5 Surprising Things That Hurt Your Heart

Your heart is the most vital organ in your body, so naturally you want to keep it as healthy as possible. You avoid smoking, stick to a healthy diet, and exercise. But did you know that there’s a number of other lifestyle factors that may be taking a toll on your ticker?
Read to learn some common habits that may be hurting your heart, plus how to halt them, fast.

Binge-watching TV: Even if you exercise regularly, sitting for hours on end ups your risk of heart attack and stroke. That’s because the lack of movement may negatively affect the levels of fat and sugar in your blood levels.

How to Fix it: Get up and move around at least every 15 minutes.
  
Snoring: This annoying bedtime habit can be a sign of sleep apnea, which is linked to high blood pressure, arrhythmia, stroke, and heart failure.

How to fix it: Ask your doctor about screening for sleep apnea. There are treatments that can help you get better rested.

Not flossing: Gum disease and heart disease are strongly linked. The same bacteria that can cause gum disease may enter the bloodstream and cause inflammation.

How to fix it: Get out the floss and check in with your dentist regularly.

Skimping on fruits + veggies: People who eat more than 5 servings of fruit and veg a day have about 20% lower risk of heart disease and stroke than those who eat fewer than 3 servings a day.

How to fix it: Sneak extra servings into all your meals!

Drinking (too much) alcohol: You’ve heard moderate drinking may be good for your heart, but too much is linked to a greater risk of high blood pressure, high levels of blood fats, and heart failure.

How to fix it: Stick to no more than one drink a day for women, or two drinks a day for men. To put that into perspective, one drink = 12 oz. beer or 5 oz. wine or 1.5 oz. hard alcohol.

Source: health.com