You may be contributing to heart damage and not even know it.

For example, hes seen people adhering to a low cholesterol diet avoid healthy fats, an important macronutrient.

Then, they may eat too many carbohydrates.

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Going from one extreme to another really doesnt help, Edmundowicz said.

For people experiencing both social isolation and loneliness, the risk for heart disease grows to 27%.

Social isolation is a biggie, and it does contribute to poor heart health, Edmundowicz said.

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According to Tadwalkar, its very easy for bacteria in the mouth to travel to the blood.

Recentresearchalso found that regularly having your teeth cleaned is linked to better heart health outcomes.

Good oral hygiene is important.

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Certain Medications And Supplements

Some medications have been found to trigger cardiovascular issues.

Tadwalkar stressed that this doesnt mean that everyone needs to be concerned about their medications.

Your physician should take your heart health history into consideration while figuring out the right dosage for you.

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Supplements can also impact the heart, especially among people taking vitamins and herbal supplements they dont actually need.

Supplements can interact with prescribed medications and also have destructive effects on the heart, according to Tadwalkar.

He recommends talking to a physician about supplements to determine if they may have cardiovascular effects.

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In general, the blacker the coffee, the healthier it is for the body.

Chronic stresscan also increase the risk of blood clotting throughout the body.

If a clot forms in an artery thats already narrow, it can cause a heart attack.

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Triggers of stress are all around us, and it can be hard to escape.

Its not just about the quantity of sleep, but the quality, too.

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