Heart Health

As its February & Valentine’s Day this week it’s time to look at heart health. A healthy lifestyle will make your heart healthier.

Here are 10 things you can do to look after your heart.

Give up smoking If you're a smoker, quit. It's the single best thing you can do for your heart health. Smoking is one of the main causes of coronary heart disease A year after giving up, your risk of a heart attack falls to about half that of a smoker. You're more likely to stop smoking for good if you ask for help visit your GP to use NHS stop smoking services.

Get active Getting – and staying – active can reduce your risk of developing heart disease. It can also be a great mood booster and stress buster. You already have a head start if you come to class regularly Do 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity every week. One way to achieve this target is by doing 30 minutes of activity on five days a week. Fit it in where you can, such as by cycling to work.

Manage your weight Being overweight can increase your risk of heart disease. Stick to a healthy, balanced diet low in fat and sugar, with plenty of vegetables and a little fruit, combined with your regular physical activity.

Eat more fibre Eat plenty of fibre to help lower your risk of heart disease – aim for at least 30g a day. Eat fibre from a variety of sources, such as wholemeal bread, bran, oats and wholegrain cereals, potatoes with their skins on, and plenty of fruit and veg.

Cut down on saturated fat Eating too many foods that are high in saturated fat can raise the level of cholesterol in your blood. This increases your risk of heart disease. Choose leaner cuts of meat and lower-fat dairy products but not fat free products which are usually full of sugar

Get your 5 A DAY Eat at least five portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables a day. They're a good source of fibre, vitamins and minerals. There are lots of tasty ways to get your 5 A DAY, like adding chopped fruit to cereal or including vegetables in your pasta sauces and curries.

Cut down on salt  To maintain healthy blood pressure, avoid using salt at the table and try adding less to your cooking. Once you get used to the taste of food without added salt, you can cut it out completely. Watch out for high salt levels in ready-made foods. Most of the salt we eat is already in the foods we buy. Check the food labels – a food is high in salt if it has more than 1.5g salt (or 0.6g sodium) per 100g. Adults should eat less than 6g of salt a day in total – that's about one teaspoon.

Eat fish Eat fish at least twice a week, including a portion of oily fish. Fish such as mackerel, sardines, fresh tuna and salmon are a source of omega-3 fats, which can help protect against heart disease. Pregnant or breastfeeding women shouldn't have more than two portions of oily fish a week.

Drink less alcohol Don't forget alcohol contains calories. Regularly drinking more than the recommended levels, can have a noticeable impact on your waistline. Try to keep to the recommended daily alcohol limits to reduce the risk of serious problems with your health, including risks to your heart health.

Read food labels When shopping, always read the labels on food and drink packaging to see how many calories and how much fat, salt and sugar the product contains. Understanding what is in food and how it fits in with the rest of your diet will help you make healthier choices.