5 Most Common Causes of Heart Disease
Heart disease is a serious health problem that affects over 18 million people around the world each year. But what exactly causes heart disease? Knowing these causes can help you take steps to protect your heart and stay healthy. Let’s look at the five most common causes of heart disease and how they affect your body.
High Blood Pressure Can Damage Your Arteries
One of the main causes of heart disease is high blood pressure, also called hypertension. When your blood pressure stays too high for a long time, it puts extra stress on your arteries. This makes them stiff and more likely to get blocked. This high pressure can damage the blood vessels that bring oxygen to your heart, which can eventually lead to heart disease.
Doctors say that high blood pressure often doesn’t have any symptoms, so it’s important to check your blood pressure regularly, at least once a year, or more often if recommended by your doctor. If it’s not treated, it can lead to problems like heart attacks or even heart failure.
Managing high blood pressure by taking medicine, exercising, and eating healthy foods can help lower your risk of heart disease. Reducing stress by doing activities like meditation, deep breathing, or yoga can also help keep blood pressure under control. Stress management is important for keeping your blood pressure at a healthy level and protecting your heart.
High Cholesterol Can Cause Plaque to Build Up in Your Arteries
Cholesterol is a fatty substance that your body needs, but too much can be harmful. High cholesterol can cause plaque to build up inside your arteries, which makes it harder for blood to flow to your heart. Over time, this buildup, called atherosclerosis, can lead to coronary artery disease, one of the most common types of heart disease.
The good news is that eating a healthy diet, such as adding more fruits, vegetables, oats, and healthy fats like avocados, and making other lifestyle changes, like regular exercise, can help you keep your cholesterol levels under control. Foods that are high in saturated fats, like fast food, processed snacks, and fatty meats, can raise your cholesterol. On the other hand, eating more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, along with regular exercise, can help improve cholesterol levels.
You can also include heart-healthy fats, like those found in fish, flaxseed, and walnuts. These fats can help decrease bad cholesterol (LDL) and increase good cholesterol (HDL). Regular visits to your doctor can help you keep track of your cholesterol levels, and sometimes medicine is needed to help manage it.
Smoking Hurts Your Heart and Blood Vessels
Smoking is a major cause of heart disease. It damages the lining of your arteries, which causes fatty material to build up and makes your blood vessels narrower. Quitting smoking can lead to health improvements very quickly, with heart health starting to improve within just a few weeks. This makes it harder for your heart to work well. Nicotine, the addictive substance in cigarettes, also raises your blood pressure and heart rate, putting extra strain on your heart.
Doctors say that even being around secondhand smoke can increase your risk of heart disease. The best way to protect your heart is to quit smoking and avoid being around cigarette smoke. If you smoke, quitting as soon as possible will improve your heart health.
Quitting smoking can be tough, but there are many resources, like counseling, nicotine replacement products, and medications, that can help. When you quit, your risk of heart disease starts to go down almost right away, and within a few years, it can be as low as if you had never smoked.
Not Being Active Is Bad for Your Heart
Not getting enough exercise is another big cause of heart disease. Your heart is a muscle, and like any muscle, it needs regular exercise to stay strong. Being inactive can lead to obesity, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol—all of which can cause heart disease.
Doing at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise every day, like brisk walking, swimming, biking, dancing, playing sports, or even doing yard work, can be helpful for your heart health. Exercise helps you keep a healthy weight, improve your cholesterol, and lower your blood pressure—all important for preventing heart disease.
Even small changes, like taking the stairs instead of the elevator or walking instead of driving short distances, can help. If you find it hard to stay active, try joining a group exercise class or finding a friend to work out with. Activities like dancing, gardening, or playing with your kids can also be great exercise. Exercise has more benefits than just keeping your heart healthy—it can also boost your mood, help you sleep better, and reduce stress.
Eating an Unhealthy Diet Can Increase Your Risk of Heart Disease
Your diet plays a big role in keeping your heart healthy. A diet high in sugar, salt, unhealthy fats, and processed foods can increase your risk of heart disease. Eating too much salt can cause high blood pressure, and too much sugar can lead to obesity and diabetes—both of which can lead to heart disease.
To keep your heart healthy, try to eat more whole foods like fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats from nuts and fish. Cutting back on processed foods, sugary drinks, and salt can help protect your heart. It’s also important to watch your portion sizes and not overeat since being overweight can put extra stress on your heart.
Cooking at home can help you control what goes into your food and make healthier choices. You can also add fiber-rich foods like oats, beans, and berries to your diet to help lower cholesterol and keep your heart healthy. Staying hydrated by drinking lots of water and limiting sugary drinks can also help your heart stay healthy.
The Takeaway
Heart disease can be caused by several things, many of which you can control. High blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, not being active, and poor diet are all major causes of heart disease, but making changes in these areas can really lower your risk. Improving your diet, quitting smoking, staying active, and keeping track of your blood pressure and cholesterol can make a big difference in keeping your heart healthy.
Talk with your doctor if you have any concerns about your heart health. They can give you advice and help you come up with a plan to lower your risk of heart disease. Having support from friends and family can also help you stay motivated to stick with heart-healthy habits.