Ardmag 'World Mental Health Day' Edition : Oct 2022

Oct 2022

Don’t smoke and avoid secondhand smoke. Smoking is known to be detrimental to your health, but did you know it’s also bad for your heart? Studies suggest smoking is a major cause of coronary heart disease, which can lead to heart attacks. Smoking leads to a buildup of fatty substances in the arteries, which is a chief contributor to deaths from smoking. Secondhand smoke is also linked to cardiovascular disease. Shed excess weight. Excess weight is an enemy to your heart health—bringing with it a slew of health risks. Being overweight puts extra pressure on your arterial walls and forces your heart to work harder. It also puts you at risk for developing other diseases, such as atherosclerosis, which can lead to hypertension, cardiovascular disease, heart attacks and stroke. Studies suggest that excess weight around the middle puts your heart health at risk. Excess belly fat correlates with higher blood pressure and cholesterol levels, two key risks to the health of your heart. Catch your z’s. You may be surprised to learn that sleep is essential to your heart health. That’s because deep sleep allows the body to go into periods of lowered blood pressure and heart rate. Regardless of age, weight or smoking habits, people who are sleep deprived are at a higher risk for cardiovascular disease. Eat cholesterol-friendly foods. High levels of bad cholesterol threaten the health of your heart. Limit the amount of foods that contain saturated fats, which can increase your cholesterol. These include butter, lard, fatty meats and full-fat dairy products. Instead, support your diet with foods that can naturally lower your cholesterol. Take care of your teeth. The heart is tied to many functions of the body and can be affected by many seemingly unrelated functions. You may be surprised to hear that your heart health can be compromised by poor dental hygiene. Studies show a link between the bacteria that causes gum disease and increased risk of heart disease. Taking care of your teeth and keeping gum disease at bay also reduces the body’s inflammatory response. Inflammation in the body can cause a buildup of substances in the blood that can worsen heart disease. So, be sure to brush at least twice a day and don’t forget to floss.

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