7 habits that affect heart health.. Learn about them

It's well known that some habits, like smoking, can damage your heart over time, but many everyday habits that we don't really think about, like how often we brush our teeth, which supplements we take and how much coffee we drink, can also affect our heart health.

What we do, eat and drink can greatly affect our blood pressure, cholesterol and heart rate, and ultimately affect our overall heart function.

Here are some everyday habits that can contribute to heart problems:

• follow a strict diet

People often think they're eating a healthy, balanced diet, but they're actually setting themselves up for future heart problems, says Dr. Daniel Edmundovich, chief of cardiology at Temple University Hospital.

For example, he’s seen people on a low-cholesterol diet avoid healthy fats, an important macronutrient. Then they may eat a lot of carbohydrates. While that type of diet doesn’t cause an increase in cholesterol levels, it can lead to weight gain and put a lot of stress on the blood sugar and diabetes systems, Edmundovich says.

Crash dieting can put a strain on the cardiovascular system, and research has shown that a sudden and drastic shift in eating habits can lead to a deterioration in heart function.

• Social isolation and loneliness

According to Dr. Rigvede Tadwalkar, a board-certified cardiologist at Providence Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, California, isolation from others can also have a profound effect on our heart health.

A recent study found that older women had an 8 percent higher risk of cardiovascular disease when living in social isolation, and a 5 percent higher risk of cardiovascular disease when living with loneliness. For people who experience both social isolation and loneliness, the risk of heart disease grows to 27 percent.

Social isolation can also contribute to depression, and depression can lead to cardiovascular risk factors such as high blood pressure, a sedentary lifestyle and poor eating habits, according to Edmundovich.

“Social isolation is a big problem, and it contributes to poor heart health,” Edmundovich said.

• poor dental health

Dental problems, such as tooth decay and gum disease, can increase the risk of bacterial infections in the bloodstream. According to Tadwalkar, it's very easy for bacteria in the mouth to get into the blood.

Recent research has also found that brushing your teeth regularly is linked to better heart health outcomes.

Edmundovich said it's known that gum disease and poor oral health cause an inflammatory condition that can worsen heart problems such as high cholesterol or plaque rupture.

“Good oral hygiene is important,” he added. “We can’t say 100 percent that brushing and flossing every day will prevent a heart attack, but not doing so can increase a person’s vulnerability if they have other standard risk factors.”

• Some medications and supplements

Some medications have been found to cause cardiovascular problems. For example, medications for ADHD can increase nervous system activity and cause increased heart rate and blood pressure.

Drugs with a diuretic effect, such as the anti-hormonal drug spironolactone, can lower blood pressure and, in people with naturally low blood pressure, cause symptoms such as dizziness and lightheadedness.

That doesn’t mean everyone needs to worry about their medications, Tadwalkar stressed. However, those who have a predisposition to high blood pressure or heart rhythm problems may need to be careful with their medication dosages. Your doctor should take your heart health history into account when determining the right dosage for you.

Supplements can also affect the heart, especially among people who take vitamins and herbal supplements that they don’t really need. According to Tadwalkar, supplements can interact with prescription medications and also have damaging effects on the heart. He recommends talking to a doctor about supplements to determine if they may have heart effects.

• Excessive caffeine intake

Drinking caffeinated coffee is generally safe and protects the heart. Research suggests that drinking two cups of coffee a day provides the greatest cardiovascular benefits.

But too much coffee can have a negative effect because “it can speed up the heart and cause an increase in heart rate, constriction of blood vessels and increased blood pressure, and certainly if you are prone to heart rhythm disturbances, caffeine in high doses can cause that,” Tadwalkar said.

Caffeine is safe up to 300 to 400 milligrams, after which, it can have a range of negative effects.

Research has also shown that filtered coffee is associated with better cholesterol levels than unfiltered coffee, such as French press. “We often don’t associate cholesterol with coffee, but filtered coffee has less bad cholesterol than unfiltered coffee,” Tadwalkar said. In general, the blacker the coffee, the healthier it is.

• Excessive stress

When the body’s escape system is chronically activated, it can cause inflammation in the body and a prolonged release of stress hormones like adrenaline. Together, these factors can cause physiological changes in the body, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, insulin resistance and electrical rhythm disturbances, according to Tadwalkar.

Chronic stress can also increase the risk of blood clots throughout the body. If a clot forms in an already narrowed artery, it can cause a heart attack. “That’s why people who are under a lot of chronic stress, as you might see, often end up having a heart attack,” Tadwalkar said.

Stress triggers are all around us, and it can be hard to escape them. Because these triggers don’t go away, it’s important to learn how to manage your stress effectively, says Tadwalkar, who recommends stress-relieving activities like meditation, yoga, exercise, and enjoyable hobbies.

• too much or too little sleep

Most people need about seven to eight hours of sleep a night — too much or too little sleep can contribute to cardiovascular problems, including heart attacks and strokes.

It’s not just about the quantity of sleep, it’s about the quality. High-quality, restorative sleep is crucial for maintaining heart health. Poor quality sleep is linked to high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and atherosclerosis (buildup of plaque in the arteries).

“We want people to sleep well, for the expected amount of time, to really protect their hearts,” Tadwalkar said.

(The Middle East)