Everything we do in our life can affect our heart. Whether it’s eating a pizza at dinner time or going to bed late, it could damage our heart health! Therefore, it’s so important to consider how your life choices are affecting your ticker. After all, our heart is our lifeline and we need to be careful with our decisions in life so that we don’t end up with heart disease or an irregular heartbeat. Here are 11 unmissable tips on keeping your heart healthy to ensure the beat stays ticking away for a long time!

Avoid Smoking Regularly: A lot of people know the impact on their lungs when they smoke on a regular basis. After all, smoking is often linked to lung cancer. But they don’t realize the impact it can have on your heart. Tobacco and nicotine contain chemicals which harm your blood vessels and heart. It can cause your arteries to narrow, causing a decrease in blood flow. And as this feature says, cigarette smoke interferes with oxygen, so your heart has to supply additional oxygen to compensate. The stress to your heart can lead to a heart attack. Therefore, to help maintain a healthy heart, you need to avoid smoking on a regular basis. You can talk to your doctor about nicotine patches or gum which will help you to quit. Or you may want to switch to e-cigarettes instead to cut out the tobacco from your habit.

Maintain a Healthy Weight: Being overweight causes many problems for your heart. For one thing, it puts more pressure on the heart which can result in serious cardiac issues. As your heart is working harder to push blood through your body, it can cause angina or even a heart attack. As well as this, being overweight can lead to coronary heart disease as plaque builds up inside the arteries that serve the heart. And if you are not a healthy weight, you are more likely to have high blood pressure.

Therefore, to keep a healthy heart, you need to make sure you maintain a healthy weight. Cut back on your food portions and make sure you are exercising every day. You should also talk to your doctor who can advise you on the best ways to cut back on your weight. They might send you to a nutritionist who can help you learn what foods are best for you to consume. Remember you should not go on a fad diet; it’s about making healthy changes to your diet that you can commit to in the long run.

Cut Back on Your Drinking: We all love a couple of drinks on a night out – it’s one of the best ways to let our hair down and relax with friends. But if you start consuming more than one or two drinks a day, it will affect your health. For one thing, it can damage your liver over time and lead to you needing a replacement. It can also fuel mental health disorders such as depression. And you may not realize that it can damage your heart. It contributes to high blood pressure, which can lead to heart attacks.

Having more than three alcoholic drinks a day can increase your risk of atrial fibrillation (Afib). It is the most common abnormal heart rhythm. If you think you are suffering from an irregular heartbeat, you should see your doctor who may refer you to afib treatment locations. But to prevent all of these issues from occurring, you need to make sure you cut back on your drinking. Stick to the recommended daily intake of one drink a day to ensure your heart stays healthy. After all, you can still have a great night out without becoming intoxicated.

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Laugh at Least Once Every Day: Have you laughed at least once today? A surprising number of people don’t manage to have a giggle during the daytime. But laughing is good for your heart health. Research has suggested that it can lower your stress hormones and raise your good cholesterol. Try and make an effort to laugh today! Spend some time with your friends and family. Or you can watch some funny videos or movies to help you giggle. Having a laugh will help your heart to function correctly.

Exercise Every Day: So many people are not moving around enough in the day. They go to work where they sit at their desk and then they head home to sit in front of the television. But if you are doing this, it will affect your heart. It is important to do some form of cardio for half an hour every day to improve your heart health. Head for a run around the block or attend a dance class to get your heart thumping. And remember to add some strength training into your daily workout to help boost the organ. If you struggle at first, build up the amount of exercise you do every day slowly. You will be surprised how much healthier you will feel if you exercise every day!

Get Enough Sleep at Night: You might be surprised to know that your sleeping pattern could affect your heart. If you are not getting a good night’s sleep, you are at higher risk of heart disease. Sleep deprivation can affect your blood pressure and cause inflammation to your arteries. Every night, try to ensure that you have more than seven hours of sleep. Head to bed earlier at night and get into a strict routine. Also, avoid having caffeine and heavy foods before you head to bed. Getting enough sleep will help keep your ticker working.

Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables: A bad diet could cause your heart to not function properly. For one thing, a bad diet can lead to you becoming overweight, which puts an incredible strain on your heart. And not only that, but a diet full of high-fat and sugary foods can raise blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Both of these contribute to heart disease. A change in your diet that includes plenty of fruits and veggies is incredibly beneficial. Blueberries and strawberries are both great at keeping your heart healthy. And consuming tomatoes can reduce high blood pressure. Here is a full list of foods which can reduce your risk of a heart attack.

Avoid Stress in Your Life: It’s so easy to feel stressed in your daily life. After all, your work and personal life can both lead to you suffering from feelings of anxiety. But we do need to keep our stress levels down because too much worry can lead to angina. And feeling stressed can increase your blood pressure levels. Try to find ways to reduce the stress in your life. It might be that you take up a hobby such as yoga or even reading which both can make you calmer. Also, you should find ways to cut out the stress in your life. Whether it’s removing a person from your life or changing jobs, it could help your heart health in the long run.

Check Your Blood Sugar and Blood Pressure Regularly: A lot of people avoid going to the doctors for as long as possible. But if you want to keep your ticker healthy, you need to go for blood pressure and blood sugar checks. These two conditions are silent so you may not experience problems with your heart until it’s too late.

Make sure you go and get tested regularly so you can make changes in your life if necessary. If further care is needed, your doctor will be able to recommend you to a cardiologist or the Cardiovascular Group for more specialized care. Listen to your body and if something feels off, make an appointment right away.

Get Intimate With Your Partner: You might be surprised about this one! Getting intimate with your partner is not only good for your relationship, but it’s excellent for your heart! It can lower your blood pressure and reduce your risk of heart disease. As this research found, people who had less sexual activity had higher rates of heart disease! So it’s time to get under the sheets for some fun with your partner!

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Keep Your Teeth in Good Order: Forgetting to brush your teeth is surprisingly easy to do. Whether it be rushing to get ready for work or being in a hurry to catch some Z’s, we often forget to clean our pearly whites. But having good oral hygiene can help to keep your heart in good working order. It’s been found that gum disease can increase your risk of getting heart disease. To avoid this, make sure you are brushing your teeth at least twice a day and use mouthwash to remove any bacteria from your gums. That way, you can ensure you have great teeth while keeping your heart happy!

Even if you are young, it’s so important to ensure your heart is working efficiently now. It will stop you having issues when you are older!