The heart or the cardiovascular system is one of the most important parts of the human body. Without a proper functional heart, there won’t be any proper circulation of the blood, thereby the organs and the whole body will fail. There are a lot of ways by which you can protect your heart. In this article, we will be discussing the 10 things that you are supposed to avoid if you are a heart patient.
- Watching TV
Sitting for hours in front of the TV increases the risk of a heart attack and stroke even if you exercise regularly. The main reason is that the lack of movement of the body affects the blood level of fats and sugars.
So, you are advised to take a brisk walk periodically and stand up and talk while are answering the phone.
- Leaving hostility and depression unchecked
Excess stress and depression can take a huge toll on your heart. While everyone can feel stressed or depressed at one point in time, the way you handle your emotions affects your heart health.
So, if you are feeling depressed or stressed, talk to someone or you may join a laughter club for social support.
- Ignoring the snoring
Snoring while sleeping can be a minor annoyance but it can be a sign of a far more serious thing, that is obstructive sleep apnea. This disorder can cause your blood pressure to rise. Mostly obese or overweight people are at a higher risk to get sleep apnea.
So, if you snore and then wake up tired even after a long sleep, consult your doctor as there are pretty easy ways to cure apnea.
- Not flossing
Gum diseases and heart disease are correlated. If you do not floss regularly, the sticky bacteria-laden plaque will build up over the time which may lead to gum diseases and this may lead to body inflammation. Inflammation of the body leads to atherosclerosis.
Treating gum diseases as soon as possible can improve the blood vessel function.
- You are either all or nothing
Most of the people in their forties or fifties start exercising with good intentions, hurt themselves with rigorous exercise and stop exercising altogether.
While exercising, it is wise to aim for slow and steady. It is very important to have regular exercise.
- Consumption of excess alcohol
Studies and researches have proven that a small amount of alcohol may be quite good for the heart. But excess alcohol is linked to a greater risk of higher blood pressure, increasing the level of blood fats and then heart failure.
If you drink regularly, stick to only two drinks per day for a man and one drink per day for a woman.
- Overeating
Being an overweight is a major risk factor for your heart.
Try to eat less, avoid the bigger portions and replace all sugary drinks with simple water.
- Eating excess red meat
It is best to have red meat at occasional times and not make it a part of your daily habit. Red meat has a higher amount of saturated fat and this increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases and colorectal cancer.
- Smoking or living with a smoker
Smoking is known to be a total disaster for your heart as it promotes blood clots which can then block blood flow to your heart and thus contributes to plaque buildup in all the arteries.
- Stopping or skipping medicines
Taking pills is a pain and we especially tend to forget pills when we feel fine. High blood pressure is known to be a silent killer and a person with high blood pressure needs to have these pills regularly.