Being overweight has a direct negative effect on your heart health. Dr. Jason Pelton, Interventional Cardiologist, describes symptoms that may indicate there is a heart issue. 

"Shortness of breath, chest pain, any dizziness or lightheadedness with activity, profuse sweating, weakness and fatigue. All of those are signs of an issue," said Dr. Pelton. 

Dr. Pelton continued to explain that if you lose weight, it causes less stress on your heart muscle, itself with reduction in blood pressure and decreases vascular disease. With improvement in blood sugar and control of diabetes, it also lowers your risk of having strokes and heartaches and having amputations, and it lowers your cholesterol. 

It's never too late to make a change. CHI St. Vincent offers cardiac rehab for people who have had heart-related conditions. 

"Here at CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs, we've got a great team, a great cardiac rehab program, and great nurses to make sure people stay healthy," said Dr. Pelton.