Six ways to improve your heart health

Six ways to improve your heart health

Kickstart your heart this Valentine’s Day

Today is the day you start showing your heart some love.

Looking after your heart not only minimises your risk of heart disease and sudden cardiac arrest, but it also helps you to achieve your other health goals too, so you can keep feeling your best for yourself and your loved ones.

Why your heart health is important

Did you know that heart disease is the number 1 risk factor for sudden cardiac arrest, and that it is the leading cause of death and disease in Australia, killing 1 in 4 Australians every year?

While you can’t control everything that puts you at risk of heart disease, like hereditary factors or genetics, many things are within your control, specifically:

• If you smoke

• If you have high blood pressure and/or high blood cholesterol

• What you eat

• If you are overweight, obese, or living with diabetes

• How physically active you are

You’ll be surprised how good you can look and feel with a few simple changes. And your heart will be happier too!

Quit smoking: If you only choose one thing, make it this one. Smoking is one of the biggest causes of heart disease and is also the most preventable. Smoking damages the blood vessels, raising blood pressure and cholesterol. Over time, this leads to plaque build-up and significantly increases your chances of heart disease.

Quit Smoking & Vaping: Get Expert Cessation Tips & Help | Quit

Limit alcohol: While a little overindulgence over the festive season is no cause for concern, chronic alcohol consumption is another big cause of heart disease, and like smoking, is highly avoidable. Excessive drinking strains the heart, raising blood pressure and increases the risk of cardiomyopathy, a condition that makes it hard for your heart to circulate blood around the body. You don’t have to give it up, just drink alcohol in moderation to reduce your risk.

How can you reduce or quit alcohol? | Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care

Eat whole foods: A diet that prioritises fresh fruits, veggies, whole grains, and omega-3 fats helps protect your blood vessels, lower blood pressure, manage weight, and stabilise blood sugar levels, reducing risks of diabetes and obesity.

At the same time, try to avoid processed foods, added sugars, and foods high in sodium.

A good place to start is with the Mediterranean diet, which has been shown to reduce risk the risk of developing heart disease, including heart attack.

Mediterranean Diet - Heart Research Australia

Get moving: Regular exercise strengthens the heart and also helps to reduce all other cardiovascular risk factors. It’s the silver bullet! Make sure you pick an activity you enjoy so you can stick with it. If running isn’t your thing, why not try dancing? Use it as an opportunity to find something new you love.

For adults (18 to 64 years) | Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care

Learn to relax: High amounts of stress over long periods have been shown to be directly associated with heart disease. While it's unlikely you can avoid stress, learning to manage it by practicing daily mindfulness activities such as mediation and breathing techniques, exercising, or writing in a journal can help offset the negative effects of stress on the heart, and help you cope better too.

Guided Meditation and Mindfulness - The Headspace App

Book a check-up

Make an appointment today to get your heart checked and talk to your doctor about personalised strategies to keep your heart fit and healthy.

Small changes make a big difference

Changing your habits is hard. Just pick one to start with and make sure you set an achievable and realistic goal. Once you’ve reached it and made a sustainable change, start on the next one. The good news is you don’t have to do them all at once to significantly lower your risk, you just have to start.

We can’t predict what’s going to happen. Just ask 30-year-old Bernadette, who recently experienced a sudden cardiac arrest but is now back home with her three young kids thanks to the quick actions of responders and CellAED®. Read her incredible story here: A Reluctant Hero: A Story of Heart