3 Unexpected Things That Could Affect Your Heart Health
Whether you’ve now used to being in the cardiologist’s office or you rarely see a cardiologist, you likely know smoking and drinking too much alcohol is dangerous for your heart and detrimental to your health. You can easily point your fingers at drinking, smoking, and inactivity as guilty of attempted heart murder. However, there are surprising things that could also affect your heart health and increase your risk of exposure to diseases. Some of these factors are discussed below:
1. Poor dental health
Research shows an evident link between oral health and heart diseases. According to a 2016 study by the Karolinska University Study in Sweden, having gum diseases increases the risk of a first heart attack by 28%. Isn’t it interesting to see that the love between the teeth and the heart is indeed deep? The body is indeed interwoven. It is therefore important that you take care of every part of your body and do not leave out your teeth when caring for your heart.
How does poor dental hygiene affect my heart?
With poor dental hygiene comes a fleet of associated problems: gum diseases, inflammation, bacterial infection, etc. Poor dental health increases the risk of a bacterial infection in the bloodstream hence raising the risk of a heart disease. Chronic gum inflammation could also extend beyond the mouth and may result in the narrowing of important arteries in the body.
How do I ensure good oral hygiene?
The American Dental Association recommends brushing your teeth twice daily with a soft-bristled brush designed to fit your mouth so you can reach all mouth regions easily. Floss daily and ensure you see your dentist periodically for dental checkups.
Does good dental hygiene assure me of a healthy heart?
Though oral hygiene is not the absolute key to a healthy heart, you must take care of your mouth to reduce the risks of heart disease due to poor dental hygiene
2. Intense Emotions
Daily, we hear the expression “heartbreak”. But, could the heart be broken? Do emotions affect the organ that pumps blood to our body-the heart? Well, yes they do. Intense negative emotions adversely affect the heart. Anger could cause irregular heart rhythms and cardiomyopathy may result upon the recipient of deeply saddening news. This does not only increase both your blood pressure and heart rate hence the risk for hypertension but might also birth unhealthy lifestyles.
How can intense negative emotions birth an unhealthy lifestyle?
When under emotional stress or tension, there is a tendency to seek relief or distraction. This could sometimes result in grieving individuals taking to alcohol as a relief, binge-eating, getting less to no exercise, and could even result in insomnia. All of these habits raise heart disease risk and are detrimental to a man’s overall health.
How do I avoid hurting my heart with intense negative emotions?
In caring for your heart, you must avoid keeping bent-up emotions, so you don’t overburden your mind as both your mind and heart are linked. Identify and express your feelings sincerely. Speak to people you love. Be part of a healthy community. Keep a journal to track your progress as well as report your emotions. It also helps to engage in activities you love to relieve stress.
Does avoiding intense negative emotions assure me of great heart health?
Numerous factors affect one’s overall heart health: lifestyle, genetics, etc. hence, this doesn’t assure you perfect heart health. However, you greatly reduce the risk of certain heart diseases (hypertension, high blood pressure, etc.) by avoiding intense negative emotions.
3. Inadequate sleep or poor sleep quality
The need for rest and sleep in the human body cannot be overemphasized. The body recuperates during sleep and the lack of sleep places an unnecessary strain on your heart and brain. Research shows that adults who sleep for less than 7 hours a day are more likely to have heart problems such as heart attack, high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, and even strokes.
How does inadequate sleep affect my heart?
During quality sleep, your body and mind are given a chance to relax. Your blood pressure goes down and your body is at rest. However, you consistently sleep for less than required, your blood pressure stays higher for a long period and you raise your risk of having high blood pressure and cholesterol. With high blood pressure being one of the leading causes of heart disease and strokes, you expose yourself to these conditions with routine lack of sleep. Inadequate sleep also leaves you prone to diabetes and obesity as quality sleep may help improve blood sugar control as well as avoid unhealthy weight gain.
Does getting quality sleep guarantee me great heart health?
Getting quality sleep greatly reduces your risk of heart disease and promotes your heart’s health. However, it is not the only factor that influences your heart’s health.
Your heart is not merely another organ or part of the body but a vital one. So, keeping it healthy is imperative to ensure the proper functioning and effectiveness of your body.
How then do I keep my heart healthy?
Keeping your heart healthy involves keeping your entire body healthy and fit. Here are a few tips to have you on the right track to a healthy heart…
1. Be active
Exercise is not merely a means to burn calories or an excuse to visit the gym. Exercising strengthens your heart muscles, helps shed excess weight and greatly improves your health. Incorporating an exercise routine into your schedule is the right step towards a healthy heart.
2. Good nutrition
Food…Food…Food…
The body derives energy from food and does require this energy to function appropriately. It is therefore important that you pay attention to your dietary needs and ensure that you take in nutritional meals.
3. Take care for your teeth
It is important that you have good dental hygiene to avoid bacterial infections in the blood due to gum infections as well as avoid inflammations.
4. Quit smoking
Smoking could disrupt the body’s metabolism and change how the cells and tissues work. if you still smoke, it’ll be a great idea to quit smoking and avoid passive smoking too to preserve your heart health.
5. Talk
Ensure you talk to a close friend or see your doctor whenever you feel off or extremely sad. This helps you keep tabs of your emotions and prevents them from getting built up to a point where they can negatively influence your lifestyle and affect your overall health.
6. Get adequate quality sleep
While adjusting your schedule to allow for more time for quality sleep might not be a feasible instant change, you must ensure that you give your body enough time to rest and recuperate to avoid raising your blood pressure and increasing your risks of various heart diseases.
7. Relieve Stress
Stress is not only detrimental to your mental health. Even your heart finds it unhealthy. Strive to relieve stress by engaging in relaxing activities. This could include nature viewing, sightseeing or even aromatherapy. Ensure you reduce stress to the barest minimal.
8. Avoid overeating
Obesity also affects your heart. Hence using controlled portions when feeding is a great idea as this helps you control and monitor the quantity of food you consume per time.
If you already have any heart disease, it is important that you talk to your doctor constantly. Your heart is a very vital organ, one that should be well cared for.
Conclusion
The heart’s performance depends on several factors. To prevent various heart problems, let these steps be your guide, even as you schedule an appointment with the Cardiovascular specialist of South Florida to give you an effective manner of approach for dealing with any of the above mentioned.
