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Just as there are significant things you can do to help your heart be healthy, there are others that limit its strength and power. Below are things that zap heart health. Take the “heart smart” approach and you can reduce your risk for heart disease by 80 percent.
- Smoking
Smoking – Nicotine narrows blood vessels. It and other chemicals in cigarettes and cigars, increase heart rate and damage cells and arteries. Exposure to secondhand smoke likely harms your heart and blood vessels as well. Don’t smoke. - High Blood Pressure
High Blood Pressure – Defined at 140/90 mm/Hg - but anything above 120/88mm/Hg increases the heart's work load and weakens blood vessels. One-third of Americans have high blood pressure, but are unaware they do. Check blood pressure at least annually. Keep weight in line, exercise religiously and eat mostly a plant-based diet. - High Blood Cholesterol
High Blood Cholesterol – (Total cholesterol greater than 200 mg/dL; LDL cholesterol greater than 100 mg/dL; A ratio of total cholesterol to HDL greater than 3.5:1)
High blood cholesterol levels can mean a buildup of plaque inside your arteries. Over time, this buildup can narrow the inside of arteries and slow blood flow to the heart. Get your blood levels checked annually. Use diet and exercise to help lower levels and increase heart healthy HDLs. Diet and exercise can reduce your prescription needs or eliminate them altogether.. - Being Overweight (and Unfit*)
Particularly a problem if weight is carried in the stomach area. Fat generates inflammatory substances that can damage every cell in the body including arteries and the heart. Prolonged inflammation can rupture plaque in arteries which may lead to increased plaque buildup and total blockage. * Some research suggests being fit and overweight can make excess weight less worrisome. Overweight people with fitness on their side may be more healthy than thin people who are unfit. Get moving and eat healthful foods for the body size your health care provider recommends. - Physically Inactive
Defined as exercising at a moderate level less than 30 minutes a day, five days a week. A moderate level means having your heart rate up, being somewhat breathless while you’re active, but able to carry on a conversation. Being physically fit is critical for a healthy heart. Work up to getting 30 minutes of daily non-stop physical activity that leaves you winded, but still able to talk. Check with your health care provider for specific guidance. - Diabetes
It significantly increases the risk for heart disease. A high blood sugar damages arteries and affects blood circulation. Keep your weight and fitness level in line to help your body utilize the insulin it produces. - Unmanaged Stress
Exposure to stress chemicals in the body may magnify other risk factors like blood pressure and bath the body in harmful levels of stress hormones which can damage cells and arteries. Unplug and unwind—daily. Invest in yourself—give yourself at least 15 minutes each day to take care of you. - Drinking Too Much Alcohol
A little may be good for blood flow, but more than 1 drink a day for women and 2 a day for men raises risk. Commit to moderation if you choose to drink. - Too Many of Some Fats, Too Little of Others
A diet rich in saturated fat (found in higher fat cuts of beef, higher fat dairy foods, etc.) and trans fats (found in some processed foods, fast foods and bakery items) harms heart health. So too does eating too much fat from vegetable oils while not getting enough fat from fish sources. Strike a balance between all the types of fat to control inflammation in the body. Downsize the saturated, trans and vegetable oils—bump up omega-3s and monounsaturated fats found in olive and nut oils. Eat mostly plant foods (fruits, vegetables, grains and beans); choose mostly whole foods versus highly processed ones. Find fish you like to eat or ask your doctor about fish oil supplements. - Gum Disease
There may be a connection between it and heart disease. Gum disease causes inflammation in the body which could damage arteries. See your dentist regularly, brush at least twice a day, floss at least once a day. - Sleep Apnea
Sleep Apnea (pauses in breathing while you sleep) can constrict blood vessels, reduce oxygen flow and increase blood pressure. Less oxygen moving through the blood triggers inflammation throughout the body as does sleep deprivation—often a side effect of sleep apnea. Sleep apnea can also lead to an increassed heart rate during your the day (awake) hours and increase the potential for blood to clump and clot If you snore, get tested for sleep apnea. There are several devices that can help you sleep better and be more rested. |
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