Week 2: Reduce Your Risk Factors

Start with the Facts – What You Don't Know CAN Hurt You

Every woman has strengths and weaknesses. When talking heart health, weaknesses are known as risk factors. Risk factors are a variety of conditions or behaviors that increase your chance of developing heart disease and stroke. Some risk factors you have no control of like:

• Age
• Race
• Family history

Others, you can control by choosing to make changes to your lifestyle. For example: 

• High blood pressure
• Smoking
• High cholesterol
• Physical inactivity
• Obesity or being overweight
• Diabetes

Knowing your risk factors is an important step in shaping up your heart. To learn your risk, just get your most recent numbers (cholesterol, blood sugar, blood pressure, weight) and then plug them into the Go Red Heart Checkup. It will tell you your 10 year risk of developing heart disease and identify your risk factors for heart disease and stroke.