Bainbridge College health, physical education and wellness instructor David Sarrette told the Bainbridge Lions Club Wednesday that heart disease, the most common cause of death in the United States today, is preventable.

“One of the most common causes of cardiovascular or heart disease is plaque building up on the arteries,” he said. “You should be familiar with some of the symptoms of a heart attack. If someone is experiencing profuse sweating, shortness of breath or nausea, you should get them to the hospital immediately.”

Sarrette further told the Lions that there are certain factors that could potentially add 14 years to their lives.

“If you don’t smoke, do regular physical activity and eat five servings of fruits and vegetables a day, you can prolong your life by 14 years,” he said. “Four things that could lead to a heart attack are inactivity, a bad diet, stress and high blood pressure,”

“Just the other day I read that the Harvard University Medical School had determined that children being born now will be the first generation not to live to an older age than their parents.”