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Looking after your heart - More Top Tips!

Prevention is better than cure they say – and that’s never truer than with your heart.

So what’s involved in looking after your heart? Well, we’re not talking about not breaking your heart in a relationship here – hearts can be broken and new loves found, we’re talking about that vital organ that doesn’t stop pumping blood around your body 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 52 weeks a year. Your heart is the most important organ you have – it’s worth taking care of!

Looking after your heart will help improve your general health and looking after your heart when you’re young will help your heart stay strong now and in the future.

Keep your heart happy – top tips!

• Stay active and do plenty of regular exercise.

• Eat a balanced diet. Make sure you get plenty of fresh fruit and veg – remember the ‘five a day’ motto and stick to it. Eating greens doesn’t have to be boring! Grab yourself a recipe book and set your self a healthy recipe challenge – make some fab food for you and your mates or family.

• Keep your cholesterol levels down by reducing the amount of bad fat you eat – bad fats include saturated fats and trans fats. Replace them with monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats. You’ll find saturated fat in things like biscuits, cakes, chips and dairy products – saturated fat can clog up your arteries and put a strain on your heart. How do you tell what’s in your food? Always read the label before you buy any food that has a label – anything that isn’t a fresh fruit or veg.

• Eat oily fish regularly and make sure there’s plenty of fibre in your diet.

• Cut the salt! To maintain a healthy blood pressure, reduce the amount of salt you put on or in your food.

• Stay away from smoking. There’s no other way to look at smoking – it’s just bad news all the way. You can’t smoke just a little and it not cause you harm – all smoking is dangerous and damaging. Most people are aware of the harm smoking can cause your lungs, but it can cause terrible damage to the rest of you too – especially your heart.

• Avoid alcohol if you’re under age. If you’re 18 or over, avoid binge drinking and stick well within the recommended limits for weekly alcohol intake.

• Keep to a sensible weight. Make sure your diet is balanced and you’re getting plenty of fresh veg and fruit. Make sure that you get plenty of physical activity. If you are very overweight, speak to your doctor about exercise options. Obesity can have serious effects on your health and increase your risk of heart disease.

• Manage your stress levels. Too much stress isn’t good for your heart. We all have stress in our lives – from dealing with exams to relationship issues and everything in between – and as we get older we should try to learn how to best manage our stress levels and keep them under control. If you’re feeling anxious or stressed, take action to manage it – you could go for a walk to clear your head, you could do some exercise and you could talk about the issues that are worrying you with parents, family, friends, a teacher or a health professional.

For lots more info on keeping your heart healthy, visit the British Heart Foundation’s website – link below.

Links and contact details

Name: British Heart Foundation
Web: www.bhf.org.uk
Email: internet@bhf.org.uk
Tel: 020 7554 0000
Info: The British Heart Foundation is a UK voluntary organisation that funds medical research and provides information, advice and support for heart patients.

Name: NHS Direct Wales
Web: www.nhsdirect.wales.nhs.uk
Email:
Tel: 0845 4647
Info: NHS Direct Wales is a health advice and information service available 24 hours a day, every day.

Name: NHS Choices (England)
Web:
NHS Choices – Top tips for a healthier heart
Email:
Tel:
Info: NHS England website. Top tips for a healthier heart.

Name: Food Standards Agency – Good Fat, Bad Fat Info
Web:
Food Standards Agency – Good Fat, Bad Fat Info
Email:
Tel:
Info: The Food Standards Agency was set up by the UK government in 2000. It aims to improve food safety and standards across the UK and protect the health of the population in relation to food.

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