7 Common Habits That Are Damaging Your Heart

Smoking—And Not Just Cigarettes

According to Penn Medicine, smoking is one of the biggest risk factors for heart disease, responsible for almost one-third of heart disease related deaths. "Every time you inhale a cigarette, you're putting over 5,000 chemicals into your body—many of which are harmful to your health. One of these chemicals is carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide decreases the amount of oxygen in your red blood cells, which damages your heart. It also increases the amount of cholesterol in your arteries—another risk factor for heart disease," they write. And no, vaping isn't a healthy alternative.