These five habits could be setting you up for future struggles with heart disease, which is the leading cause of death in the U.S.<br />1, Too many foods with high-sugar content.<br />"Excess sugar causes excess insulin release, which causes irritation and plaque development in blood vessels." Stephen T. Sinatra, Heart MD Institute Founder, via Eat This, Not That.<br />2, Too much salt.<br />"Consuming too much salt causes high blood pressure, which ties to heart disease, Suzanne Steinbaum." MD Mount Sinai Hospital, via Eat This, Not That.<br />3, Drinking soda.<br />Both sugary regular sodas and artificially sweetened diet sodas can wreak havoc on your heart.<br />4, Excessive saturated fat.<br />Too much butter, cheese, red meat or processed foods can greatly increase your risk of heart disease.<br />5, Too little fiber in your diet.<br />"Dietary fiber is known to bind with cholesterol and help with cholesterol reduction, as well as play a role in regulating blood sugar levels." Kara Landau, Registered Dietician, via Eat This, Not That
