6 Mistakes that can affect our cardiovascular health

How to adjust our routine to live a longer, healthier life.

After the age of 40, bad health habits start to take their toll on us, especially when it comes to our cardiovascular health.

“Risk factors for heart disease start to increase after age 40,” asserts Deepak Bhatt, executive director of cardiovascular intervention programs at Brigham and Women’s Hospital & Vascular Center and professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. “High blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity and diabetes are the main contributors to heart problems.”

Once we reach that age, we are at risk for gradual weight gain to take place, Dr. Bhatt says. Our metabolism is slowing down, so if we continue with our lifestyle habits, we may start to gain weight.

Dr. Bhatt recommends checking our weight first thing in the morning before eating or showering. If we gain weight week after week, it’s a sign that we may need to make some dietary adjustments.

Here are some tips:

Follow a healthy diet.

The Mediterranean diet is the most recommended diet for maintaining optimal heart health. However, it is always essential to keep an eye on portion sizes. After the age of 40, our metabolism starts to slow down, so overeating could lead to gradual and significant weight gain

Having a social life

Friends are very important to our heart health,” explains Michael Miller, M.D., professor of cardiovascular medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. “We know that social isolation, as we age, wreaks havoc on the heart.” A 2016 study conducted by the journal Heart found that loneliness and social isolation are as harmful as smoking. In fact, lack of social relationships increases the risk of heart disease by 29%, according to the report.

We need to make an effort to maintain our friendships, Dr. Miller advises. Dr. Stein agrees, and believes that men in particular need to be more careful not to lose touch with their friends.

Going to the gym too much or avoiding it altogether.

“Exercising 30 to 45 minutes a day, three to four times a week would be ideal,” says Richard Stein, a cardiologist and professor of medicine at NYU Langone Health. If our workout is super-intense, it may not be beneficial. Some research suggests that too much vigorous exercise can damage the heart.

We must learn what our limits are. “After age 40, we need a 5- to 10-minute warm-up.”

Be careful with stress

“It’s not possible to escape stress because it’s part of our lives,” says Dr. Bhatt. “But how we react to it could make a difference.”

Meditation has been shown to be helpful in combating stress. Whether or not there is a spiritual component, this practice can help us react to its symptoms in a healthier way.

Avoiding smoking

Smoking is undoubtedly one of the habits that is most detrimental to our cardiovascular health. The sooner we quit smoking, the better our prognosis will be.

On the other hand, marijuana use may increase the risk of heart attack. Although the evidence is preliminary, research has linked marijuana use to heart disease and stroke.

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