The heart is a muscle the size of a fist and pumps blood throughout the body. It beats around 115,000 times a day, and the World Health Organisation estimates that around 18 million people die each year from heart disease. Adopting a healthy lifestyle from childhood is key to keeping it strong and healthy. Dr. Rodrigo León, cardiologist at our institution, explains five things to avoid reducing the risk of heart disease.

• Tobacco: Smoking is harmful to the heart. Cigarettes contain nicotine and generate carbon monoxide, substances that damage artery walls and promote thrombus formation. It also increases cholesterol levels. Carbon monoxide decreases oxygen supply to the body.
• Sedentary lifestyle: Being physically active for less than 20 minutes a day, less often than three times a week, is a ‘time bomb’ for your health. This bad habit triggers problems such as obesity, increased bad cholesterol in the blood, high triglycerides, increased risk of diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular diseases, such as heart attack and / or stroke, in addition to the appearance of multiple chronic conditions.
• Unhealthy diet: A nutritional regime rich in processed foods and sweets is low in nutrients (vitamins, minerals and antioxidants) and high in empty calories, due to the concentration of refined flours, sodium and sugar. Excessive consumption of fats, fried foods and carbohydrates (bread, rice and pasta) is very harmful to cardiovascular health. An unbalanced diet increases the risk of high cholesterol, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
• Sleeping too few hours a day: People who sleep less than six hours a day have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease compared to those who sleep between seven and eight hours, according to the results of multiple studies. Poor quality sleep increases the likelihood of developing atherosclerosis (plaque build-up in arteries throughout the body) and hypertension.
• Poor stress management: People under constant high levels of stress, and those who do not know how to handle stressful and anxious situations, constantly release large amounts of adrenaline, which in the long term deteriorates the arteries and the heart. This condition predisposes to atherosclerosis and high blood pressure.

Remember:

From childhood, it is crucial to take care of cardiovascular health with a balanced diet and constant exercise. In addition, regular cardiac check-ups allow for early detection of any alterations, which is essential to prevent disease and maintain a strong and healthy heart throughout life.

Dr. Rodrigo León
Cardiologist at Clínica Ricardo Palma