Many of us are spending more time at home due to COVID-19 and this can mean reaching for the comfort foods when we feel bored, stressed or need cheering up.
On busy days, it is easy to pop to the kitchen and grab a quick lunch without thinking too much about whether it is good for you.
We have some tips for planning and preparing healthier lunches at home:
Include plenty of fruit and veg
Fruit and vegetables are packed with nutrients and fibre to help keep your heart healthy. Find healthy salad or vegetable soup recipes online or in recipe books to include in your lunch plan. Finish off your lunches with a portion of fruit and a low-calorie yoghurt.
Increase your fibre intake
A diet that is high in fibre can reduce your risk of heart disease. Good sources of fibre include fruit and vegetables, beans and pulses and wholegrain foods. Try to regularly include a portion of wholegrain food in your lunches, such as brown bread, wholemeal pita, wholemeal pasta or brown rice.
Include lean sources of protein in your lunches
Foods that are high in protein can help you to feel full for longer and this can prevent you from snacking on less healthy foods during the day. Lean sources of protein include grilled skinless chicken or turkey, canned tuna, soybeans, tofu and low-fat dairy products.
Plan your lunches in advance
Planning your lunches in advance will allow you to put a little more thought into what you are eating as well as saving you time and money. Try creating a weekly lunch plan before the start of the week and shop for ingredients in advance.
Prepare your lunches the night before to save time during busy days or try cooking large quantities of home-made soups and store single portions in the freezer.
Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by Dr Helen Flaherty, Head of Health Promotion at Heart Research UK
IMPROVING SLEEP QUALITY
March is National Bed Month and therefore there has never been a more relevant time to start thinking about our sleep.
Many people across the UK can find it difficult to get the quality and quantity of sleep that they need. Lack of good quality sleep can affect how our body works, such as by changing the levels of hunger and stress hormones in our body during the day, which can increase our blood pressure and affect our heart and circulatory system.
For adults it is recommended to try and get around 8 hours of sleep per night, but sometimes it can be the quality of our sleep which keeps us from topping up our energy levels.
With this in mind, here are some tips for getting the shut-eye we need:
Exercise
Exercising can strengthen our heart and arteries but can also improve the quality of our sleep. Whilst any kind of exercise can be of benefit, ensure that any exercise conducted 1-2 hours before going to bed is at a low to moderate intensity to prevent an increase in stress hormone release before going to bed. This may include a short walk or activities such as yoga.
Be Consistent
Having a consistent bedtime routine can help us to wind down during the evening. Simple steps such as taking a hot bath or changing into pajamas can help to prepare both our body and our mind for sleep.
Regulate Light Exposure
Light exposure helps us to regulate our body clock. When it gets dark, our body secretes a hormone called ‘melatonin’ which helps us to sleep. By getting exposure to natural light in the day and limiting our exposure to screens and bright lights late at night, we can help to improve our overall sleep quality.
Avoid Late-Night Coffees
It is recommended to avoid caffeine past 2pm. This is because caffeine, a stimulant found mainly in coffee and tea, has a half-life of around five hours. This means that if you drink a cup of coffee at 5pm, half of it will still be left in your bloodstream at 10pm and this can affect your sleep quality.
Avoid Alcohol
Although some people may find it easier to get to sleep after having a glass of wine, alcohol is known to stop us from being able to enter the deepest stage of sleep and therefore can leave us feeling tired the next day. Excess alcohol consumption can also lead to weight gain which can place strain on our heart.
Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by Dr Helen Flaherty, Head of Health Promotion at Heart Research UK
Sticking to a healthy diet can be easier if you cook from scratch. Ready meals, takeaways and pre-packaged foods can be high in fat, sugar and salt. Home-cooked meals are often cheaper, tastier, healthier and better for the environment.
It may also be quicker to rustle up a home-cooked meal, than wait for a takeaway to be delivered.
Here we provide some tips to help you find and cook some healthy recipes:
Finding healthy recipes
There are lots of healthy recipe books and websites available. When looking for healthy recipes, make sure you choose a trusted source.
Our new cookbook includes plenty of delicious and healthy recipes from well-known names, such as Joe Wicks and the Hairy Bikers. The recipes have been carefully selected by our Nutritionist for their use of fresh, healthy ingredients that promote good heart health.
When looking for a healthy recipe, make sure you pay attention to the ingredients list. Avoid recipes that include a lot of fat, salt, sugar or processed meats and cheeses. Healthier recipes include:
Fruit and vegetables
Wholegrain ingredients (e.g. brown rice, brown bread or whole-wheat pasta)
Lean sources of protein (e.g. fish, chicken (without skin), beans, pulses or tofu)
Low-fat dairy products (or alternatives), such as skimmed milk, fat-free yoghurt or soya products
Choose healthy cooking methods
Find recipes that use healthier cooking methods, such as steaming, baking or grilling, rather than frying or deep-frying in oil. Avoid recipes that cook with animal fats (such as lard or butter) and coconut oil as these are high in saturated fats which can increase your risk of heart disease. Choose recipes that use plant-based oils, such as rapeseed, olive, sunflower or vegetable oils.
Adapt your favourite recipes
Eating healthily doesn’t mean giving up on all your favourite foods. Read through some of your favourite recipes and try to identify ways to make them healthier.
This could include adding extra fruit or veg, switching from white to brown rice or pasta, switching from cream to low fat yoghurt, reducing the amount of salt and sugar or switching to a healthier cooking method.
For more tips on how to improve your heart health, visit the ‘Healthy Tips’ page on our website and don’t forget to check out our new Cookbook.
Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by Dr Helen Flaherty, Head of Health Promotion at Heart Research UK
Move more when staying at home
Getting motivated to exercise outdoors during the cold, dark winter months can be challenging. Keeping physically active this winter, while the gyms and sports facilities are closed due to COVID-19, presents us with a unique challenge.
Regular physical activity is strongly associated with a reduced risk of chronic conditions, such as cardiovascular disease, obesity and type 2 diabetes as well as improving mental health. Even small increases in physical activity can positively impact on health. Heart Research UK have some tips to help you keep active when staying at home.
Exercises you can do inside your home
Find exercises that you can do at home in short bursts of ten minutes or more, at regular intervals throughout the day. For example, you could try some gentle weight-lifting, using cans of baked beans. The NHS provide tips for exercising without gym equipment: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/gym-free-workouts/
Replace your daily commute with physical activity
If you are working, or studying from home, you may be saving time that would normally be spent on your daily commute. Why not put this time to good use by scheduling in some physical activity. For example, you could go for a brisk walk, jog or cycle outdoors or walk briskly around the house, including going up and down flights of stairs.
Don’t be a couch potato
Rather than spending your evenings sitting on the sofa without moving much, why not try a few gentle exercises, such as leg raises, while watching your favourite TV show.
It is common for children and young people to spend too much time sitting in front of a screen. Why not talk to your children about the importance of staying active and agree on a set amount of screen time each day/week and schedule in some time for getting active?
If you tend to engage in hobbies that don’t require you to move very much, look for new hobbies that will get you moving, such as gardening, walking, weight-lifting or dancing.
Avoid long periods of inactivity
Set a timer to go off at specific times throughout the day to prompt you to do ten (or more) minutes of physical activity. Any activity is better than none. You can include a variety of light, moderate and vigorous activities. E.g. a brisk walk, sit-ups, weight-lifting, gardening or housework.
The number of people following a vegan diet has risen in recent years and this month, many people are challenging themselves with ‘Veganuary’. A vegan diet contains only plant-based foods, such as grains, fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds. It is generally accepted that a vegan diet can offer benefits for the environment, animal welfare and your health.
The benefits of the vegan diet for your heart depends on which foods you choose and what else you do with your lifestyle. People who cut animal foods out of their diets tend to benefit from more fruit, veg and fibre and less saturated fat, with favourable blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
Why not try out some of our Vegan inspired Healthy Heart Tips:
Rapeseed oil, flaxseed oil, walnuts, green leafy vegetables and soya products contain omega-3 fat which, when swapped for foods high in saturated fat, like fatty meats and cheese, could help to protect your heart and arteries. To cut down on animal fats, why not try swapping minced beef in your recipes for lentils, beans or chickpeas.
Look for reinforcements
To make sure your body isn’t missing out on essential nutrients, a vegan diet needs to be well-planned and you might need to top up on some vitamins. This time of year when sunlight exposure is limited, everyone in the UK should consider taking a vitamin D supplement.
This is especially important if you’re cutting out animal products. You’ll also need to supplement on vitamin B12 as you can’t get this from plant-based foods. Check food labels for the word ‘fortified’- most vegan spreads, breakfast cereals and soya products have vitamin D, calcium and B12 added to them.
The vegan diet isn’t the be all and end all to good health, but taking a leaf out of the vegan way could set you off in the right direction when it comes to heart health.
So why not give it a go, start with one meal a day or one day a week and see how you like it.
Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by Dr Helen Flaherty, Head of Health Promotion and Education at Heart Research UK
Maintaining Healthy Habits
New Year’s resolutions can be a good starting point for making longer term health and lifestyle improvements, but most people who set New Year’s resolutions do not stick to them.
Reasons for quitting include a lack of time, a lack of support from other people and feeling daunted by unrealistic targets. This tip is aimed at helping you to succeed in maintaining your healthy goals in 2021:
Setting achievable goals
The first thing to consider is whether your New Year’s resolutions is achievable and realistic. Often, goals are unachievable because they are too difficult, or they do not allow enough time for you to make gradual changes. There is nothing wrong with aiming high and being ambitious, but it is important that your goal is not too difficult or time-consuming as this could leave you feeling daunted.
When setting a goal, ask yourself the following questions:
Is the goal too ambitious?
Is the timeframe for the goal realistic?
What specific changes do I need to make to achieve my goal?
Can I fit my new healthy behaviour around my other commitments?
Break down your goal
Breaking large goals down into smaller goals can make them feel more achievable and less daunting. For example, if you are aiming to lose weight, the NHS recommends that you aim to lose around 1 to 2lbs (0.5 to 1kg) a week. You should be able to achieve this by cutting down your calorie intake by about 500 to 600 calories each day. It might take you longer than you originally planned to lose the weight, but you are more likely to stick to it and not give up.
Plan for success
Make a plan of how you will achieve your goal and what changes you will make to ensure you stick to it. There are online resources available to help you plan your healthy activities, such as the NHS’ couch to 5km programme or the NHS’ programmes for stopping smoking, cutting down alcohol and losing weight:
The effects of your New Year’s resolution may take time to appear. Try to be patient and don’t expect the results from just one or two weeks of dieting to show on the weighing scales, as it may take longer.
Involving other people
A really good way to motivate you to stick to your goal is to involve other people. If you know someone who has a similar goal to yours, try to involve them as a “buddy” to provide mutual support for each other. They may even be able to push you a little bit harder, helping you to achieve your goals and resolutions sooner. You can also look for groups on social media who share your goal.
Do not beat yourself up
If you miss a fitness session, have an alcoholic drink, cigarette or bar of chocolate, try not to feel guilty about it. Think about what might have triggered the deviation from your goal and try to avoid it in future. Forgive yourself and aim to get back to achieving your goal as soon as possible.
Make changes that will last long term
On average, it takes between 21 and 28 days for something to become a long-term habit. Make goals that you want to be able to stick to long term, such as improving your overall fitness, stopping smoking or maintaining your weight.
If you can make it through these first few weeks, you will notice that things will become much easier. drinking you can get support by visiting:
Proud to stand out from the crowd, Heart Research UK is the charity dedicated to your heart. They inspire and invest in pioneering medical research, ground-breaking training and education, and in communities to improve their heart health for themselves. For over 50 years they have driven advancements in the prevention, treatment and cure of heart disease to benefit patients as soon as possible.
In the last 10 years, Heart Research UK has funded over £10.2m in medical research in hospitals and universities across the UK, as well as £2.2m on innovative community-based lifestyle projects to improve the heart health of the nation.
They like a personal approach, so if they want to contact you they do it themselves, and certainly don’t pay anyone to do it. They treat people how they would like to be treated themselves.
If you’d like to support Heart Research UK’s vital work into the prevention, treatment and cure of heart disease, please visit www.heartresearch.org.uk for inspiration on how you could help.
Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by Dr Helen Flaherty, Head of Health Promotion at Heart Research UK
Watch your stress levels
We all experience stress from time to time. There are many things that can lead to us feeling stressed. It can come from the news, our jobs, financial insecurity, health issues and personal problems. Feeling constantly stressed and overwhelmed can lead to a rise in blood pressure and resting heart rate, both of which increase our risk of having a heart attack.
We have some tips to help you avoid unnecessary stress and deal with existing stress in a healthy way:
What is stress?
Stress is essentially when we feel threatened or under pressure and our bodies are preparing to either fight or run away from our current situation. This so-called ‘fight or flight’ response should only occur on rare occasions and it is useful for getting us out of dangerous situations. For many people stress can be more long term and persistent and this can have a negative impact on our mental and physical health.
Avoid consuming too much news
Whilst it may be important for us to stay up to date with current affairs, a constant stream of negative news reports can be a source of stress and anxiety. The World Health Organization recommends that we watch, read or listen to the news to just once or twice a day for short periods. Why not schedule a daily timeslot when you will allow yourself to check the news (e.g. 7:00 pm – 7:30 pm).
Walk your way to a healthy heart
Not only is regular physical activity good for our heart health, but it can also alleviate stress. It is recommended that adults get 150 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity each week, such as brisk walking. When we feel stressed, we may tell ourselves we are too busy to exercise. However, physical activity does not have to be a time-consuming chore.
Incorporating small changes to increase our daily steps can improve our overall mental and physical health. You could start by making small changes, such as parking at the furthest point away from the shop entrance in the car park, getting off the bus a stop early, or leaving your office during your lunch break to take a walk.
Breathing and meditation
Just breathe. Despite the growing attention that meditation and breathing exercises is getting, it is still one of the most underrated things you can do to ease your stress levels and lower your blood pressure. To do this all you need is 10 minutes of your day to sit and do absolutely nothing but concentrate on your breathing.
Meditation is one of the simplest and cheapest ways of reducing your stress levels and blood pressure, and there are many free guided meditation resources online to teach you how to do it.
Ask for help
Sometimes stress can feel overwhelming and you may need a little help to manage it. Try speaking to a friend, family member or a work colleague about how you feel. If you think you would benefit from professional help, you can speak to your GP.
Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by Dr Helen Flaherty, Head of Health Promotion at Heart Research UK
Keeping a check on Cholesterol
Cholesterol travels around the body in our blood and it is present in our cells. We all need some cholesterol to stay healthy, but high levels of cholesterol can increase our risk of heart disease.
Nearly half of all adults in the UK are estimated to have high levels of cholesterol in their blood. Many people are unaware that their cholesterol is high because there are usually no symptoms.
In this healthy heart tip, we explain what cholesterol is and we provide some tips for keeping your cholesterol levels healthy.
What is cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a fatty substance made in the liver and it is present in foods, such as eggs, liver and prawns. Cholesterol is needed in the cells of our body. It helps to make vitamin D and some hormones which keep our bones, teeth and muscles healthy. Cholesterol also helps our digestive system process the fats we eat. Having too much cholesterol in your blood can lead to a build-up in your arteries, which puts you at a higher risk of having a heart attack.
There are two main types of cholesterol.
Low density lipoprotein (LDL) more commonly known as “bad cholesterol” and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) more commonly known as “good cholesterol”. Too much “bad” LDL cholesterol can increase your risk of heart disease. The role of “good” HDL cholesterol is to transport excess cholesterol back to the liver. Therefore, it is important that you have enough “good” HDL cholesterol and not too much “bad” LDL cholesterol in your blood.
What can I do to maintain a healthy cholesterol level?
The cholesterol we eat in food has little impact on the level of cholesterol in our blood. Making some simple changes to your lifestyle can help reduce your cholesterol.
Reduce the amount of fatty foods you eat
Saturated fat increases the amount of “bad” LDL cholesterol in your blood. Saturated fat is found in foods, such as meat pies, sausages, cakes, biscuits, butter, lard, hard cheeses (e.g. cheddar), and foods containing palm or coconut oils. Replace foods that are high in saturated fat with foods containing unsaturated fats such as, olive oil, rapeseed oil, nuts, seeds and oily fish (e.g. salmon and mackerel). Aim for at least one portion of oily fish each week.
Eat more fibre
High fibre foods can reduce your risk of heart disease and help lower the amount of “bad” LDL cholesterol in your blood. Good sources of fibre include fruit and vegetables (eat at least five portions every day), brown rice, wholemeal bread, oats, beans and pulses.
Get active
Aim to do 150 minutes of moderate exercise (e.g. brisk walking, swimming or cycling) or any activity which gets your heart beating faster. Active people have increased levels of “good” HDL cholesterol meaning their bodies are good at removing the “bad” LDL cholesterol away from the arteries.
Stop smoking
Smoking reduces the levels of “good” HDL cholesterol in your blood and this can result in higher levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol. If you would like to stop smoking, you can get help from your GP or the NHS Stop Smoking Service.
It is recommended that adults over the age of 40, or anyone at high risk of heart disease should get their cholesterol levels checked. If you want a cholesterol check, you should speak to your GP. Anyone can have high cholesterol and it is very common. There are usually no symptoms so, unless you get a test, you may be unaware of your risk of developing heart disease.
Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written and by Dr Helen Flaherty, Head of Health Promotion at Heart Research UK
Healthy Eating in Older Age
It is sometimes believed that older adults (65 years or over) do not need to eat as much because they may be less physically active than younger adults. However, eating a healthy and well-balanced diet is important for maintaining good health at all ages. Older adults are vulnerable to malnutrition and it is recommended that they eat the same amount as younger adults. We have some tips for eating well and looking after your heart in older age.
Keep an eye on your weight
The best way to know if you are eating too much or too little is to monitor your weight over time and check if your weight is stable. If you are losing weight without trying, you should speak to your GP.
Stay hydrated
Dehydration can occur when you lose more fluid through sweating and urination than you consume. Dehydration is a common problem in older adults. Try to drink 6 to 8 glasses or cups of non-alcoholic fluid every day, such as water, tea and coffee. Keeping hydrated can reduce your risk of a heart attack, while helping you to maintain your cognitive ability.
Get enough fibre
Constipation is a problem for many people in later life. Try to prevent constipation by staying physically active, keeping hydrated and eating foods that are high in fibre. Foods that are high in fibre, such as fruit and vegetables, wholemeal bread, wholemeal breakfast cereals and brown rice, play an important role in reducing your cholesterol and keeping your heart healthy.
Include good sources of protein every day
Eating adequate amounts of foods that are high in protein, as well as getting plenty of physical activity, can help to prevent muscle loss in older age. Good sources of protein include chicken or turkey, canned tuna, soybeans, tofu, eggs and dairy products. If you eat fish, try to eat two portions each week, one of which should be an oily fish, such as salmon, sardines or mackerel.
Include plenty of fruit and veg
Aim to have at least five portions of fruit and veg every day. Fruit and veg are packed with nutrients and fibre to help keep your heart healthy. Fresh, tinned, frozen and dried fruit and veg all count towards your five a day and you can count one glass of fresh juice as a portion.
Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by Dr Helen Flaherty, Head of Health Promotion at Heart Research UK
Healthy picnics
July is National Picnic month and this is a good time to get outdoors to celebrate the warm weather and enjoy some tasty food with friends and family. An outdoor picnic can provide the perfect setting for some fun activities to get your heart pumping.
Make your picnic a healthy one by following our healthy tips:
Choose a location for your picnic
Plan your picnic in a relaxing spot where you can include a brisk walk or some fun activities, such as a game of frisbee or rounders. Getting plenty of physical activity can help to keep your heart healthy.
Avoid too much fat, salt and sugar
A diet that includes too much salt, fat and sugar is associated with an increased risk of heart disease. Instead of taking crisps, salted nuts, sausage rolls, cakes, chocolate and sugary drinks on your picnic, choose healthier options, such as unsalted nuts, lean meat (e.g. chicken breast), fresh fruit and veg, low-fat and low-sugar yoghurts and sugar-free drinks or water.
Switch to wholegrain
Wholegrain foods are a good source of nutrients, including fibre, which is good for your heart. Try switching from white bread to wholemeal bread for your sandwiches or wholemeal pita or wraps. Salads can include wholemeal pasta or brown rice to increase your fibre intake.
Pack in the fruit and veg
Pack raw veg sticks, such as carrots celery, peppers, cucumber and sugar snap peas to have with healthy dips, such as low-fat hummus or tzatziki. For a healthy dessert, you could try making a fresh fruit salad or fruit skewers served with low-fat and low-sugar yoghurt.
Find healthy and delicious recipes for your picnic
There are plenty of healthy picnic recipes available online, such as the BBC Good Food Healthy Picnic Recipes:
