two of these healthy habits lowered their heart risk, with a normal BMI having the greatest impact.

Best for men.

A Swedish study tracked 20,000 men and found that men with the following habits cut their risk of heart attack by 86 percent:

• Don’t smoke.
• Eat a healthy diet.
• Drink no more than two alcoholic drinks a day.
• Stay physically active, for example, walking or cycling at least 40 minutes a day.

For men, healthy diet and moderate drinking appeared to have the most impact on reducing their heart risks.

Know your numbers. So where should you begin? One place to start is to know your numbers. That includes blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure—as well as your weight. The next step is to talk with your doctor about ways to improve.

Our pharmacists can also give you tips on tracking—and improving—these critical numbers. For example, if you want to track your blood pressure at home, they can advise you on how best to do that.

In fact, nearly 30 percent of Americans have high blood pressure. And, nearly half don’t have it under control. If your doctor has prescribed blood pressure medication, be sure to take it. For some people, that’s the only way to keep it at bay.

Stay healthy!

Wil Anderson