Healthy Hint #51

How does smoking hurt thee? Let me count the ways! As a major risk factor for many serious health problems, smoking is especially bad for your heart. When combined with other risk factors, such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure and being overweight
or obese, smoking raises your risk for heart disease, the leading cause of death in the United States.

If you want to live a heart-healthy lifestyle, don’t smoke. If you need help quitting, talk
to your doctor about resources, strategies and nicotine replacement therapy. Within a
few weeks to a few months of kicking the habit, you’ll already have lowered your risk
for heart disease.