Whats Bad For Your Heart(Non Smokers, cause duh)

You sit way too much
Prolonged sitting is now firmly associated with heart disease and premature aging of arteries. Basically, sitting is smoking. In a study using heart CT scans and physical activity records of more than 2,000 adults, each hour of sitting per day was associated with a 14% increase in coronary artery calcification. Coronary calcification is a sign of damaged heart arteries, and can increase the risk of a heart attack. Standing desks, apps, and timers are all necessary tools in today's sedentary society.


You don't get quality sleep
Sleep is restorative, and your pillow is the best anti-aging pill. In a study of people sleeping poorly and getting less than six hours a night, compared to those sleeping soundly for seven hours, the risk of coronary heart disease (clogged arteries) was 79% higher! Get the highest-quality shut-eye possible by using mindfulness meditation, smartphone apps, or myriad other drug-free techniques.


You don't work on spinal flexibility
Yoga offers many benefits, but one of the most powerful is spinal flexibility. Unknown to most are studies suggesting that flexibility of the spine correlates to flexibility of important arteries in the body. In other words, spinal flexibility is one sign of a healthy heart.

My favorite practice for the spine is performing the five Tibetans, akin to a yoga sequence, and which you can learn online through many free video demonstrations.


You're not sweating
Heavy metals like mercury and lead are particularly damaging to the heart and arteries, and unfortunately you may be ingesting them without realizing it. A practice of sweating -- like regular exercise or hanging out in an infrared sauna -- can help eliminate them efficiently, according to many research studies.


You don't have enough sex
Unless you lie perfectly still, most sexual encounters raise the heart rate and blood pressure significantly. Fortunately, studies show that the more frequently you have sex, the lower the risk of heart events. Get busy.


You drink too many sugary beverages
In a massive study of more than 300,000 subjects, more sugary drinks are associated with more strokes and heart attacks. This kind of association study doesn't necessarily prove that your soda habit is killing your heart -- it might be the cigarette and donut you have with it -- but ditch the ? drinks and their friends for your health.


You drink diet soda instead of sugary beverages
Unfortunately, the sugar-free "diet" options aren't much better than their sugar-filled counterparts. Diet drinks probably won't help you lose weight, and they could also do damage to your heart: A study shows that women who drink two or more diet sodas a day have a major increase in heart disease and deaths. Water, unsweetened tea, green juice, and black coffee should be on your list.


You skip medical checkups and don't get advanced lab work
You may be young and "invincible" now, but not even a healthy lifestyle can make you totally immune to heart disease. While lifestyle factors like diet, smoking, and exercise play the biggest roles in heart health, there are genetic factors that are an important minority


You ignore stress
Stress has been linked to heart disease for decades, and the constant connectivity of today's technological landscape hasn't made life more relaxing. Twenty-four/seven isn't just an empty promise -- it's a way of life for many young people.


You eat bacon, hot dogs, and pepperoni
The last year or so has been a rough one for processed red meats. The World Health Organization announced definitive data that processed foods like bacon and sausage cause colorectal cancer, but we already knew that these foods were associated with a spike in heart disease and heart attacks. Bypass the bacon before you need a surgical bypass of your heart.