Food

Common Habits that are Damaging to the Heart

Heart disease is consistently ranked as one of the leading causes of death for Americans. So, you would think that we would start working hard to… Trista - October 14, 2021

Heart disease is consistently ranked as one of the leading causes of death for Americans. So, you would think that we would start working hard to protect our hearts at some point. However, that is not necessarily the case if one looks at the results of our efforts and sees that rates of heart disease remain high. Suppose you do not want to become a casualty of heart disease. In that case, you need to start thinking immediately about what you can do to protect your heart. That is, instead of believing that you can wait until you are retired and your life has slowed down and then start making heart-healthy choices. Protecting your heart has to be an intentional act that ultimately turns into a lifestyle.

You cannot guarantee that you will not fall prey to a heart attack, stroke, or another form of heart disease. However, you can dramatically decrease your risk by following some tips. You may have to change some of the habits you have been following for years. Nevertheless, the payoff will be worth the effort. Here are some eating habits that are hurting your heart, and tips to promote good health.

26. Take Care Of Your Teeth.

A significant breakthrough of modern medicine is the ongoing realization of how holistic health is. Mental health and social health both impact physical health and vice-versa. Positive self-esteem and body image lead to better, healthier choices, from getting more exercise to choosing more nutritious foods to avoid unhealthy habits such as smoking and drinking to excess. Every aspect of health has impacts that go far beyond what you may realize at the moment. And speaking of just how holistic and interconnected health is, according to Health.com, flossing can help prevent heart disease! Scientists are not entirely sure why, but there are some ideas.

One is that flossing, as part of daily dental hygiene, helps prevent bacterial build-up and inflammation in the gums. Inflammation in the gums seems to precede inflammation in just about every other aspect of your body. Inflammation, especially chronic inflammation, seems to go hand-in-hand with heart disease. Additionally, allowing bacteria to build up in your mouth can cause problems all over your body. Whatever the case may be, studies have shown that people who floss regularly actually have decreased risk of heart disease. Now that is a great reason to visit your dentist and ensure that your oral health is in peak condition!

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25. Getting Healthy Sleep Is Not Negotiable.

Do you snore at night? According to Health.com, snoring can be more than an annoying noise or inconvenience. It can actually be a sign of sleep apnea, a condition in which you stop breathing at night and wake up so that your body begins breathing again. Sleep apnea raises blood pressure, which is a risk factor for heart attack and stroke. The condition is relatively common, affecting about 18 million Americans. If you snore at night or constantly wake up feeling tired, check with your doctor at your next visit. They can easily screen you for sleep apnea and help you find treatment options.

Another problem is not getting enough sleep. Sleep is critical to heart health, but far too many people do not get nearly enough. Adults need an average of 7 to 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep each night, and some need 9 or more to function correctly. Drinking enough coffee in the morning and throughout the day may help you feel alert, but it will not make you feel rested or provide the protection for your heart that adequate sleep offers. Make sleep a priority and insist on turning in earlier each evening. If necessary, take a melatonin supplement an hour before bedtime so that you are not lying in bed wide awake.

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24. Mental Health Is Critical To Heart Health.

Today’s world is full of stressors. Many people lead hectic lives that leave little room for downtime and deliberately promote mental health. Dealing with difficult bosses and coworkers, not to mention annoying riders on the morning train or road rage on the commute to work, can lead to you starting off the day feeling agitated. And with the busy lives that define modern society, many people do not have the time to grieve and process the losses that they experience, leading to depression that can become chronic. Some agitation, sadness, and frustration may not be a problem. However, according to Health.com, is that over time, these unpleasant feelings can damage your heart health. In fact, people who internalize their anger may actually have a higher risk of heart disease.

To prioritize your heart health, you need to take some time to promote your own mental health. This may mean taking an evening a week to go out with friends and calling family members that do not live nearby. A healthy and meaningful social life can actually serve to protect your heart from problems such as high blood pressure, heart attack, and stroke! Do you live in an area where connecting with others is complicated? Look for meet-up groups that you can join or join virtual groups to communicate with people worldwide. Are you really are struggling with anger, hostility, or depression? You may want to talk to a professional who can help you work through those feelings healthily and productively. Furthermore, remember that sometimes, laughter is the best medicine! Never underestimate the power of watching a funny movie with someone you love. You can do that even if you are streaming it and watching it together from a distance.

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23. Watching TV Does Not Do Your Heart Any Favors.

Watching your favorite show to help you unwind in the evenings is one thing. However, many people spend hours at a time, day after day, watching television, an activity that is entirely sedentary. Sitting for long periods causes your blood vessels to lose their elasticity and does not give your heart the exercise needed to stay healthy. In fact, regularly being sedentary instead of active is associated with weight gain, health problems, and even premature death. In fact, according to Health.com, even if you exercise regularly, having a largely sedentary lifestyle can still increase your risk of heart disease. What’s worse is that many people mindlessly eat while watching television, causing them to rack up empty calories of bad fats, sugar, and salt.

If you regularly watch an entire television series in one day, you may need to change your habits to protect your heart better. Spend time outside, going for long walks while listening to podcasts instead of sitting and watching television. If you want to sit down and watch your favorite series all in one go, head to the gym and watch it while riding a stationary bike, using a rowing machine, or getting a workout on the treadmill. You won’t be sedentary and will be doing your heart a huge favor by getting some great exercise. Most importantly, make sure you are spending time with friends and engaging in social activities.

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22. French Fries Increase Your Risk Of Heart Disease.

If you are like many people, you enjoy getting a side of French fries whenever you go out to eat. French fries are kind of the ultimate comfort food, loaded with enough carbs and fat to leave you feeling full, satisfied, and content. The problem, according to WebMD, is that eating French fries two to three times a week is directly associated with a higher risk of heart disease. They are loaded with salt, which causes high blood pressure and dramatically raises your risk of heart attack and stroke. The grease they are fried in is loaded with unhealthy fats that increase your triglycerides, leading to high levels of heart-unhealthy lousy cholesterol. Altogether, French fries are just bad news.

If you want French fries, go for the smallest size available or split with a partner. Make sure that you don’t double up on fries and a milkshake when you go out for a burger; get either one or the other. Better yet, prepare a heart-healthy meal at home instead of going out to eat. Prepare a black-bean burger to reap the benefits of fiber and plant-based protein instead of the harmful effects of eating red meat. Make some oven-baked fries either by cutting your own potatoes or buying frozen fries. Even better, opt for sweet potato fries to get extra fiber and high nutritional content. You may find that the heart-healthy burger and fries taste better than going out to your favorite restaurant!

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21. Processed Meat Is One Of The Worst Things You Can Eat.

You may think that salami is a healthy snack, but according to WebMD, this processed meat is loaded with sodium and saturated fat. Both of these elements are horrible for your heart, and if you eat too many over a long period, you will increase your risk of heart attack or stroke. Other processed meats include hot dogs, sausage, and deli meats, such as sliced ham and sliced turkey. All of these foods are high in preservatives, which are artificial chemicals that give food a long shelf life but also contribute to chronic illness when consumed in large amounts over a long period. When you are looking at meat, especially for sandwiches or snacking, be sure to check the amount of salt so you can get an idea of how harmful it may be for your heart.

There are plenty of things you can eat other than processed meat. If you are looking for something rich in protein that you can snack on, try some almonds or other nuts. Nuts are super great for your heart, as long as you eat them in moderation. You may want to keep a container of nuts on your desk at work or in your car for whenever you get the munchies. If you have been relying on processed meats for mealtimes, look for recipes that use other sources of protein, especially plant-based protein, such as beans, lentils, and tofu. Save processed meats for occasional treats instead of eating them regularly.

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20. Doing Keto Wrong Can Wreck Your Health.

In the past few years, diet fads have changed from low carb to no carb, specifically the ketogenic diet, better known as keto. The idea behind keto is to severely restrict carbs to no more than 20 grams per day, basically what you would find by eating some vegetables: no fruits, no bread, no starches. Instead, you focus on eating many fats so that you rewire your metabolism to burn fat. One goal of keto is to improve heart health by burning fats instead of carbs. Plenty of people swear by keto, but there is a lot to be wary of. According to Eat This, Not That!, doing keto without carefully researching the diet first can wreck your heart health.

Some keto people get so caught up in the health benefits of eating fats that they forget that not all fats are created equal. In fact, some fats are very, very bad. Eating artificial fats, especially hydrogenated oils, can still wreck your heart health, whether or not you are eating carbs. Moreover, while some saturated fats are necessary for heart health, you don’t need very many, so keto does not make eating lots of red meat a good idea. Ensure that you are paying attention to the kinds of fats you are eating and focus more on nuts, fish, omega-3, and avocados.

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19. Too Much Sugar, Salt, and Fat Is Harmful.

According to WebMD, many foods that people consume regularly are very high in sugar, salt, and fat, especially processed. You may be buying a can of vegetable soup and thinking that because one serving has two servings of vegetables, you are doing your body a favor by eating healthy. Nevertheless, there are other parts of the nutrition label that you should check, especially the salt content. And you may be surprised at how much fat is added to make that supposedly “healthy” vegetable soup taste as delectable as possible. Many vegetable soups have coconut cream added, which is fine in small quantities, but you have to pay attention to how much you are eating because it is very high in fat.

What may surprise you is how much sugar they add to these foods. Look at the label of your favorite bread. You may be surprised to find that it is sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup. Salad dressing tends to be high in sugar, in addition to fat and salt, even flavors that you may not think of as sweet. Junk food tends to be high in all three. Potato chips are loaded with salt and fat, and cookies are loaded with sugar and fat. Don’t think you can cheat by eating sugar-free cookies because sugar substitutes are often far worse than sugar. If you want to protect your heart, you need to cut out a lot of the sugar, salt, and fat in your diet.

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18. Bacon Boosts Your Risk of Heart Attack.

Some people think that because bacon is meat, it is healthy. Nothing could be further from the truth. First, there is the problem that meat is generally healthy because research has been showing that lowering your meat consumption and possibly going vegetarian or even vegan can have tremendous health benefits. Moreover, if we talk about bacon, in particular, WebMD assures readers that it is not at all healthy. Bacon is high in saturated fat — so high that half of the calories in bacon are straight-up saturated fat. Saturated fat increases your risk of blood clots, heart attack, and stroke, so lowering your intake is critical to boosting your heart health.

Additionally, bacon is very high in salt, which also contributes to heart disease. A high salt intake raises your blood pressure, meaning that your heart has to work harder to do its job. High blood pressure also significantly increases your risk of having a stroke. You may think that eating turkey bacon is better than pork bacon, and you are right that it is better… slightly. Turkey bacon has much less fat than pork bacon, but it is still very high in salt. Your best bet is to consider bacon an occasional treat rather than a regular part of your diet. Don’t eat bacon more than once a week, and preferably no more than once a month.

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17. Eating Too Many Sweets Damages Your Heart.

There are so many harmful effects of sugar on your health that listing them all is simply impossible. Many people know that too much sugar causes type-two diabetes, which causes you to monitor your blood sugar and take insulin regularly. People do not always realize that the health effects of diabetes go far beyond the inconvenience of having to monitor glucose and insulin levels. Uncontrolled diabetes can lead to neuropathy, or pain in the feet, and even amputation. It can also cause eye problems, such as glaucoma, in addition to chronic heart problems. If not carefully managed, diabetes will increase your risk for heart attack and stroke.

Sugar also wrecks your hormone levels and can lead to problems such as metabolic syndrome. Plus, some people insist that overeating sugar causes breakouts. You do not have to cut out all sugar entirely; after all, eating should be something you enjoy, and everyone needs a treat once in a while. Nevertheless, according to Eat This, Not That!, you probably need to reduce how much you are eating. Go for half-portions of desserts by sharing with your partner, especially when you go out to eat, and the desserts are jumbo-sized. Get out of the habit of having a dessert after every meal and turn sweets into treats rather than their own food group.

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16. Reduce The White Foods On Your Plate.

White bread may taste better, and your kids may like white rice better than brown rice, but white grains are terrible for your heart. According to WebMD, they have been stripped of almost all their nutrient content, including heart-healthy vitamins, minerals, oils, and fiber. What remains is a plain, simple carb processed by your body much the same way as sugar. The result is elevated blood sugar, which contributes to type-two diabetes and a build-up of body fat, especially in the abdomen. These things all contribute to a higher risk for heart disease, including high blood pressure, heart attack, and stroke.

Instead, look for whole grains that have not had their heart-healthy nutrients stripped from them. Eat whole-grain or multigrain bread instead of white bread to get a higher level of fiber, vitamins, and minerals without the crash that comes from white grains. Eat oatmeal for breakfast instead of white toast, and add in berries or other fruit for added nutritional and heart-healthy benefits. You may find that you like the texture of brown rice over white rice, and you will enjoy reaping the nutritional content of brown rice. Aim for at least half of the grains that you eat to be from whole grains. Look for the label to say “100% Whole Grain.”

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15. Pizza Has Tons Of Heart-Damaging Salt.

For many people, pizza is the ultimate comfort food. You get the carbs in the crust, lots of cheese and can customize the toppings to be whatever you want them to be. However, according to WebMD, pizza has a lot of salt, which causes a plethora of problems with your heart. It also has high levels of saturated fat, especially if you top it with processed meats like pepperoni and sausage. Takeout pizza and frozen pizza are the worst culprits. Just check the nutritional content for your favorite pizza, especially the sodium and saturated fat. You may no longer be tempted to order a pizza when you need a quick meal.

The best option for pizza is to make it yourself. You can get a crust that is made from cauliflower from the frozen section of your grocery store. A cauliflower crust has more nutrients and far fewer carbs — no white carbs — than a traditional pizza crust. If cauliflower crust is not your thing, opt for a whole-grain crust. Add some tomato sauce (add lots of herbs and spices to get extra health benefits without salt) and cheese, and then load up on your favorite veggies! Even if you are not a fan of vegetable pizza, you may be surprised to find that you enjoy the vegetable pizza that you make yourself. Alternatively, you could have just a plain cheese pizza and enjoy a side salad to get an extra dose of fiber and nutrients.

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14. You Probably Need More Fiber.

There are many benefits to eating fiber, yet far too many people do not get nearly enough. Fiber is like a broom for your insides to sweep out all the toxins that can build up, and getting rid of those toxins is necessary to keep your heart healthy. Plus, fiber slows down the absorption of sugar into your bloodstream — something pretty crucial if you want to prevent getting type-two diabetes. Plus, foods that are higher in fiber tend to be less artificial and much healthier. After all, if you compare the fiber content in a bag of chips to the fiber content in an apple or orange, the fruit comes out way on top.

According to Eat This, Not That!, fiber acts like a detox agent critical to heart health. Plus, it works as a prebiotic that helps improve your microbiome, which is vital to overall health. If you want to increase your fiber intake, adding more fresh produce to your diet is the best way. Swap out sugar-laden cereal bars and granola bars and instead have a banana, pear, or mango. Get a salad instead of a sandwich, and when you get a sandwich, use whole-wheat or multigrain bread instead of white bread. When you go for a pasta dish, make sure that it has vegetables added to it. Likewise, if you get a pizza, get vegetable toppings instead of triple meat.

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13. Restrict Your Alcohol Intake.

Being a light drinker is not necessarily a problem, and light drinking generally means that you have one drink or less per week. Having a glass of red wine can provide heart-healthy benefits — but no more than one glass. According to WebMD, though, alcohol consumption is associated with higher triglycerides. Triglycerides are the fats in your bloodstream, which can significantly increase your risk of heart attack, stroke, high blood pressure, and other forms of heart disease. Excessive drinking, or drinking to get drunk, is a risk factor for heart disease, as well as weight gain. Keep in mind that even though alcohol is not very sweet, it has very high sugar content.

Nowadays, there are quite a few drinks on the market that work as great alcohol alternatives. Plan with a bubbly, alcohol-free alternative if you intend to enjoy a night with friends and anticipate that drinking will be involved. You may be concerned that your friends will think you are a buzzkill, but many people will — at least secretly — applaud your efforts to reduce your alcohol consumption to promote your health. And who knows? You may find that you enjoy an alternative better than alcohol. If you are not yet a drinker, WebMD advises that you not begin.

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12. Reduce Your Consumption of Red Meat.

Many people mistakenly believe that because red meat is high in protein and iron, it is healthy. However, according to WebMD, red meat is very high in saturated fat, which raises your levels of bad cholesterol, which is terrible for your heart. Remember that red meat is not limited to beef; it includes lamb and pork (even though advertisers try to market pork as white meat). You may think that lamb is healthy because it is high in some nutrients, but altogether, it is red meat and not suitable for your heart. Its adverse effects on your health are much more than any benefit, and then there is the horrendous environmental impact of raising the animals to produce red meat.

Limit your consumption of red meat and look for other sources of protein instead. Opt for fish, turkey, and chicken instead of a hamburger or steak. If you really want to do your heart a favor, start looking at plant-based protein sources, such as tofu, lentils, and beans. These plant-based proteins are not only extremely low in saturated fat, but they are also high in heart-healthy fiber, as well as vitamins and minerals. Instead of making beef chili, look for recipes that use ground turkey or even beans instead of meat. You may start noticing immediately that you feel a lot healthier because you have less inflammation in your body and improved circulation from reduced saturated fat.

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11. Swap Out Butter For Something Healthier.

Nothing completes a plate of pancakes like a dab of real butter smothered on, but according to WebMD, butter is high in saturated fats and can raise your triglyceride levels over time. WebMD recommends that you replace butter with something that has beneficial fats, such as olive oil-based spreads. However, be wary of margarine and other butter alternatives without doing your research first. Like sugar alternatives that can actually be worse than eating plain sugar, butter alternatives can be even more harmful than butter itself. Look for spreads that are high in monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats. Spreads made with olive oil, and do not have other oils as fillers, will probably be better for your heart than butter or margarine.

Another fix is to reduce the amount of butter that you are using. Try peanut butter on your toast (or even pancakes and waffles!) for heart-healthy fats and some extra protein. If you like to sauté your vegetables in butter, try steaming them instead to eliminate the fat content and reduce the calories overall. The exception is if you are on keto — but make sure that you do your research first. The worst mistake you can make on keto is replacing carbs with bad fats, especially saturated fats and trans fats. Make sure that you are eating good fats, such as olive oil and avocados.

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10. Be Mindful About Your Eating.

According to Eat This, Not That!, many people are mindless about eating. Like many people, you are probably guilty of sitting down with some food and munching while binging on Netflix or Disney Plus. Next thing you know, the whole bag of potato chips or the entire tub of ice cream has been demolished, and you hardly even remember eating it. This kind of mindless eating is terrible for your health, in no small part because the foods that people tend to binge on are loaded with artificial fats, preservatives, sugar, and salt. Because mindless eating happens while watching television, a sedentary activity, there is a double whammy for weight gain.

There are things you can do to mitigate the harmful effects of mindless eating. One is to make a habit of not eating while watching television; instead, try to eat with other people and have an enjoyable conversation as part of your meal. Set some reasonable limits whenever you need to take some time to de-stress by eating and binging on your favorite series. Set a timer so that you do not watch for longer than two hours at a time, and then get up and move around. Instead of sitting down with a bag of chips and a soda, or a tub of ice cream, make a fruit salad out of your favorite fruits and maybe some chopped nuts. Alternatively, try chips made from beans instead of flour to get more fiber instead of straight carbs and hydrogenated oils.

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9. Sweetened Yogurt Can Be Similar To Ice Cream.

Companies tend to market yogurt as a healthy product, and sometimes, it is. Plain, unsweetened yogurt with live cultures is full of helpful bacteria that benefit your gut. These beneficial bacteria feed your microbiome, leading to better colon health and, consequently, a healthier heart! According to WebMD, eating this kind of yogurt can lower your blood pressure, reduce inflammation throughout your body, and decrease your risk of heart disease. Look especially for low-fat varieties. Low-fat or non-fat Greek yogurt, in particular, has been filtered to contain high levels of protein to help you stay full, energized, and focused.

Don’t fool yourself into believing that eating yogurt is always a healthy option! The problem is that many varieties of yogurt are loaded with sugar, so much sugar that you might as well be eating ice cream. Pre-packaged yogurt that has been sweetened usually does not have the live cultures that benefit your gut and heart. Opt for the plain version, which generally comes in larger containers, or learn to make your own. If you have an Instant Pot, you can make yogurt for much cheaper than buying it. Flavor it yourself with fresh fruit, vanilla, cinnamon, and a little bit of honey or sugar to make your snack a healthy one for your heart.

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8. Ditch The Fried Chicken.

Chicken on its own can be a healthy source of lean protein. It is much more beneficial than red meat, which tends to be loaded with antibiotics and causes inflammation that raises your risk of heart disease. Plus, red meat is full of saturated fat, unlike chicken and other forms of poultry. But according to WebMD, you can negate all of the health benefits of chicken by deep-frying it. Frying chicken adds unnecessary fats and not good heart-healthy fats, either. One effect is elevated triglycerides, which harm your heart health. The added calories can quickly lead to weight gain, increasing your risk of heart disease, especially when that extra fat is in your abdominal area.

Suppose you want your chicken to be crispy. Try breading it and then baking it. Alternatively, you can start trying baked chicken, which can get a nice, crispy skin and be used in many different recipes. Many restaurants now offer grilled or roasted chicken strips instead of fried ones if you are going out to eat. If your kids (or you!) enjoy eating chicken nuggets or chicken strips, make sure you bake them in the oven instead of frying them. You will enjoy eating crispy chicken, but with the lean protein your heart needs and without the adverse health effects of deep-frying.

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7. Canned Soup Is Less Healthy Than It Sounds.

Opening a vegetable soup can may seem like a quick and easy way to get some extra vegetables, especially at the end of a long day when you need some extra vitamins and minerals. However, according to WebMD, canned soup tends to be very high in sodium, which wreaks havoc on your cardiovascular system. Your worst option is cream of something soup, be it a healthy-sounding cream of mushroom or cream of celery, or cream of chicken. Creamed soups are exceptionally high in heart-unhealthy saturated fat, in addition to sodium. Many people use creamed soups to make casseroles, such as green bean casserole and tuna casserole, adding in these health-busting ingredients.

Instead, look at recipes for making your own soup. Homemade soup can be exceptionally healthy, especially when full of vegetables, herbs, and spices. Preparing is not nearly as difficult as you may think, especially if you have a slow cooker or pressure cooker. Many recipes allow you to add all of the ingredients into a slow cooker before you leave for the day, so you have smooth and healthy soup whenever you get home in the evening. Other recipes take 30 minutes or less in the Instant Pot. If you have a hectic schedule that makes preparing soup sound like way too much of a time investment, take a few hours a week to do some meal prep.

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6. Soda Wreaks Havoc On Your Heart.

If you are a soda drinker and want to improve your heart health, you need to eliminate the soda from your diet immediately. Soda is incredibly high in sugar, which damages every single aspect of your health, including your heart health. According to WebMD, one can of soda has more sugar than you should consume in an entire day! Moreover, because that sugar is all in liquid calories, you will not feel full at all no matter how much you drink. Not only can doctors link soda to higher rates of obesity and type-two diabetes, but they connect it to heart disease and stroke. Soda is bad news all around.

Juice is better than soda, but not much. Juice is still very high in sugar, and the process of juicing eliminates the fiber that is in the whole fruit. A much better option is vegetable juice that may have some fruit added for flavor because vegetable juice has far less sugar and is much richer in nutrients (as long as it has not been overly processed; cold-pressed is best). If you are craving fizziness, add some carbonated water to juice. You could also try drinking kombucha, which has the fizziness of a soda but also has many health benefits that soda could never even dream of providing. Another great option is smoothies, but be careful not to order smoothies from restaurants, which tend to be loaded with sugar and lack fresh fruit. Make your own smoothies at home, and do not add any sugar.

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5. You Probably Need More Protective Foods.

Most people need to eat fewer harmful foods that are absolute bombs to wreck not only heart health but every other aspect of health. Fewer chips, less ice cream, less soda. However, what about foods that are actually beneficial for your heart? According to Eat This, Not That!, there are plenty of foods that help to protect your heart. These foods are rich in antioxidants, which neutralize the free radicals wreaking havoc throughout your body. They are full of heart-healthy fats, like omega-3 and replete with heart-healthy fiber. And best of all, if you prepare them well, they are delicious!

Things like salmon, avocados, berries, and nuts are great for protecting your heart. Nevertheless, are you too busy to incorporate these heart-healthy foods into your regular diet? Have some bean chips with guacamole for a high dose of fiber and the healthy fats in avocados. Grill some salmon instead of throwing a beefsteak on the grill and filling your body with inflammatory-producing red meat. Make a smoothie with berries and almond milk and pair it with a slice of high-fiber toast (not from white bread), topped with peanut butter instead of butter or sugar-rich Nutella. Get a brown rice bowl with lots of veggies instead of a panini if you order lunch at work. And on your day off, take an hour to prepare a grocery list that includes these heart-healthy foods and then another hour to do some meal prep with them.

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4. Baked Goods Can Be Heart-Health Nightmares.

Cakes, cookies, pastries, and other baked goods can be the ultimate comfort foods, but they can absolutely devastate your heart health. According to WebMD, they tend to be high in saturated fats and sugar, and their primary ingredient is often white flour. White flour is basically processed by your body much the same way as sugar, leading to energy spikes and then crashes; plus, you feel hungry very soon afterward. Going to a bakery on a Saturday morning can be tempting, but if you want to improve your heart health, you may want to swap that habit out for healthier ones.

A better option than going to the bakery or buying a box of baked goods from the grocery store is to make them yourself. You will be able to see every ingredient that goes into your treats to get a good idea of how healthy or harmful the final product will be. The best part is looking for recipes that use healthy ingredients, such as ground flaxseed or oatmeal instead of flour. Muffins tend to be awful when you buy them from the store, but baking muffins is a great way to add in many superfoods! Plus, your whole house will smell like a bakery with all the freshly baked goods you prepare! Make sure that you do not over-indulge by eating too many in one sitting.

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3. Ranch Dressing Is Full Of Fat, Sugar, And Salt.

Many people think ranch dressing is an innocuous way to eat more vegetables because it makes such a great dip. But according to WebMD, the reality is that ranch dressing is made with lots of buttermilk — which is very high in saturated fat — sugar, and salt. All of these ingredients can devastate your heart health, especially when consumed in large quantities over a long period. In other words, eating your vegetables with ranch regularly can harm your health rather than help it. Moreover, many people don’t only eat ranch with vegetables. They also use it to dip French fries, bread, even pizza! These food combinations are a heart-health nightmare that is bound to increase your risk of heart disease.

Some people may think that low-fat ranch dressing is a better option, but low-fat options tend to have even higher amounts of fat and sugar to compensate. A much better option is to look for recipes for making your own ranch dressing using low-fat sour cream or cottage cheese and fresh herbs. Herbs such as parsley, dill, chives, and cilantro will work to protect your heart; eating homemade ranch dip with your favorite vegetables will undoubtedly make a much healthier snack. Furthermore, instead of slathering sandwiches with ranch, try heart-healthy options such as smashed avocado (or even guacamole!) or hummus.

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2. Ice Cream Should Be An Occasional Treat.

Few things are more refreshing than a nice bowl or cone of ice cream, but few things can cause as many problems for your heart. According to WebMD, ice cream is loaded with sugar and saturated fat. As a result, you have elevated blood sugar and triglycerides, leading to high blood pressure. In turn, you are increasing your risk of heart disease. Plus, a serving of ice cream is just one-half of a cup, but many people indulge by eating an entire pint or more in just one sitting. By the time you add in the toppings, you are looking at an absolute health nightmare.

There are alternatives to eating ice cream, such as sorbet, which is basically a fruit that has been frozen to have a creamy consistency. Frozen fruit bars can be a healthy option. However, check the label to see if there is extra sugar, and to make sure it has real, whole fruit. A cheaper (and tastier!) alternative would be to make your own. You can also swap out ice cream for frozen yogurt, which has much less fat. Instead of topping it with sugary toppings, top it with fresh fruit. The fiber will help slow the absorption of sugar into your bloodstream so that you will not have a spike and then crash.

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1. You Might Be Eating Too Many Calories.

The nutrition information on pretty much all food labels is based on 2000 calories a day. However, the fact is, most people do not need nearly that many calories. Many foods that people consume are very high in calories. You can quickly go to a restaurant and put down 2000 calories in just one meal! The problem is that those extra calories have to go somewhere. So, you end up storing them as fat. That excess fat leads to elevated triglycerides, cholesterol, and blood sugar, all of which are horrible for your heart. Plus, when the fat is stored in your abdomen, your heart has to work extra hard to do its job. You probably need to reduce the amount of junk food you eat, which has very little nutrition for the high amount of calories. And you probably need also to reduce the meals you eat at restaurants, even the so-called “healthy” meals, such as grilled sandwiches. They are super high in calories.

But according to Eat This, Not That!, you can overeat on healthy foods, such as salmon, quinoa, and fruit. How? By eating more calories than you are burning, causing those extra calories to turn into body fat, triglycerides, and excessive blood sugar. Stick with a standard serving size and make sure you eat plenty of fiber to help you feel full. You may want to take one week to count your calories to know just how many you are consuming. What may surprise you is how many calories are in the things that you add, such as the dressing you use to marinate salmon or the sauce that you use on your favorite sandwich.

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