5 Bad Habits for Your Heart

Everyone knows that a healthy diet and regular exercise are important to maintaining your heart’s health. Here are a handful of common habits that can harm your heart.

1. Watching too much TV
   Sitting for great lengths of time can increase your risk of heart attack and stroke. If you live a sedentary lifestyle, make an effort to get up and walk around every hour.


2. Skipping the floss
   Research has linked gum disease with heart disease. When you don’t floss, plaque builds up over time, leading to inflammation and gum disease. Some believe this inflammation promotes hardening of the arteries.


3. Drinking too much wine
   While some studies show that small amounts of alcohol can benefit your heart health, too much can lead to high blood pressure and weight gain.


4. Assuming it won’t happen to you
   Heart disease is the number one cause of death in America. Don’t assume that you’re not at risk. Be sure to get an annual physical exam and have your blood pressure and cholesterol checked.


5. Skipping your medication
   If you’re on medication for high blood pressure, it can be easy to forget to take your pills—especially if you feel fine. High blood pressure is known as the silent killer, since it often doesn’t have any physical symptoms.

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