Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women, and it doesn’t discriminate based on racial or ethnic groups. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2023, 1 in every 3 deaths in the United States was due to some form of heart disease.

At Northwest Houston Heart Center, cardiologists Dr. A. Adnan Aslam and Dr. Roy Norman diagnose and treat all manner of heart-related conditions, from atrial fibrillation to chest pain to coronary artery disease (CAD).

As there are many lifestyle habits that can put your heart at risk, the doctors would like to focus this month’s blog on those habits and what you can do to turn things around.

7 lifestyle habits that put your heart at risk – and how to change them

1. Failing to deal with stress

Everyone experiences stress occasionally – think of a big exam or a presentation at work. But long-term or chronic stress causes high levels of inflammation, which can lead to plaque buildup in the arteries and subsequent coronary artery disease (CAD). CAD can cause arrhythmias, heart attack, and heart failure. 

Chronic stress also leads to elevated levels of stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol, causing the heart to beat faster, raising blood pressure, and increasing levels of blood sugar and cholesterol.

Adopting stress-reducing habits, such as tai chi, yoga, meditation, or even a walk in nature, can all help protect your heart.

2. Consuming too much cholesterol

Cholesterol is a fat-like substance your body uses to make hormones and vitamin D, build cell membranes, and help digest food. It’s produced in the liver, which makes enough to meet your body’s needs.

Cholesterol is also found in animal-derived foods such as meat, eggs, poultry, and dairy. If you eat more than your body needs, your liver can’t always remove the excess amount, putting you at risk for CAD, poor blood flow, and heart disease.

Read nutrition labels to understand how much cholesterol you’re consuming, and try to limit the amount. Reduce how much red meat and eggs you eat, and replace some of that with plant-based proteins, as well as plenty of fruits and vegetables.

3. Having excess triglycerides

Triglycerides store excess energy from what you eat, and they’re also produced in your liver. Consuming more calories than you burn causes your body to convert and store these extra calories as triglycerides in your fat cells.

While triglycerides fuel your body, chronically high levels thicken artery walls, increasing your risk of heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.

Try to consume recommended food portions, and fill your plate with fresh fruits and veggies, lean proteins, and whole grains. By not eating more food than your body needs, and by reducing unhealthy trans fats (found in many fried or baked goods), you can reduce your triglyceride levels.

4. Not exercising enough

Being a couch potato is bad for your body, especially your heart.

Aerobic exercise improves circulation, lowering blood pressure and heart rate and increasing your cardiac output.

Experts recommend at least 30 minutes a day, five days a week, with resistance training on the off days. Try brisk walking, running, swimming, cycling, or playing tennis. All increase your heart’s efficiency.

Research shows that a combination of aerobic exercise and resistance work may also help raise HDL (good) cholesterol and lower LDL (bad) cholesterol.

5. Being overweight or obese

Excess weight increases heart rate, raises blood pressure, raises blood cholesterol levels and triglycerides, and lowers HDL cholesterol. It also increases your risk for developing type 2 diabetes.

Achieving just a 3-5% drop in weight results in lowering blood glucose and triglyceride levels; losing 5-10% helps reduce blood pressure and improve overall blood cholesterol.

6. Smoking

Smoking is a major cause of cardiovascular disease (CVD), including plaque in the arteries, and it’s responsible for 1 in every 4 deaths from CVD. Even secondhand exposure can lead to heart disease and stroke.

Not smoking — or quitting if you’ve picked up the habit — not only improves your heart’s function, but it can lead to improvements in every other aspect of your life, from decreasing your risk for lung and other cancers to decreasing your cholesterol levels.

7. Having high blood sugar

People with type 2 diabetes have a greatly increased risk of heart disease and stroke. That’s because people with diabetes often have other risk factors, such as the ones we mentioned above, for developing CVD.

Learning to keep your blood sugar levels under control can decrease your risk for CVD.

Want more tips on how to protect your heart? Northwest Houston Heart Center can help. Give us a call at any of our locations (Tomball, Cypress, Magnolia, and The Woodlands, Texas), or book online today. You can also text us at 832-402-9518.