6 worst things for your heart

Heart disease is the number one cause of death for adults in the United States, killing one American every 33 seconds. Yet there are changes you can make that can reduce your risk and help you live a healthier life.

Heart disease is a catch-all term that includes a variety of conditions and events—such as heart attacks, strokes, and heart failure—and it’s often related to atherosclerosis, the formation of plaque buildup in the arteries. Warning signs of heart disease can vary from chest pain to numbness in the arms and legs, and they’re not always the same for women and men, so understanding the symptoms and risk factors is important.

“Men are more likely to survive a heart attack than women,” says cardiologist Ramavathi Nandyala, MD of Methodist Hospital in San Antonio, Texas. And while both men and women usually experience chest pain and pressure during a heart attack, women can have a heart attack—even without that common symptom. Women are more likely than men to have nausea, vomiting, and shortness of breath during a heart attack.

Smoking and a strong family history of heart disease put you at risk, but what about your eating habits and stress levels? Here are six things that can increase your heart disease risk—and ways to keep going strong.