Happy Valentine’s Day to everyone out there, whether you’ve got special someone or you’re single. To kick off this great day I thought I’d post some heart-healthy tips from the Norwich Evening News:
Eat Healthily: Too much saturated fat from red meat, biscuits, cakes, chips and dairy products can clog up your arteries and put a strain on your heart. However, eating fish, poultry and vegetables can help.
Slash Salt: There is a proven link between high salt intake and high blood pressure. People who have a lot of salt in their diet seem to be more likely to have high blood pressure. It's not yet known exactly why this happens.
Get Active: Physical inactivity is the most common risk factor for heart disease, seven out of 10 adults do not take enough regular exercise. Half an hour a day makes all the difference and can be built into a daily routine.
Stop Smoking: Stopping smoking is the single most important thing a smoker can do to live longer and improve your health. From the moment you stub it out, the risk of heart attack starts to reduce and is halved after one year of stopping.
Reduce Alcohol: Moderate drinking - between 1 and 2 units of alcohol a day - has a protective effect on the heart in men aged over 40 and in women who have gone through the menopause. One unit of alcohol equals half a pint of ordinary beer or a small glass of wine or a pub measure of spirits.
Lose Weight: If you are overweight, reducing your weight will reduce the workload of your heart and help keep your blood pressure down.
Don't Stress: Anxiety and strong mental effort can raise blood pressure. If left untreated for a long time, high blood pressure can lead to kidney failure and even damage your sight. It can also cause the heart to become abnormally large and less efficient (left ventricular hypertrophy). This can lead to heart failure and further increase the risk of having a heart attack.
And my own fabulous tip…yep, you guessed it: Drink diet soda!!!
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