5 Top Tips For A Healthy Heart

1) Keep Physically Active - there's an old saying that you "walk your way back to health". 5000 steps per day or less is considered a sedentary lifestyle so trying to gradually increase your daily step count will undoubtedly help your overall health. The easiest way to increase your step count is to park your car at the back of a car park, take the stairs instead of a lift, take your lunch break outside to the local park or simply get your smart watch to remind you to get up and move!

2) Balanced Diet - Try to keep your intake of saturated fats (found in animal products, including high-fat dairy and sweet treats) low by replacing them with unsaturated fats (good sources include oily fish, olive oil, nuts and seeds). 

Contrary to popular belief, carbohydrates should absolutely form part of a healthy diet – they’re great for energy and contain nutrients and fibre, both essential for a healthy heart. Try to look for wholegrain, slower-release options such as oats, wholewheat bread and pasta to incorporate into your diet.

Fruit and vegetables should be the cornerstone of all heart-healthy diets as these have a vast amount of anti-inflammatory properties and a high amount of dietary fibre. Always try to eat a 'rainbow' of fruit and vegetables to get plenty of variety into your diet. Adding them on top of cereal or a dessert is an easy way to sneak them into your daily diet. 

Reducing the amount of processed food in your diet in an easy way to naturally reduce the amount of salt, sugar and fats in your meals. Prepping meals ahead of time and batch cooking are great ways to avoid just slinging something in the microwave when you're short on time.

3) Reducing Stress - A continuous increase in high-stress levels can contribute to high blood pressure, increasing the risk of heart disease by damaging your artery walls. Being overly stressed may also mean you are less likely to make good choices for your health, such as healthy eating or being active, as many of us often turn to sources of comfort (takeaways, staying in etc.) to deal with this stress. Recognising what situations or activities contribute to your stress, and then putting some coping strategies in place can be a helpful first step. We highly recommend the app called Balance which has guided meditations to help you manage stress. Membership is free for the first year when you sign up. 

4) Quit Smoking - We don't need to tell you the risks associated with smoking, they are all over the packet! For further help on quitting smoking please head to the NHS Stop Smoking Service

5) Losing Weight -Losing weight can be difficult and often requires changes to our diet and activity levels. Although the main principle of losing weight is simple – the energy you take in (calories) needs to be less than the energy you use – the effectiveness of any diet undertaken will vary from person to person. Find something that works for you, as you are more likely to stick with it. Making long term health changes will make weight lose achievable and sustainable. An ideal weight can take a while and sometimes seen unattainable. However, don't be disheartened, even a small weight loss is beneficial for your health long term and is something to be proud of!