The good news

Once you understand your heart health, there are plenty of ways to improve it, like exercising regularly; eating plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables, fatty fish, whole grains, and fiber; maintaining a healthy weight; and quitting smoking.

Lifestyle changes can mean up to an extra 20 years free of heart disease for people who are genetically at high risk.

Go beyond basic biomarkers

A lipid panel, which usually tests for total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides, is a common way to assess heart risk. But about 50% of people who suffer heart attacks may have relatively good cholesterol profiles with low risk factors. Testing through Function can offer insights that go beyond a routine physical. With Function, you can test essential heart biomarkers like:

• LDL small: An elevated level of small, dense LDL particles is associated with increased cardiovascular risk.
• hs-CRP: A signal of systemic inflammation that’s linked to increased cardiovascular risk.
• ApoB: A risk factor for heart disease that’s rarely tested.