8 Bad Habits That Can Lead To Heart Problems

Smoking constricts the arteries and speeds up the heart rate because the heart receives less oxygen and therefore has to work harder.

Everything we do, i.e. our lifestyle, our diet, the way we deal with our problems, directly or indirectly affects our heart. In this article, we will discuss 8 bad habits that can lead to heart problems and which must be tackled.

The heart is nicely called the organ of love. Even if we know today that emotions occur in the brain, we must recognize that the latter are dependent on the proper functioning of our heart organ.

My heart and me

The heart is the main organ of the circulatory system and its function is to propel blood throughout the body to allow the transport of nutrients, oxygen, hormones and residual substances to the appropriate tissues and organs.

Imagine it as a perfect machine in which each gear plays a fundamental role. The smallest change can create serious disturbances.

When the heart and blood vessels do not work as they should, a condition known as cardiovascular disease results. Sometimes they are difficult to detect and can be discovered after the appearance of other conditions:

Conditions which indicate problems with the cardiovascular system

• Arteriosclerosis: It is the enlargement and hardening of the arteries. By losing in diameter, they can no longer transport as much blood, which then reaches the heart.
• Angina pectoris: We feel terrible pain in the chest. This means that the heart is not getting enough blood. You have to see a doctor very quickly.
• Heart attack : When the arteries or veins become blocked due to various reasons such as, for example, a blood clot, blood flow stops in part of the heart. Then the heart attack occurs.
• Brain bleeding or stroke : A ruptured or blocked blood vessel causes the brain to not get enough oxygen. The apoplexy then follows.

There are many risk factors that can cause heart problems: aging, which causes wear and tear on the arteries, veins and tissues, birth defects, etc.

However, scientists claim that the way we live every day has a big influence on the health of our heart. That’s why, here we are going to discover the 8 bad habits that can lead to heart problems.

Habits that can cause heart problems

It is obvious that today the majority of people live at a breakneck pace. So much so that they think that their bad habits are inevitable when it comes to their obligations.

However, eating poorly, smoking, drinking a lot of alcohol, working too much, being constantly under stress are habits that make our body less efficient and rob us of years of life. You do not believe in it ? Read this and you will get an idea …

1. Sedentarism

Sedentarism is one of the main causes of the appearance of many diseases that promote the poor functioning of our circulatory system: diabetes, arteriosclerosis or obesity.

Regular physical exercise will help remove fat deposited in the tissues. It will also strengthen your heart and relax your blood vessels.

2. Tobacco

Addiction to cigarettes does not only cause respiratory failure. Indeed, many studies have shown that smoking causes the arteries to contract, accelerates the heart rate, decreases the amount of oxygen received and thus, forces the heart to redouble its efforts to propel blood through the body.

Tobacco also promotes the accumulation of fat and hypertension. If you want to take care of your circulatory system, don’t smoke.

3. Junk food

Junk food is rich in saturated fatty acids, refined sugars, salt and white flour. It is a very toxic assortment for our organism. Everything that the body cannot spend on metabolic processes each day is stored as fat in its tissues.

If the fat multiplies too much, then it begins to cover the blood vessels and organs. The arteries become narrow and inflexible and this causes heart problems every time. Favor fruits, vegetables, fiber in your diet to cleanse your body of excess and avoid obesity.

4. Too much work

If you don’t take a moment for yourself, if you work too much, or if you are under pressure – whether professional, family, emotional – watch out! This increases the risk of suffering from heart problems.

Stress is responsible for many of our ailments : it weakens the immune system, increases our probability of catching infections and the risk of having heart attacks. This is all because of the variations in blood pressure it causes.

It is important to rest, to enjoy the pleasures of life, to devote time to yourself, to your family, to your loved ones. Do relaxation exercises to avoid stress and take care of your mental health.

5. Not getting enough sleep

It is necessary to get about 8 hours of sleep per night to keep your heart in good condition. So your body can prepare for a new day of work. Hormonal disturbances caused by insufficient sleep can also damage the heart and affect the circulatory system.

6. Lack of hydration

Drinking little promotes the accumulation of toxic substances in the body. If you want to help your heart work well and facilitate circulation, drink plenty of water as it helps eliminate residues.

7. Alcohol

Regular alcohol consumption can seriously damage the liver and heart. Maintain a healthy lifestyle if you want to avoid heart problems.

8. Strict vegetarian diet

Strict vegetarian diet can cause vitamin B12 deficiency, which affects the cardiovascular system. Go for a healthy, balanced diet.

Final recommendations

We hope you found this article helpful in identifying actions in your daily life that affect your health. If you want to avoid heart problems, you should, as far as possible, observe the following recommendations:

• Eat a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, protein and fiber. It will strengthen your heart.
• Decrease the intake of fats, sugar and salt.
• Drink more than two liters of water per day.
• Exercise regularly: This can be walking, running, swimming, or whatever activity you like.
• Avoid excess stimulants like tea or coffee.
• Avoid stressful situations.
• Do relaxation exercises.
• Sleep as long as necessary.
• No smoking.
• Avoid alcohol.