Heart disease is a scary reality that too many people are dealing with. In the U.S. alone, one person passes away every 36-seconds of cardiovascular disease. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says heart disease accounts for one in every four fatalities.
Given how common heart disease is, it’s important that you do everything in your power to lower your risk of developing it. Many of the seemingly harmless habits you do in everyday life could actually be linked to heart disease. Here are some everyday habits to try and kick for the sake of your cardiovascular health.
Smoking
If you’re one of the 34.1 million Americans who currently smoke cigarettes every day, then it might be time to reconsider this habit. The 7,000 chemicals you’re exposed to when smoking cigarettes have a direct impact on your cardiovascular health. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), nearly 20-percent of cardiovascular disease deaths are due to cigarette smoking.
There’s a long list of effects smoking has on your heart. Smoking can:
- Permanently damage your heart and blood vessels.
- Cause plaque buildup in the arteries.
- Make it difficult for blood cells to move, leading to blood clots.
- Causes diseases like peripheral artery disease and abdominal aortic aneurysm.