INCIDENT/ Fire Station Burns, Police: There Was No Firefighting System!

 Kliko këtu për të tjera
Voxpress:

Five habits that cardiologists avoid for a healthy heart

2026-03-14 14:56:28Lifestyle SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX

Taking care of your heart often seems like a problem for tomorrow.

After all, damage to this organ usually accumulates silently: plaques form in the arteries or blood pressure gradually increases for years without visible symptoms until a serious problem occurs and you wish you had intervened earlier.

This is precisely why cardiologists suggest reviewing your lifestyle now, including not only creating healthy habits, but also giving up some that do not support heart health.

You can probably name two of the most harmful habits for the heart: smoking and alcohol consumption.

Smoking damages blood vessels and increases the risk of blood clots, while alcohol can raise blood pressure. But there are also some everyday behaviors that can jeopardize your long-term heart health. Below, six cardiologists reveal the common things they themselves try to avoid to protect their heart.

1. Avoid red meat, fried and highly processed foods as much as possible.

This was the main habit that almost all cardiologists mentioned. Julie Delphin, a cardiologist at NYU Langone Health, says that she follows a diet during the week and only consumes red meat on the weekends, as a way to limit the amount without having to count portions.

Meanwhile, Sonia Tolani of Columbia University Irving Medical Center limits red meat, fried foods, and ultra-processed foods by following a Mediterranean diet. This diet uses olive oil as its main fat and relies on leaner proteins like fish and legumes.

According to cardiologist Megha Agarwal of UCLA Health, this way of eating reduces saturated fats that raise cholesterol. Meanwhile, highly processed foods like cookies and chips often have a lot of sugar and salt, a combination that raises blood pressure.

2. They don't follow extreme diets or excessive exercise.

Drastic lifestyle changes are not the answer, says Emily Lau, a cardiologist at Brigham and Women's Hospital.

“Heart health is a marathon, not a sprint,” she explains. Any routine that you can’t maintain for a long time has few real benefits.

Very strict diets or intense exercise programs can have the opposite effect.

Excessive protein consumption can increase the risk of plaque buildup in the arteries, while restricting carbohydrates can reduce antioxidant intake.

3. They don't obsess over a "perfect" exercise routine.

Dr. Tolani used to go to the gym several times a week for long workouts, but over time she realized it was more important to move whenever she could. Now she takes brisk 20-minute walks, does some short workouts, or dances with her kids.

Aparna Srinivasan also tries to increase her activity during the day, for example by avoiding elevators. Studies show that even a little physical activity is better than none.

4. They don't change their sleep schedule often.

Dr. Lau tries to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. An irregular sleep schedule can prevent the natural lowering of blood pressure at night and cause inflammation that favors clogged arteries.

For this reason, she also avoids the temptation to stay up late watching another episode on television.

5. They don't often use single-use plastic bottles

According to Dr. Agarwal, avoiding them helps reduce exposure to microplastics. A 2024 study found that people who had microplastics found in their artery plaques had about a 4.5 times higher risk of heart attack, stroke, or death over the next few years.

Finally, experts emphasize that these are not absolute bans.

A sleepless night or the occasional steak dinner won't hurt your heart. What matters are the small, consistent lifestyle changes that are maintained over years—the ones that ultimately make a difference in your risk of heart disease. /Source: Self.com/Adjust Newspaper Si


Në përputhje me standarded JTI

Video

SHIKO KANALIN NE YOUTUBE
×