Keep Your Heart Healthy

In Europe, around 4 million people die from cardiovascular diseases every year. This accounts for 45% of all deaths, making it Europe’s biggest killer.

Good health is vital for a healthy heart and small lifestyle changes could reduce your risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Here are some great ways to show your heart the love it deserves.

• SMOKING: Smoking is one of the most common causes of coronary heart disease, so giving up smoking is vital for your heart health. The risk of heart attack is reduced by 50% after a year of giving up.
• WEIGHT: Eating a healthy and balanced diet that is low in sugar and fat will decrease your risk of heart disease. Being overweight will increase your risk, so it’s important to stick to a healthy diet that includes at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables per day.
• EXERCISE: We all know that exercise is good for your health, especially exercise that gets your heart pumping – so get active and reduce your risk of heart disease. Even walking at a fast pace increases your heart rate.
• WHOLE FOODS: Eating at least 30g of fibre every day can help to reduce your risk of heart disease. Including bran, oats, wholemeal bread, fruit, veg and wholegrain cereals in your diet will be beneficial for your health.
• REDUCE FAT: Eat lean meats and limit your intake of dairy products to reduce the risk of heart disease. Too much food that is high in saturated fats can increase the level of cholesterol in your blood.
• CUT DOWN: Reduce your intake of salt and alcohol. Salt is often already added to foods we eat, so check the labels before you add it to your meal. Adults shouldn’t eat more than 6g of salt each day. Alcohol can influence heart health, so make sure you stick to no more than the recommended daily limit.
• OMEGA 3: Eating food that is rich in omega 3 fats can help to protect you against heart disease. Doctors recommend eating fish twice a week, including oily fish such as mackerel, sardines and salmon which are a great source of omega 3 fats.