Smoking
If you smoke it is damaging your heart more than anything else. What’s even worst is that preventive measures beyond quitting smoking will make almost no effect unless you also quit smoking. So, if you can only make one thing for your heart, that thing should be quitting smoking.
Smoke from cigarettes will make your arteries tighten leaving less space for blood to flow on, will cause atherosclerosis, and will link itself to red cells which will carry less oxygen than normal. All this means that your heart will be getting much less oxygen than if you weren’t a smoker.
Obesity
After quitting smoking, losing weight is the next best thing you can do. Excess fat will clog your arteries, make your blood thicker, and it implies that you do less exercise. All these combined make your heart weaker and make its job harder. Lose 10% of your weight over 6 months and you will see improvements!
Alcohol
Alcohol does not protect against heart disease. Red wine might, but alcohol doesn’t! Alcohol is a toxin and it increases oxidants throughout your body, which damage all cells, including heart cells, and, most importantly from a cardiovascular point of view, it also increases atherosclerosis.
As for red wine it may or may not protect. But if it does protect it is because of substances found only in red wine, thus it is the only alcoholic drink you should have. And even so, only two glasses per day for men or one for women. No excuses.
Lifestyle
A mix of a diet rich in statured and trans fats (found in meat, dairy products, cookies and almost all processed and canned food) and poor in fiber, and a low activity level lead to disaster. This diet will make your arteries weaker and atherosclerotic; the lack of exercise makes your heart smaller (just like any muscle, it needs training).
So, check your lifestyle. Eat lots of fruit and vegetables, walk every day and avoid meat.
High blood pressure
Half of the people with high blood pressure don’t know they have it. And of those that do know, only a third is controlled. However, blood pressure is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, including heart attack and stroke.
You want to measure your blood pressure regularly, eat less salt, do regular exercise and avoid saturated fats. Aside from that, the other measures I suggested will also lower your blood pressure.
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