Heart health is something that almost everyone is concerned with as they age. In the United States, the number one killer of people is heart disease.
Heart disease is the gradual erosion of the heart over time, ultimately resulting in death. Many people track the typical markers of heart disease like high blood pressure and cholesterol and assume they are fine these markers are in place.
However, there are unexpected factors in heart health that many people do not realize can be indicative of future heart disease.
By knowing these lessor known factors, people can reduce their risk of heart health issues.
Tooth Decay
For tooth decay to occur there needs to be two ingredients, sugar and bacteria. It just so happens that these two ingredients are also a risk factor in heart health that many people over look.
If you are a relatively healthy adult and everything seems fine except for your teeth, there might be more under the surface that needs to be examined in regards to heart health.
Frequent Urination
One of the most common signs of insulin resistance is having to go to the bathroom several times an hour due to the blood sugar spikes and drops.
This inflammation in the body also affects the heart, and if you are exhibiting one of the signs of insulin resistance it would be a good idea to look further into the heart health of your body.
Although frequent urination is not the cause of heart disease, it can in fact be an associated symptom that should not be overlooked in any case.
Shortness of Breath
One of the best signs that someone is in great shape is a very low resting heart rate.
Some of the best athletes in the world have the lowest resting heart rates. When someone has a high resting heart rate, they tend to get out of breath quickly.
If you or someone you know shows the symptom of shortness of breath there could also be heart damage under the surface.
By taking long walks or exercising people can gradually lower their resting heart rate while increasing their capacity for activity.
Final Thoughts
Overall, heart health is something that many people spend a lot of time and money trying to monitor.
Although the typical heart health signs are a great thing to monitor, there are also more subtle signs that something is wrong with your heart. For example tooth decay and shortness of breath are not necessarily causes of heart damage, but they can be associated symptoms that can result in heart disease.
These uncommon symptoms and unexpected factors in heart health are important to monitor especially as a person ages and heart disease is more common.