You Have the Power to Control Your Heart Disease Risk: Learn How to Manage Your Risk in New Book by WebMD's Chief Medical Officer, Dr. John Whyte

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Feb 09, 2023, 08:02 ET

The leading cause of death in America can be prevented. With 80% of heart disease caused by lifestyle, changing habits and learning other heart-healthy strategies can give you the control you need to change your life

NEW YORK, Feb. 9, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- While heart disease remains the leading cause of illness and death in the United States, certain lifestyle modifications can dramatically reduce one's chances of premature death due to heart disease.

Launching February 14 and available for pre-order, Take Control of Your Heart Disease Risk, (Harper Horizon, February 14, ISBN 9780785240693), outlines how to proactively live a heart-healthy lifestyle and offers a step-by-step approach for reducing one's cardiovascular risks. The book contains straightforward information and interactive tools to help readers on their health journey such as:

a risk calculator to assess one's personal cardiovascular risk factors
a four-week meal plan
exercise guide
discussion of various digital tools and apps that may be helpful, effective, and which offer you more bang for your buck

"Although genetics, as well as, family history play a role in one's heart disease risk, most heart disease is caused by lifestyle choices, which means you can often prevent or delay it," says John Whyte M.D., Chief Medical Officer, WebMD. "This book emphasizes the importance of assessing your own risk for heart disease and provides strategies for adopting lifestyle changes to become proactive about reducing your risk of heart disease. After all, you have the power to take control of your own risk."

"In Take Control of Your Heart Disease Risk, I felt it was extremely important to give readers the tools and knowledge that emphasizes the importance of assessing your own personal risk, and then how to use that knowledge to make lifestyle changes and healthy choices to lessen that risk," says Whyte.

Despite advances in diagnosis and treatment, 40% of Americans have heart disease, and it remains a major cause of illness and death. The theme of this book allows readers to take charge and mitigate their risk factors. Chapter by chapter, readers will learn how everyday instances may have an effect on their heart health, such as the quality and quantity of foods, lack of exercise, the role of sleep, emotional health and wellbeing, stress, depression, and anxiety levels. Readers will get tips and examples on the best foods to eat, how often to exercise, how to maximize one's mental health, and more.

"We have known for a long time the mind-body connection, but we often ignore it," says Dr. Whyte. "There have been numerous studies that have demonstrated a relationship between depression and anxiety with heart disease. I hope readers take away some of the tips I provide to have a more balanced wellbeing, which will reduce inflammation and therefore reduce their heart disease risk."

Take Control of Your Heart Disease Risk is the third book in the three-part "Take Control" series, which offers people the strategies they need to be more in charge of their health and well-being. It is available for pre-order everywhere books are sold.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
John Whyte, M.D., MPH, is a popular physician and writer who has been communicating to the public about health issues for nearly two decades. In his role as chief medical officer of WebMD, Whyte leads efforts to develop and expand strategic partnerships that create meaningful change around important and timely public health issues. He has been a leading voice in addressing the COVID pandemic, being named as one of the top 20 health influencers. Prior to WebMD, Whyte served as the director of professional affairs and stakeholder engagement at the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Whyte worked with health care professionals, patients, and patient advocates, providing them with a focal point for advocacy, enhanced two-way communication, and collaboration, assisting them in navigating the FDA on issues concerning drug development, review, and drug safety. He also developed numerous initiatives to address diversity in clinical trials. Prior to this, Whyte worked for nearly a decade as the chief medical expert and vice president, health and medical education, at Discovery Channel, the leading nonfiction television network. In this role, Whyte developed, designed and delivered educational programming that appealed to both a medical and lay audience. The television shows as well as online content he worked on won over 50 awards.

Whyte is a board-certified internist. He completed an internal medicine residency at Duke University Medical Center and earned a Master of Public Health in health policy and management at Harvard University School of Public Health. Prior to arriving in Washington, D.C., Whyte was a health services research fellow at Stanford and attending physician in the department of medicine.

About WebMD
WebMD Health Corp., an Internet Brands Company, is the leading provider of health information services, serving patients, physicians, health care professionals, employers, health plans and health systems through public and private online portals, mobile platforms, and health-focused publications. The WebMD Health Network includes WebMD Health, Medscape, Jobson Healthcare Information, MediQuality, Frontline, Vitals Consumer Services, Aptus Health, Krames, PulsePoint, The Wellness Network, SanovaWorks, MedicineNet, eMedicineHealth, RxList, OnHealth, Medscape Education, and other owned WebMD sites. WebMD®, Medscape®, CME Circle®, Medpulse®, eMedicine®, MedicineNet®, theheart.org ®, and RxList® are among the trademarks of WebMD Health Corp. or its subsidiaries.

SOURCE WebMD Health Corp.