You know that regular exercise and a healthy diet can help keep your heart healthy. But, aside from that, what else can you do to keep your ticker ticking? Here are the most important things you should do every day to help your heart function well. If you include these behaviors into your daily routine, your heart health will be as good as it can be.
Consume healthy fats rather than trans fats
We require fats in our diet, including saturated, polyunsaturated, and unsaturated fats. One type of fat we do not need is trans fat, linked to an increased risk of developing heart disease or having a stroke over time. This is because trans fat clogs your arteries by raising your harmful cholesterol levels (LDL) while decreasing your good cholesterol levels (HDL). By eliminating them from your diet, you enhance blood circulation throughout your body.
Practice good dental hygiene, especially flossing your teeth daily
Because people with periodontal (gum) disease generally have the same risk factors for heart disease, their dental health is a strong indicator of their overall health, including their heart. Although research is ongoing, several studies have indicated that bacteria in the mouth that contribute to the development of gum disease can enter the bloodstream and produce an increase in C-reactive protein, a marker for inflammation in blood vessels. These modifications may raise your risk of heart disease and stroke.
Get enough sleep
Sleep is an essential part of maintaining heart health. If you do not get enough sleep, you may be more likely to develop cardiovascular disease, regardless of your age or other health practices. Sleeping too little, according to researchers, causes disturbances in underlying health issues and biological processes such as blood pressure and inflammation.
Don’t sit for too long at one time
In recent years, research has revealed that sitting seated for lengthy periods, regardless of how much activity you do, is harmful to your health. This is terrible news for the many people who spend their days sitting at a desk. When researchers examined the combined data of numerous observational studies, including over 800,000 people, they discovered that those who sat the most had a 147 per cent increase in cardiovascular events and a 90 per cent increase in mortality due to these events.