Every 37 seconds someone dies from heart disease and it is the number one killer for both men and women.

Some risk factors for developing heart disease include high blood pressure, smoking, high cholesterol, diabetes, and poor lifestyle habits. Although genetics play a role in the disease, people have the ability to change that predisposition. It is noteworthy that non-traditional risk factors of heart diseases include social isolation, resentment, grief, depression, loneliness, hostility, anxiety to mention a few.

Regular exercise and healthy eating (increase intake of fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, whole grains; decrease intake of saturated fat diet; limit intake of free sugars; limit salt consumption and ensure that salt is iodized; slowly increase intake of plant based diet) are highly recommended. Lifestyle changes including positive thinking, engaging in healthy relationships and avoiding stress are also helpful in preventing this disease.