Top tips to keep your heart in good health

The average adult heart beats 72 times per minute, 100,000 times a day and we all want to keep it healthy and ticking over without any troubles, even more so as we begin to reach old age.

There are lots of ways you can keep your heart in good health and we’re sharing just a few you can get started with:

Eat well 

Having a good diet is super important for keeping the heart healthy. Make sure it includes fruit and veg, beans, nuts and seeds as these are all great for heart health. A range of fruit and vegetables in various colours and types can help you get a wide range of vitamins and nutrients into your body.

Stay away from anything processed or with high levels of salt in.

Exercise regularly 

If your mobile enough, then brisk walks, cycling and a regular daisy exercise regime is a great way to get the heart pumping. If you’re less mobile then swimming or gentle stretches every day are great alternatives.

Maintain blood pressure and cholesterol 

According to Heart UK, more than half of all adults in England have raised cholesterol. Healthy adults should aim for total cholesterol of 5mmol/l or less and LDL-cholesterol of 3mmol/l or less.

Having a healthy diet is a good way of maintaining cholesterol – avoid too many sweet treats such as cakes and biscuits and try and find healthy alternatives.

One in three adults have high blood pressure and aren’t doing anything about it. Avoid adding salt to meals and instead use natural herbs and spices for flavour.

Relax 

The best way to avoid putting strain on your heart is to stay relaxed and de-stress yourself as stress causes cortisol to pump through the body, putting stress on the heart. Exercise and meditation are great ways to relieve stress. You could also try taking a bath, reading or practicing mindfulness.

Avoid alcohol and smoking 

Drinking alcohol and smoking can place the biggest strain on your heart. Between one in four and one in five people across England, Scotland and Wales smoke and roughly 14% of deaths from circulatory disease are attributed to smoking, so if you haven’t already, it’s time to kick the habit for good.

If you know you are drinking over the recommended levels of alcohol it’s time to cut down. Alcohol is high in calories, so will be detrimental to a healthy lifestyle. Start monitoring the units you’re drinking each week and start to cut them down.