Hold each stretch for 20 seconds. The 7 Famous Risk Factors 1. High Blood Pressure High blood pressure increases your risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke and kidney disease. Regular exercise can lower your blood pressure. Smoking Smoking doubles your risk of heart disease, increases the risk of stroke and is the No. 1 cause of peripheral vascular disease, which often leads to amputations.
Exercise helps to increase HDLs.
Ideally, it should be 60 or greater. To figure your cholesterol ratio, divide your total cholesterol level by your HDL level. A desirable number is less than 4.5. High cholesterol puts you at risk for cardiovascular disease and atherosclerosis. An inactive lifestyle increases your risk of cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis and weight gain.