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Heart Health

Heart health: diet, exercise and lifestyle tips

Pharmacy2U Team | minute read
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Treat your heart as well as it treats you 

Your heart works hard so it makes sense to support it in the best way you can. A healthy and nutritious heart-smart diet is a great place to start. It can help to reduce the risk of developing heart conditions like coronary heart disease, and lower your cholesterol levels, but that’s only the start – it’s just as important for your overall health. Staying on top of what you’re eating can also help you to maintain a healthy weight, get your daily recommended vitamin intake, improve your mood, and help to reduce the risk of certain cancers.  

Let’s take a look at how heart-smart food choices can help your heart health, as well as a few handy food dos and don’ts… 

How does diet affect the heart?

A healthy, well-balanced diet is vital to your heart health, while a poor diet high in fats and sugars can lead to a higher risk of developing heart conditions and various other health problems. Staying on top of what you’re eating can help reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure, while also managing your cholesterol levels.   

The important thing to realise with tracking what you eat is that it’s not about following a strict diet that can be hard to keep up with over the long-term. A well-balanced diet comes from thinking about what you eat as a whole and giving your heart and body the variety of food and nutrients it needs to stay healthy. 

What should I be eating?

Aim for five portions of fruit and vegetables each day. It might sound like a lot, but the good news is that you can have them fresh, frozen, juiced, tinned, or dried. Have a glass of fruit juice with your lunch or add tinned or dried fruit to yoghurt for breakfast. Chopped vegetables like carrots and peppers are a great mid-afternoon snack with a dip such as reduced-fat hummus or guacamole. 

Starchy foods like pasta, rice, and potatoes give you a good source of energy and can be teamed up with a wide range of vegetables to make a variety of meals. These foods should make up about 1/3 of what you eat daily. 

Fish is a good source of protein and contains key nutrients our bodies need, including vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids. Aim for 2 portions a week with an oily fish option like salmon, mackerel, pilchards, or sardines. 

Alternative sources of protein include beans, lentils and peas. They’re low in fat and high in fibre too. 

Milk, cheese and yoghurt are great sources of protein and calcium, but try to give lower-fat products a go, like semi or skimmed milk and low-fat yoghurts. 

Finally, pair your food choices with plenty of fluids – water is your best friend, with 6 to 8 glasses a day recommended. If you find it a challenge to drink water on its own, try a sugar-free dilute cordial or sparkling water.   

What should I limit in my diet?

There are certain things that we need to be aware of when it comes to heart-friendly diets. Most people in the UK need to reduce the amount of saturated fats, salt and sugar they eat as these have a major role to play in affecting our heart health. 

You should also try to keep processed foods to a minimum, opting for freshly prepared meals when you can. Sweet treats should be eaten in moderation, as should red meat. 

Here are some food types you need to be aware of: 

  • Saturated fat – increases blood cholesterol levels which increases the risk of heart attacks and strokes 

  • Salt – too much salt increases the risk of high blood pressure and coronary heart disease 

  • Sugar – causes weight gain and tooth decay, but try to reduce sugar intake in stages, rather than in one go 

  • Alcohol – it’s recommended you drink no more than 14 alcohol units per week, split across at least three days or more, and try to have several alcohol-free days in a week 

How to use the Eatwell guide

The Eatwell Guide is the UK’s food guide, showing you what kinds of food you should eat and how much. It can help you manage a healthy, balanced and sustainable diet that improves not just your heart health, but your overall wellbeing too. You can use it when you’re putting together your shopping list or recipe prepping, so you know you’re covering all the bases you need to. 

How to follow Traffic Light Labels

Nutrition information labels make it easier for you to keep track of food that’s high in fat, salt and added sugars. Nearly all pre-packed foods come with a traffic light label so you can get the information you need at a glance. 

  • Red – if a product has a red label it means that it’s high fat (over 17.5g), saturated fat (5g) sugars (22.5g) or salt (1.5g)  

  • Amber – if a product has an amber label, you should proceed with caution and keep an eye out for hidden fats or sugars on the ingredient list 

  • Green – if a product has a green label, you will know that the food you’re looking at purchasing is a healthier choice 

If you’re ever unsure, we’d recommend going for green. 

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