The deadliest health condition in the United States for both men and women? It’s heart disease. The figures are shocking! More than 610,000 people die of it annually, meaning that one in every four deaths is caused by heart disease in our nation.You’ve probably heard all about the common risk factors such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, being overweight, smoking, and a lack of exercise. All of these things chip away at our health little by little, but did you know that scientists constantly discover even more risk factors?
Today we want to go over 17 things that may affect your heart disease risk. By understanding what could lead to worse heart conditions we could take the necessary steps to prevent this devastating disease.
Your Forehead Wrinkles
Forehead wrinkles may be an indicator of your current mood, but did you know what scientists have linked them to heart disease? In 2018, at the annual conference of the European Society of Cardiology, preliminary research found that people with deeper lines on their foreheads than what is considered typical for their age groups are more likely to die from heart disease.
You may be wondering why researchers started looking into wrinkles and the answer may be surprising. You see, when it comes to hypertension or high cholesterol you can’t really see or feel them. Forehead wrinkles may be a good indicator. The easier they are to spot, the easier it may be for a person to start investigating their heart health.
The Altitude Where You Live
It should come as no surprise that the altitude where you live could have a significant impact on your health. It’s been found that those who live at higher altitudes, between 457 and 2,297 meters, had a lower risk of developing metabolic syndrome according to a 2017 study in the journal Frontiers in Physiology.
Metabolic syndrome represents a cluster of risk factors including high cholesterol, blood pressure, and obesity. Those who lived at sea level were more likely to develop these.
One speculation is that the smaller amount of oxygen at higher altitudes could help the heart and lungs function with more efficiency. Of course, more data is required to ensure that this association is true.
