We are paying closer attention to our health than ever before in life, but that doesn’t mean that we are necessarily thinking about every facet of our health possible. For example, many people don’t consider the way that their heart is behaving right now, nor do they consider whether or not their heart is healthy.
When was the last time you had a checkup with your cardiologist or your dentist for that matter? Your heart is a vital part of your body, and if you’re not looking after it correctly you’re going to find that it’s going to be in more trouble - far more than you think. With this in mind, we need to think about the warning signs that our hearts are giving us to tell us that something is wrong. Let’s take a look.
- You have a toothache. Believe it or not, a toothache doesn’t always require a trip to the dentist – sometimes it can be a signal of heart disease. The bacteria can enter the bloodstream through the same tissues in your gums and they can settle on your heart valves. This creates something called bacterial plaque. This plaque leads to heart disease, strokes, and heart attacks. But if you speak to your dentist and you see them regularly, you can keep your oral health in good shape.
- You’re coughing white or pink mucus instead of clear mucus. Did you know that this could be a sign your heart is unhealthy? A cough that lasts for a long time and produces strange colored mucus could be the result of a failing heart. The white or pink color can be the result of blood that’s leaking into the lungs which are not where they should be. It doesn’t necessarily mean your heart is going to stop or is about to stop working, that would be called cardiac arrest. It just means that the heart is not pumping the way that it should, and that’s putting you in danger
- Your extremities are swelling up. Swelling in the limbs is called oedema, and this signals something amiss in your cardiovascular system. It’s a sign of the blood not being pumped through the body properly, I’m in the butt but it’s not being pumped properly it will collect in the areas that are furthest away from the heart. If you find any part of your body is expectedly or constantly swollen, then you need to go and speak to your doctor and they will be able to run tests to ascertain why
- Your legs are less hairy. Well, this can feel like a blessing as you no longer have to shave them, it can prove that you have an underlying heart condition. You need specific nutrients necessary for hair growth, and these are distributed by the blood. If the nutrients don’t reach the hair or if the hair doesn’t get enough oxygen, they are going to fall off. You’ll notice a symptom in your lower legs first, speak to your doctor