Your heart is the primary organ of your circulatory system. It pumps blood throughout your body, controls your heart rate and maintains blood pressure.We’re all aware of the importance of taking good care of our heart health, but it can be difficult to know how.
Most cases of cardiovascular disease are preventable which means no matter our age, we all need to think about looking after our heart health. From a heart healthy diet, to staying active and tackling stress here are 10 simple changes you can make to start taking care of your heart health.
1. Fried Foods
Fried-food intake is linked to a heightened risk of major heart disease and stroke. It’s no secret that fried food isn’t the healthiest option, but new research has linked fried food intake to a higher risk of major heart damage.
2. Red meat
Many people are aware that eating red and processed meat can raise their risk of heart disease. A higher meat intake could slightly increase your risk of heart and circulatory problems.
3. Processed meats
Eating meat regularly increases a person’s risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, pneumonia and other serious illnesses, research has found. Processed meats are not only high in salt, but also contain sodium nitrite, which is an additional source of sodium. It is thought that sodium nitrate can damage blood vessels, causing arteries to harden and narrow, leading to heart disease.
4. Baked food.
They’re typically loaded with added sugar, which leads to weight gain. They’re also linked to higher triglyceride levels, and that can lead to heart disease. Their main ingredient is usually white flour, which may spike your blood sugar and make you hungrier.