Cardiovascular disease can start to develop during adolescence or even childhood. Below are some risk factors that may increase your chances of developing cardiovascular disease. Mark the risk factor as one you can control or one you can not control.
Risk factor you can control Risk factor you can not control
stress
physical activity
heredity
diet
gender
age
tobaccoo use
cholesterol
Risk factor you can control:
- Stress
- Physical activity
- Diet
- Tobacco use
- Cholesterol
Risk factor you cannot control:
- Heredity
- Gender
- Age
Risk factor you can control:
- stress
- physical activity
- diet
- tobacco use
- cholesterol
Risk factor you can not control:
- heredity
- gender
- age
To determine whether a risk factor is controllable or uncontrollable, you'll need to consider whether it is within your power to change or modify it. Let's go through each of the listed risk factors and determine whether it can be controlled or not:
1. Stress: This risk factor can be partially controlled. While you may not have complete control over all sources of stress in your life, you can learn stress management techniques, engage in relaxation exercises, and seek support to reduce the impact of stress.
2. Physical activity: This risk factor is controllable. You have the ability to engage in regular physical activity or exercise, which can help improve cardiovascular health.
3. Heredity: This risk factor is generally uncontrollable. Your genetic makeup is determined by your family history, and while you cannot change your genes, you can still manage other risk factors to mitigate the influence of hereditary factors.
4. Diet: This risk factor is controllable. You have control over what you eat and can choose to follow a healthy diet that is low in saturated fats, processed foods, and excessive sodium, while emphasizing fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats.
5. Gender: This risk factor is uncontrollable. Certain cardiovascular diseases may affect one gender more than the other, but you cannot control your gender.
6. Age: This risk factor is uncontrollable. The risk of developing cardiovascular disease increases with age, but you cannot control the natural progression of time.
7. Tobacco use: This risk factor is controllable. You have the ability to choose not to use tobacco products, which greatly increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
8. Cholesterol: This risk factor is partially controllable. While genetics may influence your cholesterol levels to some extent, you can still manage your cholesterol through diet, exercise, and medication prescribed by a medical professional.
In summary:
- Risk factors you can control: Physical activity, diet, tobacco use, and to some extent, stress.
- Risk factors you cannot control: Heredity, gender, age, and to some extent, cholesterol.
By understanding which risk factors you can control, you can take appropriate steps to mitigate the impact of uncontrollable risk factors and lead a healthier lifestyle to reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease.