AS adults we may develop bad eating habits and lifestyle practices that are bad for our hearts, however, once you’re breathing it’s never too late to turn around and start afresh.

According to Dr Alfred Dawes, general laparoscopic and bariatric surgeon, making small changes in your lifestyle habits can improve the health of your heart. Dr Dawes suggested doing the following:

1. Lose the excess fat

A recent study showed that weight loss surgery resulted in lower levels of cardiac enzymes in the blood. “These cardiac enzymes are used to check for heart attacks and indicate damage to the heart muscle. It follows that if you are obese then there is ongoing trauma to the heart that can be lessened if you lose weight,” Dr Dawes said. He added that for every pound of fat, your heart has to pump blood through an extra seven miles of blood vessels and that is a lot of stress on an organ that gets no break. This can explain the damage that may not be evident until it is too late.

2. Use alcohol in moderation

“Alcohol in moderation is heart healthy. Increasing the amount of alcohol consumed has a negative impact on your heart and your body in general. Stick to a glass of wine or about a half a glass of beer a day at most,” he said. ­­­

3. Cut down on the salt

Blacks in the west — the descendants of slaves — are predisposed to high blood pressure because of the genetic tendency to retain salt. “Too much salt in the body retains water and this in turns raises your blood pressure. The heart has to pump blood to overcome high blood pressure. This pressure on the heart causes the heart muscle to thicken and get damaged over time, leading to heart failure,” Dr Dawes pointed out.

4. Quit smoking

Smoking is one of the main risk factors for heart disease. “It leads to inflammation in the body and causes blockage of the blood vessels resulting in heart attacks. Quitting smoking reduces your risk of heart attacks by 50 per cent in one year,” he said.

5. Cut the bad fat

“Saturated fat and cholesterol cause the development of plaque in the blood vessels. This plaque can rupture leading to clots that block the passage of blood to the areas they supply. If this happens in the heart the muscle is starved of oxygen resulting in angina or a heart attack.”

6. Exercise

The benefits of exercise are tremendous. “Even a moderate amount of exercise per week has lasting benefits on the heart. Exercise can actually reverse the ageing of the blood vessels and remove plaque built up over years. The weight loss and stress-relieving effects of exercise also reduce the workload on the heart and decreases the risk of a heart attack,” Dr Dawes said.

7. Eat a balanced diet

A diet rich in fruits and vegetables and low in simple carbohydrates has a positive impact on the health of the heart and the body in general.