Tag: healthy heart tips

“Not Just for Gym-Goers: Why Glute Strength Matters for Your Heart”

HEART RESEARCH UK HEALTHY TIP

When we think about heart health, we often focus on cardio exercises like walking, running, or cycling. But did you know that your bottom, AKA the glutes, can play a surprisingly important role in keeping your heart healthy? 

Your glutes are the largest and most powerful muscle group in the body. They are essential for everyday movement, posture, and balance. When they are strong, being active feels easier and is sustainable, which supports long-term heart health. 

In this month’s Healthy Tip, Luca van Cleemput, Healthy Heart Coach at Heart Research UK, explains why strengthening your glutes is about much more than aesthetics, and discusses how it can help protect your heart. 

Why do glutes matter for heart health? 

Strong glutes power everyday activities such as walking, climbing stairs, standing up from a chair, or carrying shopping. When these muscles are weak, other parts of the body, like the lower back or knees, often compensate. Over time, this can lead to discomfort and reduce daily movement. 

Regular activity is one of the most effective ways to protect your heart. Research shows that even small increases in daily movement, like walking more, are linked to a lower risk of heart disease. Strong glutes make movement feel easier, which helps you stay active consistently. 

Luca explains: “Cardio is essential for heart health, but muscle strength is often overlooked. Strong muscles support heart health, bones, balance, independence, and long-term quality of life.

“For best results, include regular cardio along with at least two strength-training sessions per week. Since the glutes are the body’s largest muscle group and support everyday movement, they’re a great place to start.” 

Glutes, energy, and metabolism 

Because the glutes are such a large muscle group, strengthening them has benefits beyond movement alone. When muscles work, they generally use glucose for energy. Therefore, doing strength training regularly helps improve blood sugar control and supports insulin sensitivity, which is important for overall health and specifically heart health. 

Luca adds: “People often think strength training has to be time-consuming. In reality, even simple glute exercises done regularly can help your body manage blood sugar and support heart health over time.” 

Maintaining muscle mass as we age is also important for supporting a healthy metabolism. From mid-life onwards, we naturally begin to lose muscle, a process called sarcopenia. Because muscle burns more energy than fat, even at rest, losing muscle gradually lowers the body’s resting metabolic rate. This means we burn slightly fewer calories over time at rest, which can make gradual weight gain more likely, even if eating habits remain the same. 

Luca explains: “Even simple glute exercises done consistently can support your metabolism and help you burn more calories at rest. Strong glutes aren’t just about aesthetics, they support your heart, weight management, and independence as you age.” 

Carrying excess weight, particularly around the waist, is linked with higher blood pressure, cholesterol, and an increased risk of heart disease.

Keeping large muscle groups like the glutes strong helps preserve overall muscle mass. This supports weight stability, a higher resting metabolic rate, and better long-term metabolic health. 

While glutes are the largest muscles, strengthening other major muscle groups, including the legs, core, and back, complements glute strength. Building overall muscle mass supports everyday fitness, makes daily movement easier, and reduces the strain on joints. 

Stronger glutes make exercise feel easier 

When your glutes are doing their job properly, activities like walking, cycling, or climbing stairs require less effort from smaller muscles. This reduces fatigue and improves movement efficiency. 

Lower-body strength also helps your body cope better with aerobic exercise. Strong muscles make everyday activities feel easier and more manageable, even at the same pace or intensity. This makes it easier to maintain moderate-intensity activity, the level most strongly linked with improvements in blood pressure, cholesterol, and overall cardiovascular fitness. 

In simple terms, when movement feels easier, you are more likely to do it regularly. And when it comes to heart health, consistency matters more than intensity. 

Strength training works best alongside regular aerobic activity such as walking, cycling, or swimming. Together, they provide the strongest protection for heart health. 

Posture, balance, and injury prevention 

Weak glutes can contribute to poor posture, such as slouching or excessive arching of the lower back. Over time, this may make daily activities feel more tiring. 

Strong glutes play a key role in balance and stability. They help control movement at the hips, which is essential for staying steady when walking, turning, stepping up or down, or getting out of a chair. 

As we age, we naturally lose muscle mass and strength if it isn’t regularly challenged. Reduced lower-body strength increases the risk of falls, a major cause of injury and loss of independence in older adults. Even short periods of inactivity following an injury can negatively affect heart health, as people often move less and lose confidence in their ability to stay active. 

Luca adds: “Glutes play a surprisingly big role in preventing falls. Keeping them strong stabilises your hips, which can help you move safely and more confidently every day, especially as you age.” 

Maintaining glute strength improves balance, reduces the risk of falls, and supports long-term independence. Even small improvements can make a meaningful difference. 

Simple ways to strengthen your glutes 

You don’t need a gym or heavy weights to start strengthening your glutes. Simple exercises at home can be adapted to suit different abilities. 

The UK physical activity guidelines recommend muscle-strengthening activities at least two days per week. These sessions do not need to be long and can use bodyweight alone. 

Examples of glute-strengthening exercises: 

  • Sit-to-stands from a chair
  • Glute bridges
  • Step-ups
  • Glute kickbacks
  • Romanian deadlift 

As your strength improves, exercises may feel easier. Gradually increasing repetitions, adding an extra set, or introducing light resistance (from a resistance band or dumbbells) helps maintain progress. Small, steady increases are safer and more effective than sudden large jumps in intensity. 

A good rule of thumb is that the last few repetitions of an exercise should feel challenging, but you should still maintain good form and breathe steadily. 

Luca explains: “Strength training should feel challenging, but not overwhelming. Start at a level that suits you and build up gradually.

“Choose exercises you can perform without pain and focus on perfecting your technique before increasing intensity. This is the best way to get all the benefits of a specific exercise.” 

Remember, the goal isn’t necessarily large muscles. It’s to maintain strength, support everyday movement, and protect long-term heart health. 

Bringing it all together 

Strong glutes are more than just an aesthetic goal. They: 

  • Make everyday movement easier
  • Support heart health and blood sugar control
  • Helpmaintainweight and metabolism 
  • Reduce the risk of falls and injury
  • Contribute to overall muscle strength, functional fitness, and independence

Incorporating glute exercises into a total-body strength routine provides maximum benefits for your health, both now and in the long term. 

Download Heart Research UK’s Free Resource 

To help you get started, we’ve created a ‘Glute Strength for Everyday Movement’ exercise sheet. It includes simple, step-by-step exercises to support mobility, balance, and heart-healthy movement, with options for different ability levels. 

These exercises focus on movements that strengthen not just the glutes, but other important lower-body muscles too, helping you build functional strength that supports everyday life. 

Download the free resource and take the first step towards stronger glutes and a healthier heart:

Glute-Strength-for-Everyday-Movement-exercise-sheetDownload

5 healthy eating tips you’ll wish you tried sooner

January often arrives with a wave of “new year, new you” messages – promises of miracle diets, detoxes, and overnight transformations. But what if, instead of leaning into strict restrictions, we embrace small steps and consistency? Because let’s face it, slow and steady always wins the race (well, the marathon at least)!

In this months Healthy Tip Amie Leckie, Registered Nutritional Therapist and Health & Wellbeing Specialist at Heart Research UK offers up her top five ways to eat better this year, not just for January, but all the way through to December and beyond!

Optimal health doesn’t happen overnight, it’s a slow and steady journey that requires small, consistent changes. The five strategies below aren’t rocket science, and you won’t need a degree in nutrition to understand them – it’s simple, back-to-basics stuff that doesn’t require any special supplements or equipment. If you are struggling with your health and want 2026 to be the year you finally tackle it, start with these five simple things and be consistent – you’ll be surprised with the results you achieve.

And whatever your nutrition goals are this year, we’ve got you covered with five delicious Daily Meal Plans to help get you started on the right foot.

Cook From Scratch

Cooking more things at home is one of the best things you can do for overall health. When we cook at home, we have complete control over the ingredients used. This allows us to avoid unhealthy additives, preservatives, and unhealthy fats commonly found in processed foods.

In addition, foods prepared from fresh ingredients are usually richer in essential nutrients compared to highly processed foods. Vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants found in whole foods are often lost or decreased during processing – by cooking from scratch, we ensure our bodies receive the full spectrum of nutrients necessary for optimal function.

If you currently eat a lot of processed foods such as ready meals, instant soups, frozen pizzas and flavoured yoghurts, start by committing to cook from scratch a few meals or days per week – slowly build up until processed foods form only a small part of your diet.

Batch Cook/Prep

One of the biggest barriers to consistently eating well is time, or lack of. When days or even weeks get busy, despite our best intentions, we often reach for quick, easy options and these usually aren’t the healthiest.

Amie Leckie, Health & Wellbeing Specialist says: “Setting aside a couple of hours each week to batch cook a few meals and organise snacks for the week ahead really can be a game changer.

“If you have carrot sticks and melon slices waiting for you in the fridge, it will be much easier to snack on those over crisps.”

Sunday afternoon is a good time, go shopping and get cooking – things like a batch of soup for lunches, hummus and veg sticks for snacks, boiled eggs for breakfast and a couple of batch cooked evening meals like curries or a veggie-packed lasagne are great options.

Even if you don’t want to cook the whole meal ahead of time, you can chop veggies, mix spices or marinate meats and fish – do whatever you can ahead of time to make the week run smoother.

Snack on Veggies

We all know that eating more vegetables is good for our overall health as well as our cardiovascular health, but without adding them into our days as snacks it can be hard to consume as much as we need.

All adults should be consuming at least 30g of fibre per day, but only about 4% of adults in the UK meet this recommendation. Upping your vegetable intake is a great way to add more fibre – raw veggies make great snacks that can be prepared in advance. Carrots, celery, cucumber, peppers, cherry tomatoes and sugar snap peas make great options.

If the thought of snacking on plain veggies isn’t for you, why not try some of our heart healthy dips to make those humble vegetables more appealing?

You can download our Dips Recipe Book here.

Stay Hydrated

Hydration is an essential part of nutrition and can either help or hinder your heart’s ability to work effectively. Studies have found that being adequately hydrated is associated with reduced long-term risks for heart diseases.

Did you know that over 66% of the UK population doesn’t drink enough water?

Amie says: “Every single cell in our body needs water to function optimally, its such a simple, yet often overlooked part of the health puzzle.

“If you are even moderately dehydrated it can impact your energy levels, cause brain fog and leaving feeling all-round rubbish.”

Most adults need to drink about 1.5-2 litres of fluids per day (milk and herbal teas count too!), you can download our 30-Day Hydration Tracker to help you keep track of this.

Meal Plan

Meal planning links in with batch cooking and prepping. Taking time each week to write down what meals you will eat each day will take away the decisions during the week making it less likely you’ll end up ordering a takeaway.

What’s more, you can plan your meals based on your goals – for example, if you are aiming to loose weight, plan high protein meals that will help keep you feeling fuller for longer, making it easier and more enjoyable for you to cut calories.

Amie suggests: “One of my favourite strategies is to meal plan very well once and never do it again. Make two or three weeks’ worth of meal plans, with accompanying shopping lists and then alternate the weeks.

“Three weeks is a long enough time that you’ll get in a variety of meals so you won’t be bored, and you can swap out the odd meal here and there when you find a new recipe you enjoy – spend some time doing it upfront and save the headaches every week!”

Heart Research UK Daily Meal Plans.

Each plan focuses on a key dietary principle that supports heart health, so you can choose what fits your goals and lifestyle.

Whether you want to boost your protein, add more fibre, eat more plants, or simply find healthier ways to celebrate, these plans are here to help you start the year strong.

Pick one that speaks to your goals or try a different one each week to explore new flavours and habits.

You might be surprised at how quickly “eating well” starts to feel like a joy, not a chore: download them now.

Healthy Heart Tip: Guide to children’s nutrition

Amie Leckie, Health and Wellbeing Specialist at Heart Research UK, explores how good nutrition is one of the most important building blocks for a child’s health and offers advice on how to support your child’s heart health.

In today’s world, where convenience foods are often within arm’s reach, it can be challenging for parents to ensure their children are eating nutritious, balanced meals.

Amie Leckie, Health and Wellbeing Specialist at Heart Research UK, says: “Children can be quite picky, and dealing with a stubborn child who refuses to eat any vegetables can be a real challenge.

However, making small, consistent changes in how we approach children’s diets can have lasting positive effects on their health, energy levels, and even behaviour.

At the core of a healthy diet are three main principles: eating foods as close to their natural state as possible, limiting processed foods and eating balanced meals.”

Prioritising whole foods

When we talk about whole foods, we mean foods that are as close to their natural state as possible. For example, a banana is a whole food and banana chips are a processed food; a potato is a whole food, but crisps, which are made from potatoes, are a processed food.

Whole foods should be the foundation of children’s diets as they are full of essential nutrients, which are crucial for a child’s growth and development.

“Whole foods include fruits, vegetables, wholegrains, lean proteins, and healthy fats,” Amie explains. “Fruits and vegetables, for example, are full of antioxidants and vitamins like C and A, which support immune function and eye health.

“Wholegrains like oats, brown rice, and quinoa provide steady energy throughout the day and help maintain healthy digestion.

“Lean proteins, such as chicken, fish, eggs, and beans, contain vital building blocks for muscle and support cognitive function. Including healthy fats from avocados, nuts, seeds, yoghurt and olive oil is important as these fats support brain development and hormone production.”

Childhood is a stage of rapid growth, and it is vitally important that we give their bodies what they need to grow properly. When children regularly eat whole foods, they get the nutrients they need to grow strong and stay healthy, while also developing their taste buds for healthy foods.

Limiting processed foods

Processed foods are foods that were once whole foods or a group of whole foods that have been modified somehow. When this happens, essential nutrients are lost and often, especially with pre-packed foods, ingredients have been added such as salt, sugar, sweeteners, flavourings and unhealthy fats.

Processed foods are everywhere, and they often appeal to children due to their convenience, added flavours and eye-catching packaging. For parents, it can be hard to avoid these, especially as children get older and start noticing food products in the wider world, rather than just what is in their house.

Processed foods include sugary cereals, crisps, fizzy drinks, fast food, ready meals, packet noodles and packaged snacks.

The added ingredients in these products can lead to overeating, energy crashes, and may increase the risk of childhood obesity, diabetes, and other long-term health issues, affecting children’s behaviour.

Amie explains: “The key to limiting processed foods lies in focusing on balance and moderation rather than completely banning them. It’s okay for kids to occasionally enjoy these foods, but parents should be mindful of how often these foods are part of daily meals. Try to cook as many meals as possible from scratch and limit your reliance on convenience foods.

“A helpful tip is to make healthier swaps where possible, such as offering water or milk instead of sugary drinks or opting for wholegrain crackers and natural peanut butter as a snack, rather than crisps and chocolate. Start with small swaps and layer them as the weeks go by, so it doesn’t upset your little one too much.”

Creating balanced meals

Thinking about offering balanced meals can help parents ensure they are providing nutrient-dense plates that will keep children nourished and full. A balanced plate typically consists of a variety of food groups such as vegetables and/or fruits, wholegrains, proteins and healthy fats.

“A good example of a balanced meal for a child could be baked homemade chicken goujons using whole wheat breadcrumbs, homemade sweet potato chips, steamed broccoli drizzled with a little olive oil, and a side of fresh fruit such as apple slices or melon wedges. This combination offers a range of nutrients, including protein, fibre, carbohydrates and healthy fats, which are essential for growth and energy. The combination of these foods will help keep children feeling fuller for longer and keep their blood sugar stable, which means steady energy and fewer sugar cravings,” Amie says.

Encouraging kids to eat a variety of colours on their plate is a fun and effective way to ensure they are getting a variety of different vitamins and minerals. Different coloured fruits and vegetables contain different antioxidants and nutrients, so diversity is key. Fruits and vegetables are a great source of fibre, which helps keep the digestive system healthy. Heart Research UK has created a Rainbow Food Challenge to help encourage your children and yourself to try some new foods, so download your copy now.

Amie advises: “Parents can often feel a sense of failure if their children don’t eat what they make or try tactics to encourage children to eat by offering rewards and treats, which in the long-term don’t help establish healthy eating patterns. Parents cannot control what children will decide to eat on any given day, but they can, to some extent and at least in the home environment, control what foods are on offer, and lead by example and nourish ourselves with healthy food.”

Building healthy eating habits from a young age sets children up for a lifetime of good health, which includes heart health. By focusing on whole foods, limiting processed foods, and creating balanced meals, parents can provide the essential nutrients their children need to grow, thrive, and feel their best. It may take time and patience, but with consistent effort, the benefits of a nutritious diet will soon become clear in a child’s energy, mood, behaviour and overall wellbeing.

Healthy Heart Tip: How regular exercise transforms heart health

Exercise isn’t just about hitting the gym or going for a run, it is any movement that gets your muscles working and burns energy. No matter your age, fitness level or ability, there is something for everyone. Lauren Hewitt, Registered Associate Nutritionist at Heart Research UK, breaks down the benefits of physical activity and simple ways to get started.

Many people believe physical activity is a scheduled “workout,” but it can take various forms. Walking to the shops, gardening, dancing around the kitchen, or carrying heavy shopping bags all count.

The key is finding what works best for you, so regular movement becomes part of your routine.

How much physical activity should you aim to do?

If you’re an adult, the World Health Organisation recommends that you carry out at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity per week. Muscle-strengthening activities are also advised for two or more days a week to reduce time spent sedentary.

Lauren Hewitt, Registered Associate Nutritionist at Heart Research UK, says: “Moderate-intensity physical activity can be described as any activity that increases your breathing rate, makes you feel warmer and raises your heart rate.

“You can measure this during any physical activity by seeing if you can talk comfortably, but shouldn’t be able to sing. This could include brisk walking, cycling or mowing the lawn.

“Vigorous-intensity physical activity is when you’re breathing hard and fast, but won’t be able to say more than a few words without gasping for breath. This includes exercise such as running, team sports or aerobics.”

Your heart is the hardest-working muscle in your body, beating over three billion times over your lifetime. By meeting or exceeding these recommendations, you’re helping keep your heart beating longer.

How does physical activity benefit your heart?

Like the rest of the muscles in your body, your heart needs to be worked out to stay healthy. Physical inactivity leads to a 24% higher risk of coronary heart disease.

Lauren explains: “Regular physical activity can strengthen your heart and reduce your blood pressure. As your heart becomes stronger, it pumps blood more efficiently, needing less effort to circulate it throughout your body. This can help lower your blood pressure and reduce strain on your arteries.

“Regular physical activity can also improve blood sugar control and reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes – a major cardiovascular risk factor. When you’re active, your body becomes more sensitive to insulin, allowing your muscles to use blood sugar more effectively for energy.

“When you are physically active, your cholesterol will begin to alter. Your LDL (bad) cholesterol levels may lower and your HDL (good) cholesterol levels may increase. You will burn fat and build muscle, which will help keep your heart healthy. Ultimately, physical activity is essential for a healthy heart.”

What about the benefits for the rest of your body?

Regular physical activity will help build cardiovascular endurance and muscular strength, improving flexibility and balance. Any activity that increases heart rate and blood flow will release endorphins, raising your energy levels and mood. Moderate-intensity activities such as brisk walking, jogging or tennis have been found to release the most endorphins.

Increasing your physical exertion levels will improve sleep quality and duration. Physical activity can also improve anxiety and depression by reducing the amount of stress hormones in your body, acting as a stress reliever. All aspects of your health are connected – these added benefits directly support your heart.

How can you add physical activity to your life?

Start with small daily changes to boost your activity and build healthy habits. This could be taking the stairs, walking instead of driving or standing on public transport. Over time, these simple and small actions become part of your everyday life.

“It’s important that you get involved in physical activity safely and at the right ability for you,” Lauren says. “Gradually build up your activity and work your way up to 30 to 60 minutes of physical activity per day.

“Don’t try to do all your exercise in one day, make sure you spread it out over the week. This will help you to avoid injuries, get your body used to new movements and be on your way to meeting the physical activity guidelines.

“Before and after any exercise, make sure you perform a warm-up or cool-down with gentle stretches or walking to prevent injury. Take breaks when you feel fatigued and keep hydrated during your activity, this will help you stay active throughout the week without making you feel unwell.

“If you don’t feel good one day, then take a rest day where needed before starting again.”

Motivation is key to setting goals and tracking progress. This will help you increase your physical activity and stick to a routine. You could monitor the number of steps you do each day or how long you’ve been active.

Remember, any increases in your physical activity levels mean that you’re improving your heart health. Download our Meals and Movement Journal here to track your daily physical activity.

Physical activity is a powerful way to protect your heart with small daily changes, it can make a big difference. To make it easy, download our ‘Design Your Own Home Workout’ and start moving toward a healthier heart today.

Healthy Heart Tip: How to drink less alcohol this New Year

Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by the Health Promotion and Education Team at Heart Research UK

Alcohol can often be at the forefront of the festive season. This time of year, is for gathering and celebrating with your loved ones, which can often mean consuming too much alcohol.

Over 60% of drinkers in the UK over-indulge during the festive period, consuming more alcohol than usual and having their first drink at an earlier time of day. Alcohol consumption can have a negative effect on the heart and a few drinks can cause you to sleep poorly and be tired the next day, making you reach for unhealthy foods for a quick energy fix.  

In this week’s healthy tip, we share some ideas for how you can reduce your alcohol consumption this festive season and enter the new year feeling full of energy. 

Alcohol-free drinks 

With so many alcohol-free alternatives of your favourite big-name brands now available, why not use Christmas as a time to try them out?

You may need to try a few to find one that you like, but often they taste very similar to their alcoholic counterpart. Even if you don’t quit drinking entirely, you can reduce the amount of alcohol you consume by alternating your regular drink with an alcohol-free version.  

Mocktails 

Mocktails or cocktails without alcohol are a great way to enjoy a tasty drink this festive season. Bars and restaurants often have a wide range of mocktails for you to choose from, and they’re usually cheaper too.

Be mindful when choosing your drink of how much sugar is in it, try to avoid those containing sugar syrups and fruit juices. Instead, opt for ones containing ingredients like mint, lime juice and soda water. A fancy glass makes all the difference, so why not buy some decorative cocktail vessels, and make some indulgent mocktails at home. 

Enjoy alcohol in moderation 

To look after our heart, we don’t have to stop drinking completely. The key is to enjoy alcohol in moderation and adopt other healthy lifestyle habits alongside this.

The NHS recommends drinking no more than 12 units of alcohol per week, spread across three or more days which is the equivalent to six medium (175ml) glasses of wine or six pints of 4% beer.

By not exceeding these recommendations, you may feel more able to be physically active and cook healthier meals. 

Healthy Heart Tip: Fats and heart health

Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by the Health Promotion and Education Team at Heart Research UK

Healthy Heart Tip: Fats and heart health

Many people believe that eating fats should be avoided at all costs, but fats are an important part of a healthy balanced diet and are needed for your body to function. However, consuming too much-saturated fat increases your risk of developing heart disease.

You should consume no more than 10% of your daily energy intake from saturated fats. But unsurprisingly, adults in the UK consume around 12.4% on average, which can lead to excess weight gain and heart disease.

In this healthy tip, we discuss the importance of fat, different types of fat and the sources of them:

Importance of fat in the diet

Fats are the body’s second source of energy, and our body uses them for fuel when carbohydrate stores have run out. We need fats in our diet so our body can absorb vitamins A, D, E and K, which are fat-soluble vitamins that can only be absorbed when there is fat present.

Fats also provide essential fatty acids that the body cannot make itself. These fatty acids help to regulate the immune and central nervous system, as well as help with skin health, brain function, heart health and cancer prevention.

Finally, fats protect the vital organs, including the heart, and insulate the body from extreme temperatures. Fats should make up 20% to 35% of your daily energy intake.

Types of fats

Saturated or unhealthy fats have a negative effect on your body and health. These often increase your LDL or bad cholesterol levels, which can lead to blockages in your arteries and a heart attack. Therefore, these should be consumed irregularly and eaten in small amounts.

Unsaturated or healthy fats can benefit your health and your heart. These increase the amount of HDL or good cholesterol in your blood, helping to keep your arteries clear and working efficiently. These should be consumed more frequently than saturated fats due to their health benefits, but they’re still high in calories and should be eaten in moderation, as part of a healthy balanced diet.

Sources of fats

Foods high in saturated fats include cheese, butter, cream, cakes, biscuits, coconut oil and processed meats. It is worth noting that whilst coconut oil may have some health benefits, it is high in saturated fat and its consumption should be limited.

Unsaturated fats are found in avocados, olive oil, nuts, seeds and oily fish. Types of oily fish include herring, pilchards, salmon, sardines, sprats, trout and mackerel.

Getting healthy fats into your diet

Some small changes to your diet can ensure that you’re eating healthy fats and keeping your arteries and heart healthy.

Try adding nuts to dishes such as stir-fry, salads, smoothies and yoghurts. Nuts and seeds make a great snack as they contain protein, which helps keep you feeling fuller for longer, pair them with some fruit to make sure you hit your five-a-day goal.

You could also use olive oil to cook dishes on low heat, or to drizzle over the top of salads and vegetables, and make sure you’re eating one portion (140g cooked) of oily fish per week.

The good and bad of cholesterol – what you need to know

Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by the Health Promotion and Education Team at Heart Research UK

Healthy Heart Tip: The good and bad of cholesterol – what you need to know

Did you know that more than two in five people in England have high cholesterol? High cholesterol often goes untreated due to its lack of noticeable symptoms, which leads to it going undiagnosed.

Even if you feel fit and healthy, make sure that you get your cholesterol levels checked at least every five years. Cholesterol can be influenced by lifestyle factors, but genetics also play a role. Without getting it checked you won’t know your results.

Here we explain cholesterol and give you some ideas on how you can maintain healthy levels:

What is cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a type of fat in the blood that is made in your liver. Additional cholesterol comes from the foods you eat, particularly those rich in fats.

Your body needs certain levels of cholesterol to be able to perform important jobs such as supporting the production of cell membranes, vitamin D and certain hormones. It is measured in millimole per litre or mmol/L. With total cholesterol levels of below 5 mmol/L being healthy.

Non-HDL cholesterol

Non-HDL cholesterol is often referred to as the bad cholesterol within your blood. Its role is to transport all fat molecules around your body. However, when there’s too much of it, it can build up in your arteries, causing them to harden and narrow.

This causes atherosclerosis and can lead to heart disease. High levels of non-HDL cholesterol are typically linked to diets rich in saturated fats (fatty foods) such as pastries, cakes and processed foods. Healthy levels of non-HDL cholesterol are below 4 mmol/L.

HDL cholesterol

HDL cholesterol or the good cholesterol in your blood picks up any excess cholesterol and takes it back to your liver to be broken down and removed from your body. Higher levels of HDL cholesterol reduce your risk of heart disease, while lower levels increase it.

To boost HDL levels, incorporate unsaturated fats into your diet such as olive oil, nuts and seeds, oily fish and avocados. Healthy levels of HDL cholesterol are more than or equal to 1 mmol/L.

How to keep your cholesterol levels healthy

Regular exercise and meeting the guidelines of 150 minutes of physical activity each week will help to keep your cholesterol levels healthy.

Her – Fri 3 February 2022 – Scottish Storytelling Centre, Edinburgh (© photographer Andy Catlin www.andycatlin.com)

Maintaining a healthy weight, not smoking and drinking limited amounts of alcohol also favourably impact your cholesterol levels. As well as eating a healthy balanced diet that includes oily fish, wholegrains, nuts and seeds, fruit and vegetables and limited amounts of processed foods.

Healthier lunchbox ideas

Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by the Health Promotion and Education Team at Heart Research UK:

Healthy Heart Tip: Healthier lunchbox ideas

With the summer holidays at an end, it’s time to think about what to include in your children’s lunchboxes for the new term.

Less than 2% of packed lunches meet the School Food Standards and often offer a less nutritious option than school meals.

Lunchboxes brought from home often include more processed and ultra-processed foods with higher amounts of salt and sugar than school meals. What you choose to include in your children’s lunchboxes can affect their behaviour, concentration and brain function for the rest of the day.

Here, we show you how to pack a nutritious lunchbox ready for going back to school:

Good protein source

Protein is essential for brain and body growth to help kids feel fuller for longer. Fuelling kids’ lunches with protein is crucial for helping them concentrate until the end of the day and supporting their development.

A great way to add protein is by making tuna, chicken or turkey sandwiches or wraps, adding beans and seeds to the lunchbox and including yoghurts.

Fruit and vegetables

Fruit and vegetables are full of vitamins, minerals and fibre, making them a great way to add colour to a lunchbox. This will help your child meet their five-a-day goal and feel energised throughout their school day.

So, why not include some vegetable sticks and hummus, or add salad to sandwiches, wraps or pitas? An easy way to ensure fruit is eaten from a lunchbox is to make it easy to eat, this might mean peeling oranges or chopping fruit into bite-sized pieces. Add a small squeeze of lemon juice over chopped fruit like apple to prevent it from turning brown.

Wholegrains

Wholegrains are a great source of fibre and energy for your child. Wholegrains, along with protein, help keep your child full and give them more energy to concentrate.

Wholemeal bread, wholegrain pasta, crackers or brown rice are some examples of where you can swap white carbohydrates for wholegrain varieties.

Hydration

Hydration is essential for your body and brain to work effectively. By including a drink in your child’s lunchbox, you’re helping to keep their brain functioning and ensuring they have optimal concentration.

Using an appealing reusable water bottle that your child has picked themselves can help encourage them to drink regularly. If it’s a warm day, you could add a small frozen drink to their lunchbox to help keep its contents cool throughout the day and encourage your little one to drink more.

Healthy Heart Tip: Basics of heart health and how you can reduce your risk

Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by the Health Promotion and Education Team at Heart Research UK

Healthy Heart Tip: Basics of heart health and how you can reduce your risk

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle can be challenging, particularly with the conflicting advice found online and on social media about what is good or bad for your health. Surveys conducted in the UK revealed 33% of men and 31% of women had at least two unhealthy traits that could be harming their health.

Coronary heart disease is preventable. By minimising your risk factors and eating a healthy diet, carrying out regular physical activity, not smoking and reducing your alcohol consumption, you’re helping to keep your heart healthy. In this healthy tip, we ways you can benefit your heart health and basic ways you can look after your health.

Healthy eating

Following a Mediterranean-style diet has been proven to be great for your heart health. This way of eating highlights plant-based foods, lots of fibre and healthy unsaturated fats.

The Mediterranean diet involves consuming lots of fruit and vegetables, wholegrains including wholegrain pasta and rice and wholemeal breads, nuts and seeds, beans and extra virgin olive oil. Moderate amounts of fish, seafood, poultry, eggs, cheese and yoghurt. Little or low amounts of red meat, processed foods, sweets, butter and sugary drinks.

Physical activity

Carrying out regular physical activity will help to strengthen your heart muscle to reduce your resting heart rate and blood pressure. You should aim to carry out at least 30 minutes of physical activity five times a week, this will help you to meet the recommended physical activity guidelines and keep you healthy.

If you’re new to physical activity, then make sure you gradually introduce it into your lifestyle and don’t run before you can walk. Try making the activities part of your daily routine and make sure it’s something that you enjoy doing, this way you’re more likely to continue doing it.

Quitting smoking

Seeking support to stop smoking from professionals will help you to improve your heart health. Try setting yourself a date within the next two weeks when you’re going to stop smoking and make sure to remove all your lighters, matches, ashtrays, cigarettes and any other reminders of smoking from your house.

Within six hours of quitting, your heart rate and blood pressure will improve and within two to twelve weeks your blood will pump more efficiently through your heart and muscles.

Reducing alcohol consumption

Drinking alcohol on a regular basis can increase your risk of developing heart disease, increase your blood pressure and cause weight gain. The NHS recommends no more than 14 units per week spread over three or more days, or skip drinking altogether where possible.

If you do regularly consume alcohol, then try to have more alcohol-free days within your week and make sure to choose lower alcoholic or non-alcoholic options where possible. If you need support to help you to reduce your alcohol consumption, seek professional help and advice from your GP.

Healthy Heart Tip: Make Your Summer Picnics Healthier 

Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by the Health Promotion and Education Team at Heart Research UK

Picnics are one of the best parts of summer and a great chance to spend some well-deserved time outside enjoying the sunshine.

The average person has around three picnics a year, so that’s 94 million picnics that happen annually. Dining al fresco doesn’t need to be boring or unhealthy, use this as an opportunity to continue your healthy habits and eat a range of nutritious and heart-healthy foods.  

Here we share some tips on how to enjoy a healthier picnic: 

Be Prepared 

There is nothing worse than tasty food that has been spoilt in the heat. Use this as the perfect time to invest in a cool bag or box that’ll keep your food cold and fresh for optimal enjoyment.

You might find it useful to get a picnic blanket too. This will not only give you somewhere more comfortable to sit, but it will also help protect you and your food or drinks from insects and damp ground. 

Make Nutritious Foods 

Preparing your own food at home will save you money and provide an array of heart-healthy, tasty options. If you want to eat a classic sandwich, choose a healthier wholemeal bread and fill it with a healthy protein and plenty of salad or vegetables.

Fruit skewers, roasted chickpeas, and homemade hummus with wholemeal pitta breads are great picnic options that are easy to prep in advance. 

Heart Research UK’s Greek salad or cheese and courgette savoury muffins also make tasty, heart-healthy choices. 

Enjoy Time with Friends and Family 

Picnics are great for socialising with friends and family to unwind from the stresses of life. Stress can increase both your heart rate and blood pressure, putting an increased strain on your heart.

Taking time out from your busy schedule to relax and socialise in nature over a picnic can be great for your health. 

Add in Some Physical Activity 

Why not use this designated time outside to increase your physical activity levels too? You could do this by making the picnic halfway through a nice walk or bike ride in the countryside.

Alternatively, you could take a frisbee or ball with you and play a group game of catch. By increasing your physical activity levels and eating healthier picnic food, you’re keeping your heart healthy.