Our heart health is important, but what most people don't understand is why. Why is it so important to take these steps and maintain a healthy heart in the first place? Here are three reasons a heart doctor advises that you should be prioritizing your heart health today. Let's take a look for more information!

1. Lowering Your Blood Pressure

An unhealthy heart must work extra hard to perform its normal function. This results in high blood pressure. Blood pressure is the pressure of blood pushing against the walls of your arteries. The arteries carry blood to your heart and other parts of your body. When blood pressure is too high or too low, it can create a host of health problems in other parts of your body. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle and taking steps for heart health will keep blood pressure balanced and stable. This reduces your risk for hypertension and heart failure.

2. Preventing High Blood Sugar

You might not realize it, but your heart health can also affect your blood sugar levels. The steps that lead to a healthy heart also lead to healthy blood sugar. Exercising regularly, limiting the amount of added sugar you consume, and eating a diet rich in veggies and lean meat all contribute to heart health and stabilize blood sugar. Heart disease and diabetes are two prevalent health conditions in America that can reduce your lifespan and destroy your quality of life as well.

3. Reducing the Risk of Heart Attack

According to the CDC, someone has a heart attack every 40 seconds in the U.S. The most significant reason you should protect your heart health is so that you can prevent heart attacks. In order to keep operating properly, the heart is supposed to get a certain amount of blood every minute. However, when we damage our heart health through poor eating and lack of exercise, we are more at risk for plaque build-up within our arteries. This will then reduce the flow of blood through our heart and system. When the heart and other organs aren't receiving the right amount of blood, health declines and the risk of heart attack increases.

There are many medications on the market that can help prevent heart attacks and lower cholesterol, but if you aren't taking the common sense steps to help keep your heart healthy, these medications can't do enough to prevent a heart attack.

These are just a few of the reasons why you should prioritize your heart health today. If you'd like to learn more or you need to schedule an appointment with a heart doctor, please contact us today at Advanced Heart And Vascular Center of New Mexico.