Quick guide to looking after your heart health
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THIS is national Heart Month and here are some top tips on looking after your heart health.
Julie Ward is a senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation.
There are currently 7.6 million people in the UK living with heart and circulatory diseases, and latest figures from the BHF show that over 60 per cent of Brits surveyed are more concerned about their physical health because of the Covid-19 (coronavirus) pandemic.
The good news is that over half (54 per cent) of those surveyed are determined to do more physical exercise.
Here are some simple everyday tips you can use to help look after your heart health.
KNOW YOUR NUMBERS
You may not have heard of hypertension, but you most certainly have heard of it by its more common alias – high blood pressure.
An estimated 29 per cent of adults in Scotland have high blood pressure – that’s around 1.3 million people. Around 790,000 people are on their GP’s hypertension register, but many of them aren’t receiving effective treatment.
If left untreated, hypertension can increase your risk of heart attack or stroke. Unfortunately, there are few symptoms and it often goes undiagnosed. That’s why some refer to it as a silent killer.
You can normally get your blood pressure checked at your GP surgery or some workplaces. In the current pandemic it may be more suitable to buy a blood pressure monitor and take your blood pressure at home. Keep a diary of your readings and discuss them further with your GP or Practice Nurse.
BHF have useful information on the website around buying a reliable blood pressure monitor and a video on how to monitor your readings accurately at home.
EAT HEALTHY
Many of us are finding ourselves with more time on our hands since we’ve been in lockdown, so what better time to start adding some healthy and colourful recipes to your repertoire.
A healthy and well balanced diet can help to reduce your risk of developing heart and circulatory diseases and stop you gaining weight, reducing your risk of type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. The Mediterranean diet is a good place to start. It is typically rich in fruit and vegetables, beans and lentils, nuts and seeds, fish, including oily fish such as sardines, and wholegrain cereals, so aim to include more of these foods in your diet.
To help get you started, the BHF has plenty of tasty recipes for you and the family.
KEEP MOVING
Regular physical activity can reduce the risk of developing heart and circulatory disease by up to 35 per cent. You don’t have to run a marathon or swim the Channel to see the benefits. Just 20 to 30 minutes of exercise every day, such a walk during your lunch break, can help make a difference.
Physical activity can reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke, control your weight, reduce your blood pressure and cholesterol levels and improve your mental health.
If you don’t know where to start, the BHF has virtual challenges like the MyCycle and Step Challenge to help get you moving, or you can take our quiz to see which activity suits you.
For further information visit www.bhf.org.uk or to find out your heart age check out our Heart Age Tool.
