You already know that exercise and good eating habits keep your heart healthy, right?
But, what else can you do to keep your heart strong?
According to cardiac surgeon Mark Gilenough of the Cleveland Clinic, Ohio, you should do these five things every day to help your heart function better.
Learn now about the habits you need to add to your lifestyle to improve your heart health:
Eat healthy fats, not trans fats.
Saturated, polyunsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are essential to our diet. The only fats we don’t need are trans fats, which increase our risk of heart disease and strokes throughout life.
It happens because trans fats clog your arteries, increasing levels of bad cholesterol (LDL) while lowering good cholesterol (HDL). When you cut them out of your diet, your blood flow improves.
But what are trans fats?
It is an industrial fat that is frequently used in baked goods, chips, margarine, fried foods, and fast foods to add taste and texture.
Our suggestion is to read the labels of your foods. You’ll find trans fats in the fats category. Always choose foods that contain 0% trans fat.
Floss daily
Oral health is a good indicator of your overall health, including your heart, since people with periodontal (in the gums) disease usually have risk factors for heart disease.
There are many studies underway in this area, many of which show that the bacteria that cause gum disease can travel into the bloodstream, causing an increase in C-reactive protein, which is a marker of vasculitis. Did you know this?
These changes may increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. Gilenoff suggests brushing and flossing daily to avoid gum disease.
enough sleep
Sleep is essential to keeping your heart healthy. If you don’t get enough sleep, you may be at a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, regardless of your age and health habits.
A study of 3,000 adults over 45 found that those who slept less than six hours per night had twice the chances of having a stroke or heart attack compared to patients who slept six to eight hours per night.
Researchers believe that lack of sleep impairs biological processes, including blood pressure and inflammation. So, make sleep a priority. Sleep 7 to 8 hours a night.
If you suffer from sleep apnea, seek treatment as this condition is linked to heart disease and an irregular heartbeat.
Don’t sit for too long
In the past few years, research has indicated that sitting for long periods of time is bad for your health, no matter how much exercise you do. Did you know this? This is bad news for anyone with a stable job.
Looking at the pooled results of observational studies, which included nearly 800,000 people, the researchers found that those who spent long periods of time sitting had a 147% increase in cardiovascular disease and a 90% increase in deaths from these events.
Sitting for a long time (especially during flights) also increases your risk of deep vein thrombosis (blood clots).
According to experts, it is essential to move your body during the day. Park further from the office, do it for a short while
Walks during the day, or works standing. And remember to exercise most days.
Avoid secondhand smoke
Studies show that the risk of heart disease increases by 25 to 30% in people exposed to secondhand smoke, whether at home or at work.
According to the American Heart Association, exposure to tobacco smoke contributes to about 34,000 premature deaths from heart disease and 7,300 deaths from lung cancer each year. Scary right?
Non-smokers with high blood pressure or high cholesterol have a higher risk of heart disease when exposed to secondhand smoke.
This happens because the chemicals in cigarette smoke cause plaques in the arteries. So, stay away from smokers and tell them you don’t want to be near smoke – also keep kids away from secondhand smoke.
Follow these five tips, and you will be doing your heart a favor.
You will feel much better and healthier!