Unhealthy Heart Health Habits

Janet O'Mahony, M.D., a primary care doctor and a member of Mercy Personal Physicians Downtown in Baltimore, Maryland, fielded questions from the women's wellness site, SHEfinds, regarding the habits people need to break if they're going to maintain a healthy heart and good health. Her responses are below.

1. Smoking. The worst thing you can do for heart health is to smoke. Smoking increases the risk of heart attack and stroke. But even if it didn't, there is also lung disease and cancer to think about. Smoking is definitely a habit to break if you want a healthy heart.

2. Avoid sitting. We are spending too much time in front of screens which keeps us from moving as much as we should. Regular exercise is really important for heart health and American Heart Association guidelines recommend 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise per week. In addition, just moving more throughout the day by standing up and walking around can help. Try to modify your workstation for standing or set a timer to get up every hour to avoid sitting too much.

3. Poor eating. Everyone is trying to sell you a diet fad like low carb, low fat or intermittent fasting but the only diet shown to improve heart health is the Mediterranean diet. This diet is high in fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds. Fish is added at least twice a week and olive oil is the predominant fat used in this diet. Cheese and yogurt is consumed daily and red meat is limited. This diet also includes fruit for dessert and limits sugary sweets.

4. Gaining weight. There is some natural increase in weight as we age but we are getting heavier even at younger ages. People who maintain a healthy weight have lower rates of heart disease.

5. Skipping doctor visits or medications. You should be screened for heart disease risk factors by your doctor by age 40. This includes tests for obesity, blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol. If you have these risk factors, treating them with medication lowers the risk for complications like heart attack and stroke. It is really important to take your prescribed medications. Taking medications does not mean you can stop eating right, exercising and maintaining a good weight. The medications lower risk in addition to taking proper care of yourself.

Dr. Janet O'Mahony is an advocate for patient health and regularly contributes advice and feedback to media outlets, online resources and publications. She has been featured by Woman's Day Magazine, Catholic Review and The Baltimore Sun on subjects including women's health, heart disease, flu vaccine and sleeplessness. Board Certified in Internal Medicine, Dr. O'Mahony received her medical degree from University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore. She completed her Internship at Baltimore VA Medical Center and Residency at Mercy Medical Center.