Simple Changes to Keep Our Heart Healthy

Get fit and reduce heart problems

There are around 7.6 million people living with a heart or circulatory disease in the UK, 4 million men and 3.6 million women.

There are simple changes we can make to our lives that can help keep ourselves and our heart healthy.

One of these changes is taking part in regular, daily physical activity as it can lower the risk of heart disease and helps control your weight. Regular exercise also helps keep arteries and other blood vessels flexible, ensuring good blood flow and normal blood pressure. Reducing the chances of developing other conditions that put a strain on the heart, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and type 2 diabetes.

Aerobic exercise and resistance training are most important for heart health. As inactive people are nearly twice as likely to develop heart disease as people who are physically active.

Seven out of ten heart disease deaths are caused by a patient’s poor diet alone, so let’s talk diet

When it comes to eating make sure you eat healthy fats, not trans fats. We need fats in our diet, including saturated and polyunsaturated and unsaturated fats. One fat we don’t need is trans fat, which is knowing to increase your risk of developing heart disease or having a stroke over a lifetime. This is because trans fats clog your arteries by raising your bad cholesterol levels (LDL) and lowering your good cholesterol levels (HDL).

What foods should you eat to keep your heart healthy?

Consuming calcium rich foods such as dairy, tofu, leafy greens and tahini can all support heart health as calcium helps to lower blood pressure. Pulses and whole-grains are a good source of magnesium, which helps to relax blood vessels while the fibre they supply manages cholesterol levels. You should ensure you are eating fruit and vegetables as they are packed with potassium which can help manage blood pressure, as well as protective antioxidants, which help minimise damage to your arteries. Eating too much salt can lead to high blood pressure a risk factor for heart disease.

Limiting salt (sodium) is an important part of a heart-healthy diet. Adults should not eat more than 6g of salt a day (2.4g sodium)Increase plant sources of protein and start reducing your intake of animal protein. Eating more beef, pork, chicken with skin, whole milk, cheeses and dairy products means more intake of high amounts of cholesterol and saturated fat, both of which contribute to weight gain and increased risk of heart disease. So overall having a range of healthy foods will decrease your risk of heart disease and ensure you feel great all year round.