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Every organ in our body serves a purpose (except you, appendix) and when functioning properly lets us do the things we do and enjoy the things we enjoy. But chief among them is the heart. It’s without a doubt the most important organ. After all, it’s the source of life. Therefore, it’s important to take care of your 3-highs, to help maintain a healthy heart.
Despite knowing the importance of keeping the heart healthy such as taking the right nutrition, consuming a healthy diet, and exercising regularly, most still remain ignorant to these 5 habits that can be bad for the heart…
#1 Being excessive with the salt
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Salt is great. It adds flavour to the food we consume, but having too much of it may add the risk of getting high blood pressure, which in turn weakens and damages our blood vessels. A weakened or damaged blood vessel can reduce the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the heart, resulting in a heart attack.
#2 Being a couch potato
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Sure, all those “If it fits, I sits” memes featuring lazy cats are cute, but if your job already requires you to stay seated for hours and hours, then make it a point to get as much physical activity as you can during your free time. In fact, make it a point to take frequent 5-minute walks for every hour you are seated.
According to a study published in the American Heart Association (AHA) journal, men who sit for more than 5 hours each day doubles their risk of heart failure compared to those who were physically active and sat for less than 2 hours a day.
#3 Being too thirsty for alcohol
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Alcohol is a much-loved beverage that has been around for thousands of years, and is widely consumed by both men and women. But, be mindful that overconsumption of alcohol may lead to irregular heart rhythm and heart failure.
#4 Smoking by association
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It’s no surprise that smoking is bad is for your health. But, even if you’re not the one smoking a cigarette, being in the presence of smokers is equally just as bad. Secondhand smoke may lead to inflammation in the arteries and increase the likelihood of forming a blood clot which could be harmful for your heart’s health.
We get it, cigarette breaks are good for bonding with friends and colleagues, but you may seriously want to consider doing that over a meal instead. Just watch the amount of salt and alcohol you consume.
#5 Not flossing
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Perhaps a habit practised by most Malaysians. The idea that flossing is just for the benefit of your teeth is an erroneous one as bacteria associated with gum disease may lead to inflammation in the body, which is linked to heart disease.
In an ideal world, none of us would struggle with trying to break these bad habits that are slowly deteriorating our health. But just because habits die hard, doesn’t mean your heart has to pay the price.
The new Anlene HEART-PLUS™ dual action formula featuring MoveMax™ and HeartMax™ has been developed based on the understanding on consumer needs. It is formulated with a bundle of important nutrients to maintain healthy heart and movement.
Just 2 glasses a day of Anlene HEART-PLUS™ will nourish your body with the same amount of plant sterols found in 33 oranges or 61 apples (Reference: plant sterols present in one small apple is 13mg while one small orange has 24mg).
So, “Care for Your Heart. Care for Your 3 Highs”.