Plenty of resources that enumerate alcohol abuse facts are one in saying that there is a correlation between alcohol abuse and heart disease.

Heart disease or cardiovascular disease (CVD), which is the leading cause of death in many countries including the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, is caused by our daily habits of what we do and what we do not do. Thus, it is very much up to us to improve our habits and our lifestyle to reduce the risk of developing heart ailments and maintain a healthy heart.

Read on to learn how your everyday habits can lead to heart conditions and how you can take active steps to minimize your risk factors.

1. Eating habit

What you eat and in how much quantity has a direct impact on the health of your body's blood pumping mechanism. According to the Framingham Heart Study, a longitudinal study that has helped scientists understand the development and progression of heart disease and its risk factors since 1948, the higher your blood cholesterol level, the greater your risk for heart disease. Following a diet low in saturated fat reduces your cholesterol levels. One such diet program known as the Pritikin Program that focuses on unprocessed or minimally processed straight-from-nature foods like fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, starchy vegetables, lean meat and seafood, has been found to be effective in preventing heart disease, type 2 diabetes, hypertension and obesity. It is important not just to eat the right stuff but also to watch the amount of your intake. It is common knowledge that obesity increases the risk of heart disease so maintaining a healthy weight is very important to achieving a healthy heart. Read more about this at the Healthbase website.

2. Drinking habit

Although research has revealed an association between moderate alcohol consumption and lower risk for coronary heart disease (CHD), experts believe that drinking more than 2 alcoholic drinks per day increases a person's risk for high blood pressure, a risk factor for heart disease. It should also be kept in mind that moderate drinking is not risk free. Alcohol consumption can lead to several other chronic illnesses like cancer, liver cirrhosis, and trauma.

3. Smoking habit