Hand on heart, who’s spared a thought for their heart health recently?
If not, then it might be time to pay attention to any little “niggles” you’ve been neglecting as these every day (bad) habits could have more effect on your ticker than you realise…
1. You don’t address your stress.
Who’s feeling stressed right now? *Everyone in the world raises their hand*
When you’re stressed your body produces adrenaline which elevates your heart rate to give you a little kick. This is great if you need it, but the continued release of adrenaline can increase fatty acids and cholesterol levels in your blood. Over time this can damage your blood vessels and put unwanted stress on your heart.
What can you do?
Debrief your day with a friend, take some well-deserved ‘me time’ and switch off from the world. Make sure you’re also eating a healthy, balanced diet and doing some gentle exercise too!
2. …speaking of exercise, you’ve got an all or nothing attitude!
Jumping head first into the gym can feel great (at the time), but you may be causing more harm than you realise. If your body (and heart) aren’t used to this kind of stress, it can cause atrial fibrillation or arrhythmias in both gym newbies and extreme athletes.
What can you do?
If you are a newbie, go you! Just make sure you ease gently into your new routine over time and always seek out the advice from a fitness professional before dramatically upping the intensity.
3. You glug down the alcohol.
While we’re totally on board with a little red wine (or beer), that’s all it should be. When you drink alcohol, your heart rate and blood pressure spikes. Excessive drinking over time has been linked to abnormal heart rhythms and can put you at risk of a heart attack or stroke.
What can you do?
You don’t need to ditch your favourite drink entirely! Just stick to beer, red wine and spirits which are lower in fructose and remember not to overindulge too regularly.
4. You ignore your numbers.
Do you know your cholesterol and blood pressure levels? Ignorance is not bliss when it comes to heart disease! Don’t just assume you’re not at risk.
What can you do?
Get yourself checked! If you’re over the age of 20, it‘s recommended you have your numbers taken every 5 years to track any changes. This way, if you do have an issue, you can address it with your health professional early.
5. You go OTT on sugar.
Ah, here we are again – we wouldn’t be doing our jobs if we didn’t mention this one. Did you know, people whose diet is 25 per cent sugar (or more) are twice as likely to die of heart disease? Sugar can also lead to high blood pressure and increased bad cholesterol. Phew! That’s a lot of bad stuff.
What can you do?
Dial back on the sweet stuff or give the 8-Week Program a go. The clock is ticking!
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