National Heart Month

Each year, the British Heart Foundation (BHF) declares February as National Heart Month in the UK. During this time, awareness of a variety of heart conditions are bought to the forefront. The campaign is the perfect chance for us to help spread the word about heart disease, and make sure that friends and family can start taking the first steps to having a healthy heart.

Many of us have heard of diseases relating to the heart and circulation and refer to these as cardiovascular diseases (CVD) or heart disease. However, there are many different types of heart conditions and problems which include:

• Angina
• Heart attack
• Heart failure
• Abnormal heart rhythms (Arrhythmia)
• Coronary heart disease
• Atrial fibrillation
• Congenital heart disease

Coronary heart disease is a major cause of death in the UK and worldwide. There is no single cause for any one heart condition, but there are risk factors that increase your chance of developing one. The more risk factors you have, the more likely you are to develop heart disease. Many adults have three or more risk factors for heart disease, yet the majority of people don’t know they’re at risk.

By knowing the risks of heart disease can prevent heart problems and save lives. Prevention starts with knowing your risk factors and making positive lifestyle changes to lower risks. Most heart attacks and strokes can be prevented with healthy choices. Keeping your heart healthy is something you can work on every day. For example what you eat, how much you move, whether you smoke and controlling your cholesterol and blood pressure are some of the things that can have a big impact on your heart.

Healthy eating for a healthy heart is a pattern. It doesn’t focus on one type of food or nutrient, but rather on what you eat over days, weeks and months. This style of eating is naturally low in saturated and trans fats, salt and added sugar. It’s rich in wholegrains, fibre, antioxidants and unsaturated fats. A diet full of a variety of fruit and vegetables is linked to healthier hearts and a lower risk of heart disease. Simple steps such as eating foods that contain unsaturated fat instead of saturated fat can help reduce cholesterol levels.

Also, by doing regular physical activity reduces your risk of having a heart attack or developing heart disease. Keeping active helps to control common heart disease risk factors, including:

• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol, and
• Being overweight.

Regular physical activity can also help strengthen your bones and muscles. It can help you feel more energetic, happier and relaxed. It is always best to start with small, realistic goals and work your way up to the recommended 30-60 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity (such as brisk walking) on most days of the week. Adults who sit less throughout the day have a lower risk of early death, particularly from heart disease. You can find out more about getting active and visit the Heart Foundation Walking as a way to keep active.

If you’re a smoker, then quit. It’s the single best thing you can do for your heart. Smoking is one of the main causes of coronary heart disease. One year after giving up, your risk of a heart attack falls to about half than that of a smoker. It may seem daunting to try and quit old habits but please be assured as there is help and support available to access. You’re more likely to stop smoking for good if you use NHS stop smoking services. Just visit the Smokefree website or visit the Better Health website to download the free NHS Quit Smoking app. Remember it’s never too late to quit.

You can find out whether you are at risk from heart disease by taking the heart age calculator here . The calculator is intended for people aged 35-75 and estimates your heart age based on your inputs and compares to your actual age.