Do you know the #1 cause of heart disease?

This Week's Tip Do you know the #1 cause of heart disease? Most people think of lung cancer when they think of smoking, but did you know that smoking is the leading preventable cause of heart disease and heart attack? People who smoke are 2-4 times more likely to develop heart disease than non-smokers, according to the American Heart Association. Smoking damages the walls of your arteries, constricts blood vessels, and lowers your HDL (good) cholesterol levels. Quitting smoking can stop (and potentially reverse) much of the existing damage to your body. The American Lung Association says that one year after quitting, an ex-smoker's heart disease risk is half that of a smoker's, and after 15 years without lighting up, it's as low as a nonsmoker's. Don't smoke? Good! But stay away from tobacco smoke anyway. Exposure to secondhand smoke increases the risk of heart disease even for nonsmokers. Quit Smoking without Gaining a Pound More Tips for a Healthy Heart   Heart Friendly Recipe 15-Minute Asian Beef Soup This soup is packed with flavor yet low in fat. You can customize it with any vegetables or protein you have on hand. Get the Recipe See More Healthy Heart Recipes Nutritional Info Servings Per Recipe: 4  Amount Per Serving  Calories: 247.5 Total Fat: 5.8 g Cholesterol: 50.4 mg Sodium: 281.8 mg Total Carbs: 29.1 g   Dietary Fiber: 5.9 g Protein: 22.8 g View full nutritional breakdown of 15-Minute Asian Beef Soup by ingredient     From Our Healthy Heart Community spin points today (Team Forum) genetic test for hyperchole sterolemia (Team Forum) More Forum Posts...       Was this e-mail forwarded to you by a friend? Join the mailing list. Change your e-mail address   You get 1 SparkPoint for reading today's email.   You received this email because you signed up for one of SparkPeople's email newsletters. To unsubscribe please do not reply to this message. Instead, you can use this link to unsubscribe from this newsletter. To remove yourself by postal mail, send a letter or postcard with your email address to: SparkPeople.com, 310 Culvert Street Suite 301, Cincinnati, OH 45202 SparkPeople.com offers general information and is for educational purposes only. sparkpeople.com is not a prescription system and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. You should consult your health-care provider before starting any nutrition or fitness program, and should consult with your provider about any concerns or questions. © 1999-2014 SparkPeople, All Rights Reserved | Terms and Conditions | Privacy Policy