Preventing Heart Disease at Every Age

Heart disease doesn’t start overnight. It builds slowly, often silently, over decades. That’s why prevention needs to start early and evolve with you through life. Here’s what I recommend based on each stage of adulthood.

In your 20s:

• Build healthy habits now. Eat well, exercise regularly, and don’t smoke.
• Get a baseline blood pressure and cholesterol test.
• Learn your family history. Early awareness = early action.

In your 30s:

• Manage stress; career and family pressures can sneak up on your heart.
• Watch your weight and begin tracking key numbers like cholesterol, glucose, and BMI.
• Stay physically active and keep alcohol in moderation.

In your 40s:

• This is when heart risk starts to climb. Be extra vigilant with diet, exercise, and screening.
• Pay attention to blood pressure and check for insulin resistance or pre-diabetes.
• Get serious about sleep. It’s a game changer.

In your 50s:

• For women, this is often post-menopause, which means higher risk.
• Consider advanced cardiac screening if you have risk factors.
• Focus on strength training in addition to aerobic exercise to preserve muscle and metabolism.

In your 60s and beyond:

• Stay social and active. Isolation and inactivity can worsen heart disease.
• Keep up with medications and cardiology check-ins.
• Walk, stretch, and balance exercises to reduce fall risk and keep your heart pumping strong.

Every decade is a chance to fine-tune your heart health. It’s never too early, or too late, to make changes that protect your most vital organ.