5 Tips For Keeping Your Heart Healthy

We all know the importance of keeping our heart health, but it can be difficult knowing just exactly what works best. The large majority of cardiovascular disease and illnesses are preventable, meaning that no matter your age, we all need to think more about our heart health. From your diet to reducing stress, there are some simple changes you can make to your lifestyle so that you can start taking better care of your heart. 

Eating less salt

If your diet is high in salt, then this might lead to high blood pressure which then, in turn, can increase your risk of developing heart disease or heightening your chances of stroke. The recommended maximum adult daily allowance for salt is no more than 6g, so you should try to aim for foods which contain less than 1.5g of salt per 100g where possible. 

Instead of adding salt to your meals, try these seasoning swaps instead:

• Sprinkle your potatoes with black pepper, paprika or mild chilli powder

• Add basil or garlic to pasta dishes instead of salt for a better depth of flavour

• When roasting a chicken or turkey, season with thyme, sage or garlic instead

Add more fish to your diet

Oily fish, such as salmon, sardines and tuna, are rich in fatty omega-3 acids, which are believed to improve the cholesterol levels in your body. Vegans and vegetarians are still able to get their omega-3 intake from foods such as walnuts, spinach, soya and pumpkin seeds, or take vegetarian health supplements.

Tackle stress  

If you regularly find that you feel as though you are under too much pressure or are stressed, then you might find a correlation in your coping behaviours, too. Stress can make you overeat, smoke more and consume more alcohol, so look for different ways to de-stress on a more regular basis. Whether it’s going for a walk whilst listening to a podcast, cooking a healthy meal or taking a long bath or shower at the end of the day, whatever makes you feel calm will work. 

Eat your 5 a day

Boost your natural intake of things such as potassium and magnesium by adding more fruit and vegetables to your diet, as potassium has been shown to lower blood pressure. Fruit and vegetables are packed full of nutrients, vitamins, minerals and fibre so not only will they keep your heart healthy, but the rest of your body too. 

Keep active

You should be aiming to get at least 150 minutes of exercise per week, as moderate-intensity exercise has been shown to lower your risk of heart disease dramatically. Obviously, you don’t need to do the 150 minutes all at once - split it up any way you like to make it more manageable, such as five 30-minute sessions, or divide the 30 minutes into manageable 3 10-minute chunks throughout the day. You don’t need to be running a marathon, simple things such as hoovering, walking the dog and taking the stairs all count.