Heart disease and cardiac arrests have become frequent occurrences now. However, it is possible to prevent heart issues if you can avoid a few bad habits. If your heart is healthy, you have a higher chance of living longer and healthier. So, going by the adage ‘prevention is better than cure,’ it is advisable to maintain a healthy lifestyle to avoid heart ailments and subsequently, heart attack treatment.
Let’s take a look at the bad habits that can impact your heart health negatively.
5 Bad Habits that can affect the heart health
To keep your heart strong and active, it is imperative to avoid the following:
Smoking
Smoking is one of the most hazardous habits that can have a significant impact on your heart health. Smoking increases the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases and the chances of having a heart attack or stroke.
Smoking constricts blood vessels, making them narrower and thus reducing the amount of oxygenated blood being delivered to your heart. Additionally, smoking triggers an increase in blood pressure and decreases HDL (good) cholesterol levels which are essential for healthy arteries. Long-term smokers are more likely to develop various forms of cardiovascular diseases, such as coronary artery disease and death due to cardiac arrest.
Lack of Exercise
Lack of exercise is another major contributor to poor heart health. Physical inactivity can lead to an increase in cholesterol, blood pressure, and body fat, which are all risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Additionally, regular physical activity helps your heart pump more efficiently and also strengthens the muscles that support it.
Exercising regularly will drastically reduce your risk of developing cardiovascular disease by increasing your HDL levels and decreasing LDL levels. Furthermore, exercising regularly helps you to maintain a healthy weight, lower stress hormones, and improve overall mental well-being.
Excessive alcohol consumption
It is no secret that excessive drinking can lead to several health problems, including heart disease. Drinking on an empty stomach can result in rapid spikes in blood sugar levels. It can cause a “sugar high” which is a major reason for cardiac arrests. It can lead to problems like weight gain, extreme tiredness, and mood swings.
If you’re a regular drinker, you must make sure you have a plan for dealing with any problems that may arise. It includes things like getting help, knowing where to go for help if you end up in an emergency, and knowing whom to call if you need to stop drinking.
Unhealthy food habits
What you eat can have a huge impact on your heart health. Eating unhealthy foods such as fried or processed ones increases the amount of saturated and trans fats in your bloodstream, which can lead to clogged arteries. Eating too much sodium causes your blood vessels to become rigid, reducing the amount of oxygen-rich blood being delivered to your heart.
To maintain a healthy cardiovascular system, it is important to incorporate nutrient-dense foods such as fruits and vegetables into your diet. It is also essential to reduce the intake of saturated fat and processed sugars while increasing complex carbohydrates like whole grains.
Stress
Stress has a huge impact on your body, and it can take its toll on your heart health as well. Stress has long been linked to cardiovascular disease due to its effects on hormones such as cortisol and epinephrine, which cause elevated blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
Additionally, chronic stress increases the chances of developing anxiety and depression, both of which are associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular disease. To reduce this risk factor, it is important to learn how to manage stress and find healthy ways to cope with it. It includes exercising regularly, getting enough sleep, meditating, and seeking support from loved ones.
Conclusion
Most people are concerned with their heart health and do as much as they can to protect it. The way to a healthier heart can be challenging, but there are some easy and practical ways for people to make changes. In this guest post, we have discussed five habits that are injurious to heart health. Avoiding these habits can ensure a healthy and strong heart.
For further treatments and consultations on cardiac health, it is advisable to contact cardiologists at reputed hospitals. You can get the best treatment for heart attack, provided by highly efficient doctors.
Read more health blogs about:
Understanding Heart Attack: The Basics
First Aid for Heart Attack: What to Do And Not to Do
