The four things you should do to avoid a heart attack, according to a cardiologist: "We can't change genetics."

Heart attacks (especially acute myocardial infarctions) and other cardiovascular diseases are a leading cause of death in Spain. In 2023 alone, there were 13,069 deaths from acute myocardial infarctions , equivalent to an average of 36 deaths per day.

Although there are genetic predispositions to suffering from them, the key to avoiding them has a lot to do with our daily habits. Therefore, a cardiologist and science communicator has revealed the four things we can do to reduce our chances of suffering from such an event.

US-based Dr. Mohammed Alo, who has 250,000 followers on his TikTok account, explains in a short video that there are "things you can do to improve your health and your risk, regardless of your genetics," and reminds us that "obviously, we can't change your genetics," hence the importance of taking care of yourself.

First, you have to improve your diet. "You can improve your nutrition," says Alo, who specifically recommends switching to a Mediterranean diet: "More fruits and vegetables, more soluble fiber."

"More fish in your diet. More olive oil in your diet, especially when you replace saturated fats with olive oil," he continues.

Another key factor is quitting smoking, a habit that Alo points out is "very harmful" to heart health, as it significantly increases the risk of developing heart and circulatory diseases.

Thirdly, we must keep an eye on the scale, so it is essential to "get as close to your ideal weight as possible," explains Dr. Alo.

Finally, physical activity, specifically 150 minutes of moderate physical activity per week.