The Measuring Tape Method for Reducing Heart Failure Risk

A heart attack can kill you in the blink of an eye.

Heart failure will produce the same result… but will drag out the process.

It occurs when your heart is too weak to do its job properly.

When adequate blood doesn’t get pumped to the rest of the body, it produces symptoms like breathlessness, fatigue, swelling, and difficulty concentrating. And it can progress to liver and kidney damage and heart rhythm problems over time.

You might think that by paying attention to the scale or your BMI, you’re keeping your heart failure risk under control.

But a recent study revealed an even BIGGER heart failure risk factor you need to pay attention to.

Can you measure your heart risk in inches?

Turns out, you can.

In a recent study of over 400,000 people from 40 to 70 years old the risk of heart attacks and cardiac arrest increased by 11 percent for every additional inch on the waistline.

In fact, waist circumference was a BIGGER RISK FACTOR than overall BMI.

This means that it’s not just your weight that matters… but where you’re carrying it.

Those with the biggest waistlines were 3.21 times more likely to suffer from heart failure.

While those with the highest BMI had a 2.65 times greater risk of heart failure.

You see, studies have shown that belly fat is terrible for your heart because it contains inflammatory factors that actually CAUSE cardiovascular disease.

Having more belly fat also increases your risk of high lipids, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes—all of which are linked to heart problems.

It’s also a sign that you have too much fat around your organs (called visceral fat), which impairs the function of your heart and blood vessels.

This makes it more dangerous for your overall health… including your heart health.

Of course, high BMI is a risk factor as well. Every extra unit of BMI increases heart failure risk by 9 percent.

How do you know if your waist is wider than it should be?

A good rule of thumb is to take a string and measure your height. Then cut the string in half and wrap it around your waist. If it fits—even snuggly—you’re in the clear.

If it doesn’t, every inch—every centimeter—beyond the end of that rope is a measurable increase in your heart risk.

P.S. Want to SHRINK your waistline? You already know that water, coffee, and tea are good for you. But these five other little-known beverages deliver BIG benefits for your mind, body, and waistline. (They’re pretty tasty, too.)

SOURCE:

“Sex Differences in the Association Between Measures of General and Central Adiposity and the Risk of Myocardial Infarction: Results From the UK Biobank,” JAHA, March 6, 2018, Vol 7, Issue 5