It is World Heart Health day on the 29th September. Now is a good time to be reminded of the importance of keeping your heart healthy. Not looking after your heart can lead to many health problems, so we have put together some suggestions of ways to take care of your heart.
Diet
This one is pretty self-explanatory; a healthy diet = a healthy heart. Eating those extra fruit and vegetables and trying to avoid saturated fats as much as possible as foods high in saturated fat can raise your cholesterol levels and increase the risk of heart disease. However, eating healthy fats is a crucial part of a healthy diet as they help absorb all the nutrients your body needs. Here are some examples of our favourite healthy fats:
- Avocados
- whole eggs
- Nuts
The NHS guidelines suggest eating at least 2 portions of fish a week, with at least one of those being an oily fish like salmon or mackerel to maintain a healthy, balanced diet. Fish however, isn’t for everyone, and we can all find it difficult to get our weekly dose of omega 3 for a healthy heart. At Bioglan we have supplements that can support your heart health like Bioglan Red Krill Oil and Bioglan Super Fish Oil.  Both are ideal for getting a pure source of Omega-3, providing highly absorbable EPA & DHA that your heart needs (and don’t worry there’s no fishy aftertaste) it’s also good for your brain and eyes too… RESULT.
Quick tip: try to limit your intake of sugar, salt & alcohol as these can cause an unwanted strain on your heart.
Get Moving
Daily physical activity can lower your risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. The NHS recommends 30-60 minutes a day. Check out our August blog post to read about the 4 most important types of exercise. Some examples of exercise to improve your cardiovascular health are:
- Running
- Swimming
- Cycling
 However, if you struggle to reach those targets don’t give up! Even a five minute walk a day can have huge benefits on your heart.
Sleep
Yes, sleep! Most of us love a good night’s sleep but let’s be honest, a lot of us don’t get enough – and what if we said that a good sleeping pattern can lower your risk of a heart attack? I know… let’s all go and take a nap. Sleep helps with our hormonal balance which also helps reduce stress – both are very important when it comes to a healthy heart. When it gets to bedtime try and keep your bedroom as dark and quiet as possible to enable a relaxing sleep. There’s plenty of sleep stories online you can listen too which will help send you off to sleep in no time. Taking some time to really make sure you’re getting the right amount each night is so important for your heart’s health.
Just making small improvements to your diet, exercise and sleep can all contribute to keeping your heart healthy. Â
