HEART OF THE MATTER | Top Tips For A Healthy Heart
A healthy heart is vital for a healthy body. You can help to protect your heart by doing these things:
- Eat plenty of fruit & veg
- Eat plenty of fibre
- Cut down on salt
- cut down on fat and go for unsaturated fat instead of saturated fat
- Eat oily fish
- Avoid drinking too much alcohol
- Try to be a healthy weight
- be more active
Fruit & Veg:
Fruit and veg are great sources of vitamins and minerals which we need to help our body work efficiently and for us to be healthy. People who eat plenty of fruit and veg are less likely to develop diseases such as coronary heart disease and some types of cancer and why we should look to eat at least 5 portions of fruit and veg per day.
Eat Plenty of Fibre:
Giving your body a boost of fibre is good for your heart, as well as your digestion. Most of the UK dont eat enough fibre in their diet, and many just skip breakfast all together.
- Chose wholegrain and brown types of starchy foods.
- Eat more vegetables, dried fruit and pulses such as beans and lentils.
Cut Down on Salt:
Cutting down on salt helps to lower blood pressure, especially part of a healthy diet. having high blood pressure increases the risk of heart disease and stroke. Adults should eat no more than 6g salt per day.
check out www.salt.gov.uk
Cut Down on Fat And go For Unsaturated Fat Instead of Saturated Fat:
There are two main types of fat…
- Saturated Fat
- Unsaturated Fat
Eating foods that are high in saturated fat can raise cholesterol levels in the bloodand having high cholesterol levels increases the chances of developing heart disease. eating less saturated fat can help protect your heart.
having unsaturated fat instead of saturated fat can lower your cholesterol levels.
Include the following foods in your diet:
- Oily Fish
- Avocados
- Vegetables oil and sunflower, olive, corn, walnut & rapeseed oil
Eat Oily Fish:
Oily fish such as salmon, mackerel, trout and sardines are rich in Omega3 fatty acids, which can help keep our hearts healthy. Aim to eat two portions of oily fish per week.
Avoid having more than 4 portions of oily fish per week.
there are diferent levels o portions for women who might be pregnant or breast feeding. Check out: www.eatwell.gov.uk/fish
Avoid Drinking Too Much Alcohol:
- Men: should drink no more than 3-4 units per day
- Women: should drink no more than 2-3 units per day
A Unit is:
- Half a pint of standard strength beer or cider
- A pub measure of spirits
- A glass of wine is about 2units
There is some sudies that suggest that drinking 1-2 units of alcohol per day can protect against coronary heart disease for men over 40yrs and women after menopause.
Try To Be a Healthy Weight:
Being a healthy weight is an important part of protecting your health. Being under weight is just as bad as being over weight and carries its own health risks.
Be More Active:
As well as protecting our hearts, being active is a great way of using up extra calories and helps to control our weight. You dont need to join a gym, just get more active in your normal daily life, use the stairs instead of the lift, walking instead of driving and getting off the bus a stop early.
Category: Nutrition
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