Heart health
February is a month in the Health Calendar that focuses on Heart awareness. This often leads us to automatically think about exercise and how we can improve our cardiovascular system, but what about other aspects of Nutrition and lifestyle for cardiovascular support?
If we look at the latest statistics from the British Heart Foundation, it estimates that over 8 million people are living with with cardiovascular disease in the UK, and it states that 90 per cent of the Coronary Heart Disease burden in the UK is associated with modifiable risk factors, which are often preventable.
So it’s vital that we take some steps to incorporate nutrition and lifestyle changes that can support our cardiovascular health.
Here’s 4 things that can help and my challenge to you is to pick 2 for February and focus on those.
Additional sugar in the diet is linked with an increased risk of coronary heart disease, obesity and type 2 diabetes. Start with the easy options of sweets, cakes, biscuits and pastries. These are nutritionally poor, drive sugar cravings and are the obvious foods to remove, however, the less obvious ones also need attention like the daily Latte with a syrup, the ‘health bar’ that’s full of hidden sugars or the sugar laden salad dressing.
1. Remove added sugar out of the diet.
2. Eat 20 different vegetables/plants a week.
The Mediterranean diet is a great place to start for Heart Health and at it’s core is an increased variety of vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds. Challenge yourself to incorporate 20 different types in a week – put a chart on the fridge door and note how many you get to. It will encourage you to buy ingredients and cook from scratch and make you visit the fresh food aisles of a supermarket. Visit different supermarkets and you’ll often find they’ll stock different types of vegetables or even better a local farmers market.
A sedentary lifestyle is closely linked to an increased risk in poor cardiac health, so movement is key. You’ll already be slotting your workouts into your already busy schedule, but ask yourself where you can increase that daily movement outside of those gym sessions? Commit to some increased movement in February and identify those small areas within the day where you can incorporate movement.
3. Move every day
4. Take a moment to breathe
Elevated stress levels are a constant battle in today’s society and can increase your blood pressure, which is associated with a higher risk of CHD. Finding time to do some gentle breathwork can help to reduce stress levels, and lower blood pressure. If you can incorporate a meditation class or yoga class, these guided elements will help you to learn the skills to practice on your own.
So, set yourself a mini goal this month and pick two to work on. Get everyone in the house involved to make it easier and then everyone’s accountable for each other.
