7 WAYS TO LOVE YOUR HEART
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major cause of death in Australia, responsible for causing one in four (26%) of all deaths. The good news is that most of the risk factors associated with CVD are preventable with healthy lifestyle choices. This doesn’t mean that you have to do a complete overhaul all at once, you just need to show your heart a little bit of love each day.
Here's how:
- Give it some exercise - Keeping active helps to control common heart disease risk factors, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and being overweight. The Heart Foundation recommends aiming for 30-45 minutes a day, five or more day a week, although any activity that you can fit in is better than none.
- Feed it a healthy diet – Try to limit your intake of salt, saturated and trans fats, and refined sugars. Instead, look to increase your intake of fresh foods like fruit and vegetables, and a variety of healthy protein sources including fish and seafood, lean meat, poultry, legumes, nuts and seeds.
- Keep it smoke free - When you quit smoking, your risk of heart attack and stroke decreases almost straight away. We know that this isn’t always easy so make sure you reach out for help. You can Call Quitline on 137 848 or talk to your doctor about options that might help you.
- Watch its cholesterol and blood pressure - Understanding and controlling cholesterol and blood pressure is key to your heart health. Both can be easily managed by following the other steps mentioned here, particularly diet and exercise. If you are 45 years or older it’s also important you see your doctor for a heart health check.
- Limit its alcohol intake – If you do drink, try to do it in moderation. Aim to limit yourself to no more than two standard alcoholic drinks a day.
- Manage the weight it carries – Maintaining a healthy weight is a vital step in improving your heart health and you overall wellbeing. We know It can be tough to shed those extra kgs, so start by making a few changes to your diet and gradually increase your daily activity. Set yourself some realistic goals and aim to improve on them along the way.
- Give it some time to relax - Managing your mental health is another important factor when it comes to managing your heart health. If you’re feeling stressed or under a lot of mental pressure, try practicing some relaxation techniques like deep breathing, set yourself some realistic goals, and learn how to manage your time a little better.
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