Never Have Heart Disease

PROTECT YOUR TICKER A new study reveals the latest weapon in fighting heart disease Add one more thing to the list of gold’s merits. The precious metal may help keep your heart pumping stronger longer. Researchers at Northwestern University have developed a synthetic form of HDL—the good cholesterol—that could help fight heart disease. The compound, which has a tiny core of gold, is designed to attract, trap, and flush out LDL—the bad kind of cholesterol that builds up in arteries and causes heart attacks and strokes. Existing drugs can help lower LDL levels, but they do little to increase levels of protective HDL cholesterol. And you have to do both to guarantee you’ll never have heart disease. Animal testing is underway to see if the synthetic HDL is the next greatest weapon against heart disease. But don’t wait for the results. A man with a low HDL-cholesterol level—40 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dl) or lower—can have as much as a three times greater risk of death from heart disease. So unless you're blessed with blood that consistently scores in the mid-40s or higher, you need to do something now. Heart-healthy foods and regular workouts—30 minutes of exercise five times a week—are a good start, but they’re not enough. Follow this age-by-age plan for keeping your ticker strong and healthy. Because even being young and fit doesn’t mean you’re not at risk.