February is American Heart Month, a perfect time to learn more about how weight affects your heart.
Our team at HealthStone Primary Care Partners in Weston, Pembroke Pines, and Davie, Florida, excels at managing chronic diseases. But we aim to prevent conditions like diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease whenever possible.
Whether you carry excess pounds or struggle to gain weight, understanding the risks and taking proactive steps can make a significant difference. Read more from our team about how weight extremes can endanger your heart and how to maintain balance.
Excess weight, particularly when it accumulates as fat around the abdomen, significantly strains your heart and blood vessels. Here are some of the ways that being overweight affects cardiovascular health:
Excess pounds force your heart to work harder to pump blood, raising blood pressure. Poorly controlled high blood pressure (hypertension) increases your risk of heart attacks and strokes.
Excess weight can increase LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and lower HDL (“good”) cholesterol. This imbalance increases the likelihood of plaque buildup in your arteries, leading to atherosclerosis.
An unhealthy diet and excess weight increase your risk of Type 2 diabetes, which raises the risk of heart disease.
Over time, the strain of supporting a heavier body can enlarge your heart and weaken its ability to function effectively, resulting in conditions like heart failure.
While being overweight gets most of our attention, being underweight can also harm your heart.
A low body mass index (BMI) can signal a lack of essential nutrients, which can impair cardiovascular health in the following ways:
Being underweight often indicates insufficient intake of key nutrients, such as iron, vitamins, and protein. These deficiencies can weaken the heart muscle, making it less effective at pumping blood.
A poorly balanced diet that lacks healthy nutrients can compromise your immune system, increasing susceptibility to infections and other problems that indirectly strain the heart.
Severe underweight conditions can disrupt electrolyte balance in the body, leading to an irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia) that may become life-threatening.
Although not directly related to the heart, weakened bones related to osteoporosis and frequent falls can lead to fractures and prolonged immobility. That increases the risk of cardiovascular complications like blood clots.
Finding and maintaining a healthy weight is key to supporting heart health. Here are some actionable steps:
Schedule a visit at HealthStone Primary Care Partners if you’re underweight or overweight. We can help identify underlying causes and create a personalized improvement plan.
Focus on nutrient-dense foods, including lean proteins, whole grains, healthy fats, fruits, and vegetables. Avoid highly processed and sugary foods.
The American Heart Association encourages individuals to try a Mediterranean-style eating plan. A registered dietician can help plan satisfying, tasty, heart-healthy menus.
Give your heart and circulatory system a satisfying workout with 150 minutes of aerobic exercise weekly. Strength training helps maintain muscle mass and metabolism. Round out your exercise routine with stretching to help maintain flexibility.
Chronic stress often leads to unhealthy eating habits and directly impacts heart health. Incorporate stress-relief techniques such as mindfulness, yoga, or deep breathing into your routine.
Make sleep a priority since less than 7-9 hours of restful sleep most nights increases your risk of weight gain, Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease.
Schedule a visit at HealthStone Primary Care Partners today for more information about protecting your heart and overall health.
