You can’t function without your heart. It’s the center of your body that keeps blood flowing to all your other vital organs. Protecting its health should rank among your top priorities, but many Americans adopt habits that can lead to disease.
Fortunately, you can safeguard your heart health by adopting positive lifestyle changes. By eliminating unhealthy habits or replacing them with more beneficial ones, you can substantially increase your lifespan. The following nine tips will help to keep this organ pumping strong for life.
1. Kick the Butts
Do you smoke cigarettes? If so, you’re doing your ticker a profound disservice. Smoking injures your heart health in several critical ways — it increases your pulse, tightens your arteries and raises your blood pressure. The habit can even cause irregular heart rhythms.
If you struggle to quit the habit, you can find free resources to help you stop. If you have health insurance, your doctor may prescribe medication that can make the transition easier. Sometimes, the physical habit of having something in your hand or mouth provides comfort. Cognitive-behavioral therapy can help you find alternative coping mechanisms, or you can chew on a toothpick or gum as you withdraw.
2. Drink in Moderation, if at All
Did you know that consumption of a single alcoholic beverage causes an acute rise in blood pressure that lasts for up to two hours? If you continue drinking over several days, it creates a sustained surge. While the effects of drinking reverse themselves over time, it takes approximately as long as the period of abuse to rectify. What this means is that if you drink heavily for a week, it will take seven days for your body to detox.
If you do choose to drink, do so in moderation. Experts recommend no more than one drink per day for women and two for men. If you currently abstain, don’t start. While some research shows a slight beneficial effect from the resveratrol in red wine, you can get similar results from unsweetened and unfermented grape juice.
3. Cut Back on Red Meats
Researchers have long suspected a link between high consumption of saturated fats in red meat and an increased rate of heart disease. While high consumption of such foods may lead to a buildup of plaque in your arteries, an additional mechanism plays a role, too.
Scientists recently discovered that eating red meat caused higher levels of a chemical called trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) in the blood. People with a diet high in red meat have triple the amount of this substance in their blood. The presence of TMAO serves as a risk marker for heart-related conditions. If you do choose to eat red meat, do so in moderation. Better yet, adopt a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle — you can reverse the effects of your previous burger addiction.
4. See Your Dentist
You might not think that your teeth have anything to do with your heart. However, bacteria such as Streptococcus mutans, the type that causes tooth decay, can harden your arteries. Additionally, researchers have identified a link between gum disease and heart attacks. This bacteria can bind to your blood vessels and cause hemorrhaging in your brain. To reduce your chances of myocardial infarction or stroke, see your dentist for routine checkups.
5. Pass on Refined Carbohydrates
If you eat a diet high in refined carbohydrates, it puts you at an increased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. That condition puts you at an increased risk of cardiovascular disease for multiple reasons. One, your blood sugar could spiral to dangerous levels, making your blood vessels contract more vigorously. This increase in pressure puts a strain on your heart.
Additionally, people with Type 2 diabetes often are overweight, and they may find it difficult to shed excess pounds. Insulin resistance alters the way your body reacts to the hormone and can make weight loss nearly impossible. However, switching to a plant-based diet and eliminating foods like white flour and products with added sugar can reverse the trend.
6. Avoid Trans Fats
Even though the FDA banned trans fats, they remain in use in many foods today. For example, the vegetable shortening used in many commercial baked goods falls under the umbrella. The can you use when you bake cookies at home does, too.
Additionally, many fast-food products still contain trans fats, so go easy on the drive-thru. If you must grab a meal in a hurry, opt for broiled or grilled options over those that are breaded and fried.
7. Cut Back on Salt
When you consume too much salt, it puts pressure on your heart and arteries. Your blood contains a delicate balance of electrolytes like sodium and potassium, as well as water. Your kidneys typically filter out excess levels of these chemicals, but when they grow overloaded, they can’t perform as effectively.
Too much sodium in your bloodstream puts extra strain on your arteries. To compensate, the tiny muscles within the arterial walls become stronger and thicker. While this sounds beneficial, it can lead the vessels to become so narrow that they eventually close off completely. It can also cause them to burst, and if this happens to one that feeds the heart, the result is a heart attack.
Salt can hide in the most innocuous-seeming places. For example, many canned commercial soups contain more than half a day’s worth in one serving. Always read labels and go easy on the shaker.
8. Get Moving
Exercise strengthens your heart muscle, making you less prone to attacks. If you’re currently sedentary, taking up a workout program can lower your blood pressure by 5-8 mm of mercury. Experts recommend 150 minutes of moderate exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous activity every week. That translates to roughly 30 minutes per day.
However, you don’t need to do the full amount at once — or at all — to reap some benefits. Even taking a 10-minute walk benefits your heart. If you have a hectic schedule, try squeezing in shorter workouts instead of opting for a weekend warrior session that leaves you sore.
9. Lower Your Stress Levels
Do you have a ton of tension in your life? If so, it could hurt your heart. Recent research indicates that chronic stress can rewire your brain to keep your blood pressure high.
To lower your stress, try adopting a program of yoga or meditation. Make time for routine self-care. Pause throughout the day to take several slow, deep breaths, exhaling for twice as long as you inhale. This practice helps to lower the levels of stress hormones in the blood.
Improve Your Cardiovascular Health
Your heart is one of the most vital organs in your body. Keep it pumping strong with a few simple tips to boost your well-being.
Sources:
[1] https://www.texasheart.org/heart-health/heart-information-center/topics/smoking-and-your-heart/
[2] https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1161/01.HYP.17.6.787
[4] https://www.midtownendodontistnyc.com/healthy-smile-happy-health/
[6] https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/trans-fat-foods
[7] http://www.bloodpressureuk.org/microsites/salt/Home/Whysaltisbad/Saltseffects
Author – Kate is an online journalist primarily covering health and wellness topics. If you enjoy her work, you can visit her blog, So Well, So Woman, or follow her on Twitter @KateHarveston!
