Despite all the advances in medicine one of the biggest killers of people in the UK today is still heart disease.
NHS figures show that around 73,000 deaths occur each year with about 1 in 6 men and 1 in 10 women dying from heart disease and around 2.3 million people suffering from Coronary Heart Disease.
While some forms of heart disease are hereditary, many of these deaths are preventable with small changes in lifestyle such as eating more healthily and exercising more. Before starting any new diet or exercise programme it is always advisable to get yourself a heart screening and be checked over with the very latest in cutting edge cardio-vascular screening.
The following are recommended ways you can improve your heart health and help ensure that your life is not blighted by heart disease.
READ: Use This Common Ingredients To Stop A Heart Attack in 60 Seconds
1 Eat a Healthy and Balanced Diet
We live in a society vastly changed from our grandparents’ day when families would sit around the table to eat a home-cooked meal. Nowadays the buzzword is convenience and unfortunately that applies to our food with the growing trend towards fast food and ready meals in front of the TV.
These are often full of salt, sugar and saturated fats and are exactly the things you should cut down on. Instead, stick to a low-fat, high-fibre diet and include at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day.
Avoid high-fat foods like:
· Sausages and fatty meat like bacon
· Processed pies
· Lard and ghee
· Cream
· Hard cheese
· Cakes and biscuits
2 Get Physically Active
The heart, like any other muscle in your body, needs regular workouts to keep it strong enough to pump blood around your body so it benefits greatly from regular exercise. However don’t suddenly start marathon training if you’ve previously been sedentary. Start gently and build up your exercise routine as your stamina improves. Walking, swimming or cycling are the perfect types of exercise for most people but if you can’t get outdoors or to a gym work out at home instead. Even dancing round the room for 30 minutes is great exercise and will make your heart and lungs work harder. Take the stairs instead of using lifts and escalators. Take advice from your GP if you’re unfit, elderly or have health issues.
READ: A month before a heart attack, your body gives you a warning – These are the 6 signs!
3 Reduce Your Drinking
The recommended alcohol limit for adults is no more than 14 units a week, preferably spread out over several days. Try to have at least two alcohol-free days after drinking to allow your liver to recover. Avoid binge drinking at all costs. No alcohol at all is ideal as far as heart disease prevention goes but if you feel happier with a glass of wine in an evening make it a small one.
4 Stop Smoking
Smoking is still a major cause of many serious diseases including lung cancer, coronary thrombosis and atherosclerosis, (furring of the arteries). Smoking can also aggravate many other diseases particularly diabetes where the blood circulatory system is compromised. Giving up smoking is one of the best and most effective things you can do to not only improve your overall health and fitness but help to protect your heart too.
READ: 10 Foods That Will Clean Your Arteries And Protect You From Heart Attack!
5 Keep Your Weight Down
Carrying extra weight puts extra strain on the heart and is a known contributor to the development of diabetes. Belly fat is especially dangerous as it can affect all the internal organs. Any weight loss diet should be discussed firstly with your doctor and closely monitored afterwards.
By making these small and steady changes to your lifestyle you will soon notice improvements in your health and, most importantly, your heart will thank you for it.