5 Things You Should Do Daily for a Healthy Heart –
Most people know that exercise and a healthy diet are good for your heart. But, have you ever wondered what else you should be doing every day to ensure your heart stays in good condition? Below we have listed some daily habits you should start doing if you don’t already.
Eat healthy fats, not trans fats
Not all fats are bad for you, it is important to know the difference between healthy fats and fats you should avoid. The fats that we need in our diets are saturated, poly-saturated and unsaturated fats. One fat that we do not need in our diet is trans-fat. Trans-fat is known for increasing your risk of developing heart disease or having a stroke over a lifetime. Trans-fats clog your arteries and raise your bad cholesterol levels (LDL) and lower your good cholesterol levels (HDL). Cutting trans-fats out of your diet will improve blood flow throughout your body.
Maintain good dental hygiene
You might be wondering why your dental health has anything to do with your heart health, but a person’s dental health is a good indication of their overall health. The reason behind this is because people who have gum disease often have the same risk factors for heart disease. There have been several different clinical studies that show that bacteria in the mouth which is involved with the development of gum disease can eventually move into the bloodstream. Once the bacteria move into the bloodstream that causes an elevation in C-reactive protein, which is a maker of inflammation in the blood vessels. All these changes can increase your risk of heart disease.
Avoid sitting for too long at one time
There have been several studies done over the years that have suggested that sitting down for too long is detrimental to your health despite how much exercise you do. This unwelcome news specifically affects people who sit at a desk job every day. Results of observational studies have shown that people who sat more have a drastic percent increase in both cardiovascular events and death caused by these events.
Get enough sleep
Sleep is the key component of good health. Not getting enough sleep puts you at a higher risk for the cardiovascular disease no matter your age or any other health habits. A research study done showed that adults over the age of 45 who slept fewer than six hours per night were nearly twice as likely to have a stroke or heart attack versus people who sleep six to eight hours per night. You should make sleep a priority by getting eight hours of sleep at night.
Avoid smoking & secondhand smoke like your life depends on it (because it does)
Everyone knows how bad smoking is for a person, but secondhand smoke is essentially just as bad. Numerous studies have shown that the risk of developing some sort of heart disease is nearly 25 to 30 percent higher for people who are exposed to secondhand smoke. The American Heart Association has stated that the exposure to tobacco smoke contributes to about 34,000 premature heart disease deaths. The chemicals that a cigarette smoke emits promote the development of plaque buildup in the arteries.
Heart health should be taken seriously, by following these 5 daily practices your heart health can significantly improve. Take care of your heart, it’s the only one you have!
Source sitting: https://health.clevelandclinic.org/2016/01/5-things-to-do-daily-to-keep-your-heart-healthy/