Heart disease is one of the most common serious health conditions affecting our health today. In fact, coronary heart disease remains the number 1 killer in the UK. According to Heart UK, 160,000 people die from heart-related and circulatory diseases every year. Many cases of heart disease are actually preventable, which suggests that factors contributing to heart disease are mainly down to our lifestyle and the choices we make.
These days we’re sitting down at desks for longer, going online instead of getting outdoors. We're also feeling stressed and under pressure more than ever. Here are a few tips to help you proactively keep your ticker in tip-top shape.
- Say no to tobacco
This might seem obvious, but it's arguably the most important thing you can do to protect your heart. Stopping smoking is very hard for most people, but your pharmacy or GP practice will be very happy to help you. You may need to try quitting a few times before you succeed. There are lots of effective things you can buy, so make sure you ask your pharmacist for ways to deal with the cravings.
Most experts now believe that vaping is a safer alternative to smoking cigarettes, so it's probably another good route to quitting. In one study, they found the risk of cancer to be 1% that of regular tobacco smokers. - Catch more zzzzzzzs
Not getting enough shut-eye increases stress. And increased stress levels have been shown to have an adverse effect on your blood pressure. Forcing your body to complete everyday activities without enough sleep is going to catch up on you eventually. It's recommended that you get at least 6-8 hours sleep per night, so make sure you're getting that regularly and your heart will thank you for it! - Calm down
Getting enough sleep is one thing, but when we're awake our minds race - we overthink, we're constantly busy, and we don't take enough time to reduce the stress in our daily lives. Work stress is specifically linked to higher risk of cardiovascular disease.
Meditation, painting, playing a musical instrument, getting out in the great outdoors – whatever it is, doing something you enjoy may help to relieve some of those day-to-day stresses. Try our stress-relieving mindfulness routines and see if you feel calmer. - Get moving
Speaking of serotonin, one thing we can do that releases our happy hormone is exercise. Not only is it good for you, it also makes you feel great! Even if you feel terrible halfway through, by the end of that workout, your sense of achievement will release more of that happy hormone.
Exercising, whether that be at home, in the gym or in a group fitness class, is proven to increase your cardiovascular fitness. This'll help you complete everyday activities with ease, whilst reducing blood pressure and also helping to lose a little weight. Make sure to mix up your exercise methods by doing both cardio like swimming or walking and resistance training (weights). - Get the balance right
It can get overwhelming with all the advice out there about the latest 'wonder diet' or healthy celebrity chef. Ultimately, the goal may be to maintain a healthy weight and body fat percentage. The more fat we carry around with us, the more our heart is under strain - and the most dangerous type is called visceral fat. Find out how to reduce your visceral fat levels.
It's also a good idea to get the balance right when it comes to alcohol. Having a consistently high alcohol intake (14+ units per week) can lead to heart disease, liver problems and certain cancers. You don't have to stop drinking all together! But if you're a regular drinker, how about reducing what you drink during the working week? It might even help to knock back a few more glasses of water when you're on a night on the town. - Check your pressure
About a third of people with high blood pressure don’t know they have it – there are usually no symptoms of it at all. But longstanding high blood pressure is a big contributor to heart disease.
It’s a good idea to get your blood pressure checked, particularly if you are over 50 years old and if you have a strong family history of high blood pressure. You can do that at some pharmacists, some GP waiting rooms, or when the NHS calls you in for a Health Check. Or you can ask for an appointment with your practice nurse.
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