- A cardiologist shared five habits to avoid to keep your heart as healthy as possible.
- Dr. Nicole Harkin said that if possible, avoid smoking e-cigarettes and avoiding disrupted sleep.
- Harkin, 41, said it’s never too early to adopt lifestyle habits that can improve heart health.
A cardiologist shared 5 habits to avoid to maintain a healthy heart.
Dr. Nicole Harkin, a cardiologist and founder of Whole Heart Cardiology, a preventive heart clinic in California, told Insider it’s never too early to adopt lifestyle habits that can improve. . heart health“And frankly, overall health.”
Harkin, 41, began exploring data on healthy lifestyle choices to prevent heart disease on a heart disease fellowship in his early 30s.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men, women, and people of most ethnic and racial groups in the United States. Nearly 20% of the adults who died in 2020 from coronary artery disease, the most common heart disease in the United States, were adults under the age of 65, the report said.
You can’t change a person’s genetics and other factors, but 80% of heart attacks can be prevented with lifestyle choices. world health organization.
Here are five things Harkin never does to keep his heart healthy.
eat red meat
Harkin said he first went vegetarian for animal rights reasons.
But she later found that research showed a “fairly strong” link between red meat (particularly processed red meat) and increased risk. cardiovascular disease.
“I personally don’t eat any animal products, but I would like to emphasize avoiding red meat. red meat,” she said.
Harkin Said in a recent TikTok video Regularly eating hot dogs, hamburgers, and deli meat ‘garbage’ artery.
Instead, Harkin said people should eat more fiber — Found in fruits, vegetables, beans and whole grains.
“It helps regulate glucose and lower cholesterol, and it usually comes in the form of plant foods that contain all these amazing vitamins and minerals,” she said.
“I try to work with my patients to take about 40 grams a day, which is the level at which we really see reductions in things like glucose and cholesterol,” she said.
arc or smoke
Harkin does not smoke or vape.
“Most of the heart attacks I’ve seen in young women are in women who smoke,” she said.
According to the American Heart Association “Use of inhaled nicotine delivery products, including traditional cigarettes, e-cigarettes and vaping, is the leading cause of preventable deaths in the United States, including approximately one-third of all deaths from heart disease.”
interrupted sleep
Harkin, a mother of three, says she “cherishes” her sleep and aims to get at least seven to eight hours of uninterrupted sleep a night when she can. “the study Lack of that sleep has actually been shown to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease,” she said.
Harkin added: obstructive sleep apneaSleep disorders that partially or completely block the upper airways during sleep are strongly associated with heart problems, such as arrhythmias and high blood pressure.
“If you snore, have restless sleep, morning headaches, or other symptoms sleep apneaGetting screened is a very important step for heart health,” she said.
ignore chest pain
Harkin said so Risk factor If she experiences chest pain from something that causes heart disease, such as high blood pressure, she never ignores it.
“Shocking amount heart attack It happens in people who would be considered low risk by conventional screening criteria,” she said, adding, “People roll in to the hospital with chest pains for hours, and they get worse than usual.”
skipping exercise
Harkin said that lack of exercise is one of the “biggest risk factors” for heart disease, so he didn’t skip it. exerciseEven when you are busy or tired.
“Research really supports the idea that a 10-minute walk is better than nothing and is good for heart health. I won’t,” she said.
“If I could prescribe one thing for everyone, it would be exercise,” she added.
The AHA recommends two and a half hours per week of “moderate” physical activity, such as dancing or gardening, or 75 minutes of “vigorous” activity such as: jump rope run or swim.
Rather than focusing solely on weight loss, Harkin approaches lifestyle decisions in terms of overall body health.
“A diet of bacon and tobacco alone may make you lose weight, but it is certainly not good for your general or cardiovascular health.
