Tag: healthy tips

Healthy Tip: Avoiding Hidden Sugars

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

Healthy Heart Tip: Avoiding Hidden Sugars

Reducing our intake of sugar can have a beneficial impact on our heart health and reduce our risk of cardiovascular diseases. Consuming some sugar in our diet is perfectly fine, and many healthy foods such as fruit contain naturally occurring sugars.

However, it is the added sugar we need to be cautious of as this is usually what pushes our intake above healthy levels. We all understand that table sugar, soft drinks, sweets, and cakes contain high levels of added sugar and we can choose to eat these in moderation. However, many foods that we may not be aware of can contain high levels of sugar.

Yoghurt

Yoghurt is a great source of calcium and protein, but it can also be full of hidden sugars.

Opt for natural, unsweetened yogurt and avoid flavoured varieties, you can add fruit if you want to add some natural sweetness. It’s also a good idea to choose a live yoghurt, meaning it contains beneficial bacteria that our guts love, look for the word live on the packet.

Condiments & sauces

Ketchup is one of the most popular condiments worldwide. Most of us probably know it’s high in sugar, containing on average one teaspoon of sugar per one tablespoon of sauce.

However, many other shop-bought condiments and sauces we don’t think of as sweet can contain high levels of added sugar. Always check the label when shopping and consider swapping your shop-bought sauces for homemade, added sugar free versions like this veggie-packed tomato sauce.

Fruit juice

Although 100% pressed juice does contain vitamins and minerals, it’s devoid of fibre and very high in sugar.

Swap your fruit juices for eating the whole fruit which contains lots of fibre which also protects the heart. Save the fruit juice for special occasions, as you would other soft drinks, and only drink it alongside a balanced meal.

For more tips on how to stay healthy, sign up for our weekly healthy tips at:  

www.heartresearch.org.uk/healthy-tips.

Healthy Tip: Maintaining a Healthy Weight

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

Healthy Tip: Maintaining a Healthy Weight

Maintaining a healthy weight has many health benefits and reduces your risk of heart and circulatory diseases. When we consume more calories than our body needs, we store the excess as fat. The two fat types we want to reduce in order to lose weight and improve heart health are subcutaneous fat (the fat under the skin) and visceral fat (the fat around our waist and abdominal organs).

While it is a good idea to weigh yourself to track progress, we encourage you to focus on the lifestyle and health behaviours you can adopt, rather than obsessing over the numbers on the scales.

Below we outline three such behaviours that promote weight loss that you can start doing straight away: 

Move more 

Taking part in physical activity makes our body use more calories; the more we move, the more calories our body uses.

To lose weight, we need a calorie deficit, meaning we consume fewer calories than our body uses, this promotes weight loss and it’s why exercise is an important factor for losing weight.

For ideas on how to increase your activity levels, read the Healthy Tip on sustainable daily movement. 

Eat protein 

Protein is the most satiating macronutrient, meaning it makes you feel full. Make sure you include a protein source at every meal.

Healthy low-fat options include white fish, skinless chicken and turkey, beans, lentils, eggs, tofu and low-fat dairy products (milk, cheese, yoghurt). Adults should aim to consume at least 0.75g of protein per kg of bodyweight per day, on average this is 56g of protein for men and 45g for women, but check your body weight to work out your recommended intake. 

Avoid UPF’s 

UPF’s or ultra-processed foods are food products that usually contain long lists of ingredients and couldn’t be made at home in your own kitchen. Examples include carbonated soft drinks, pre-packaged snacks, cakes, biscuits, and instant soups/noodles.

While eating these foods occasionally isn’t necessarily a problem, many of these types of foods are specifically manufactured to make you want to eat more of them.

The calories per portion may be low, but you may find yourself more likely to overeat these foods in comparison to homecooked alternatives. Try cooking meals and snacks from scratch at home as much as possible. 

For more tips on how to stay healthy, sign up for our weekly healthy tips at www.heartresearch.org.uk/healthy-tips.

To help keep your heart healthy, why not try out some of our Healthy Heart recipes from our website: https://heartresearch.org.uk/heart-research-uk-recipes-2/.

Or have a look through our Healthy Heart cookbook filled with recipes from top chefs, celebrities and food bloggers: https://heartresearch.org.uk/heart-research-uk-cookbook/.

Healthy Tip: Setting Effective Goals for Your Health

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


Healthy Heart Tip: Setting Effective Goals for Your Health
January marks the start of a new year and it is a good time to evaluate the current state of your health.

Many of us use the new year to set health related goals, which often include stopping a bad habit or introducing a new healthy one.

However, a goal without a plan is just a dream and it is worth spending some time to set effective goals if you want to make positive strides towards better health in 2023. Here we outline some tips to set effective goals.

Make them SMART

SMART goals are:

SPECIFIC: ‘Eat healthier’ sounds like a good idea, but what does that look like for you specifically? It could be eating five portions of fruits and vegetables a day or increasing the amount of water you drink to two litres. Whatever it is, make it as specific as possible.

MEASURABLE: Set goals that are trackable and allow you to measure your success. For example, a goal to reduce your alcohol consumption is hard to quantify, but a goal to limit your alcohol consumption to three drinks a week is measurable.

ATTAINABLE: It can be tempting to set huge goals when we are feeling really inspired, however, it is important to think realistically and set goals that you can actually achieve. For someone who has never run before and doesn’t have a good level of fitness, setting a goal to run a marathon may be a bit of a stretch.

RELEVANT: Make the goal align with your values and longer-term health goals. Why is this goal important to you and what impact will it have on your health if it isn’t achieved?

TIME-BOUND: An effective goal has an end date, when will you achieve this goal by? Planning to stop smoking by 1st August 2023 is a time-bound goal. It enables you to plan what steps you need to take to achieve it by the end date.

Track your progress

It’s a good idea to write your goals down on paper or in a journal and keep track of your progress. You could break down the year by quarters and plan what you want to have achieved in relation to each goal by the end of every quarter.

For example, by the end of quarter one (January through March) you will have achieved consistently drinking one litre of water a day and by the end of quarter two (April through June) you will have achieved consistently drinking two litres a day. 

For more tips on how to stay healthy, sign up for our weekly healthy tips at www.heartresearch.org.uk/healthy-tips.

To help keep your heart healthy, why not try out some of our Healthy Heart recipes from our website: https://heartresearch.org.uk/heart-research-uk-recipes-2/.

Or have a look through our Healthy Heart cookbook filled with recipes from top chefs, celebrities and food bloggers:https://heartresearch.org.uk/heart-research-uk-cookbook/.

Healthy Heart Tip: Healthy Habits for Summer Holidays

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

Healthy Heart Tip: Healthy Habits for Summer Holidays

The summer holidays can be a stressful time for many families. Whilst they are a lovely opportunity to enjoy the summer together as a family, parents and carers can find it hard to juggle having the children at home with work, household and general life commitments. Naturally, during busy periods one of the first things to be pushed aside is healthy eating and taking time for ourselves to recoup and recharge.

We’ve put together some tips to help you get through the summer holidays and keep providing nourishing meals for the family – without going crazy:

Consider an early start

  • If you have older children who sleep well, you could try getting up an hour before they rise. This gives you an hour of calm before the hustle and bustle of the day begins, you can use this time to get on top of the household chores, get ahead of the day’s work commitments, do some meditation to set you up for the day or just have your breakfast in peace! Of course, this means going to bed an hour earlier to make sure you are getting enough sleep (seven to nine hours per night is ideal).

Meal plan

  • If you don’t already meal plan, now is the time to start. Having a comprehensive meal plan over the summer holidays will really take the stress out of eating well. We recommend planning for every single meal, including snacks, and have the plan pinned on the fridge for all to see. To make it easier still, use the same meal plan for every week of the holidays, as long as you have varied meals throughout the week, there’s no reason why you can’t eat the same and it makes shopping easier, as it’s the same list each week.

Write a diary/plan

  • Writing a diary or a day planner the night before each day can really help lessen those feelings of overwhelm we can experience when life is busy. It can also help calm and quieten your mind before going to sleep. You could group things into ‘urgent’ – those things that are priority and can’t wait and ‘can wait’ – those things you want to get done at some point, but if they don’t happen tomorrow that’s ok.

Above all, remember to not take on too much, and try to let the small things go as children can be demanding and take up lots of our energy.

There is plenty of information available online about free and local things to do during the holidays, so be sure to have a look and get out and about in nature everyday where possible.

For more tips on how to stay healthy, sign up for our weekly healthy tips at www.heartresearch.org.uk/healthy-tips.

To help keep your heart healthy, why not try out some of our Healthy Heart recipes from our website: https://heartresearch.org.uk/heart-research-uk-recipes-2/.

Or have a look through our Healthy Heart cookbook filled with recipes from top chefs, celebrities and food bloggers:

https://heartresearch.org.uk/heart-research-uk-cookbook/.

Healthy Heart Tip: World Breastfeeding Week

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

Healthy Heart Tip: World Breastfeeding Week

Research has shown that women who have breastfed at some time in their lives are less likely to develop heart disease or stroke, compared to women who haven’t breastfed at all. World Breastfeeding Week is celebrated every year across the world from 1st-7th August and aims to raise awareness about breastfeeding and its many advantages.

Here we explore some of them:

Any length of time is amazing!

Exclusive breastfeeding is recommended until six months, but any length of time a baby is breastfed is a health benefit for Mum and baby. There is a lot of evidence to show how beneficial it is to breastfeed your baby, especially in the early weeks.

Health benefits

Breast milk contains everything baby needs for the first six months of their life, in all the right proportions. Breast milk is easily digestible, absorbed and loaded with antibodies. Breastfeeding is recommended by the World Health Organisation for up to two years, and beyond, because the benefits are so vast!

Getting the hang of it

Feeding your baby can feel quite overwhelming at first – whether you are breastfeeding, bottle feeding with infant formula or a combination of both. We know it can take time to get the hang of breastfeeding. If you have any feeding worries or concerns, the best thing to do is speak to your midwife or health visitor for support.

The benefits of breastfeeding are so numerous, and it’s the best start you can give your baby, if you want to and you’re able. Plus, we can’t discount the big benefits for Mum, for health reasons and convenience.

However, no matter what choice you make – you got this!

Other useful resources:

https://www.laleche.org.uk/

For more tips on how to stay healthy, sign up for our weekly healthy tips at www.heartresearch.org.uk/healthy-tips.

To help keep your heart healthy, why not try out some of our Healthy Heart recipes from our website: https://heartresearch.org.uk/heart-research-uk-recipes-2/.

Heart Research UK: Healthy Tips

Goal Setting

Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by Dr Helen Flaherty, Head of Health Promotion at Heart Research UK

It’s never too late in the year to think about setting some personal targets. Research indicates that the first key step to making positive changes to our lifestyle is setting a goal.

With this in mind, here are some of the things you may consider when setting a target to improve your heart health:

Be Clear About What You Want to Achieve

Detailed, specific goals that use some sort of framework such as SMART can help us to set correspondingly clear actions on how to achieve our goal. Try and avoid goals which include statements such as ‘do your best’ and rather opt for an objective measure to assess your performance against such as ‘score above 80%’.

Be Like Goldilocks

We know that setting goals that are either too challenging or too easy will reduce your likelihood of success. Goals need to be ‘just right’ by offering a level of challenge whilst also being realistic.

Break It Down

Try to include regular check-ins to assess your progress and adjust your goal if necessary. For example, if you are looking to lose weight, you may schedule a monthly weigh-in.

Write It Down

It can be useful to commit to your goal with a pencil and paper. Interestingly, those who sign a ‘contract’ of commitment to their goal will typically improve their chances of goal achievement; this could be a post-it note on the fridge or a handwritten pledge that you keep on your desk.

Share It

Research also indicates that sharing our goal with someone else can improve accountability, and thus increase our likelihood of success.

For more tips on how to improve your heart health, visit the ‘Healthy Tips’ page on our website.

Health Research UK Healthy Tips: reduce time spent sitting

Unless you are a wheelchair user, there is evidence to show that prolonged periods of sitting can increase your risk of developing heart disease. Modern technology has changed how we spend our work and leisure time. It is not uncommon for people to spend several hours every day sitting behind a desk, watching TV, playing computer games or sitting at the wheel of a car.

We have some tips to reduce the amount of time you spend sitting.

The NHS provides advice on activities that are suitable for wheelchair users with different physical abilities: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/wheelchair-users-fitness-advice/

Take regular breaks from your seat

Whenever you are going to be sitting for prolonged periods of time, set an alarm to remind yourself to get up and move around regularly. If you are sitting watching TV, why not use the advert breaks to prompt you to get moving. You could use this time to run up and down the stairs, dance around the living room or do some star jumps.

Step away from your desk

The government has recently advised us to work from home over the winter if we can. As a result of this, many people are missing out on their active commute to work, such as walking or cycling.

If you are working from home without moving much, you could set a timer to remind yourself to get up and move at regular intervals. Why not set yourself a 5 to 10 minute chore to complete once an hour that will get you moving, such as hanging laundry, hoovering or cleaning windows.

Active phone calls

Avoid staying seated during phone calls. Use the opportunity to walk around or do some squats and lunges.

If you own exercise equipment, such as a stationary bike or treadmill, you could hop on for the duration of your phone call. Be careful not to get too out of breath during your phone call. You could pump up the pace for a few minutes after the call ends.

Choose hobbies that will get you moving

If your hobbies involve lots of time sitting, such as needlework, computer games, board games, reading or painting, try to get up and move around at regular intervals.

You could set a timer to remind yourself to move more often. You could also look for new hobbies that will get you moving more, such as gardening, walking and DIY. If you enjoy reading, why not listen to an audio book through headphones while you take a walk or read while you pedal on a stationary bike.

Is online shopping keeping you in your seat?

Unless you are shielding or self-isolating due to COVID-19, you could switch from sitting in front of a screen to do online food shopping and start walking or cycling to the shops instead.

Not only will this increase your physical activity, but it will also free up supermarket delivery slots for vulnerable people who need them the most.

You can find more healthy tips, recipes and advice at heartresearch.org.uk.

Heart Research UK Healthy tip – Reduce red and processed meat

Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by Dr Helen Flaherty, Head of Health Promotion at Heart Research UK

Reduce red and processed meat

Meat and fish are excellent sources of protein as well as some vitamins and minerals. However, many red and processed meats are high in saturated fat. Too much saturated fat in the diet can raise the amount of LDL cholesterol (also known as bad cholesterol) in your blood.

High LDL (bad) cholesterol increases your risk of heart disease. The NHS recommends a daily meat intake of no more than 70 grams. Reducing your intake of red and processed meats will not only benefit your health, but it is also good for the environment.

We have some tips to help you reduce your red and processed meat consumption:

What are red, white and processed meats?

Red meat includes beef, lamb and pork and it tends to be higher in saturated fat. White meat, such as chicken and turkey are lower in total fat and saturated fat. Processed meat includes smoked, cured and preserved meats, such as bacon, salami, sausages and ham.

What are the pros and cons of eating meat?

You do not have to eat meat in order to get all the nutrients you need to stay healthy. The table below highlights some of the positive and negatives of meat consumption.

Positives

  • Meat is high in protein, which is essential for growth and repair. Protein provides the body with energy and it can keep you feeling fuller for longer.
  • Animal products contain vitamin B12 and red meat is also a good source of iron.
  • Vitamin B12 and iron are important in the production of red blood cells and for transporting oxygen around the body.

Negatives

  • Red and processed meat can be high in saturated fat, which increases the likelihood of having raised LDL (bad) cholesterol in your blood. This can lead to a blockage in the coronary arteries, the vessels which supply your heart with blood.
  • High red and processed meat consumption is also associated with increased rates of bowel cancer.
  • Eating a lot of meat has a negative impact on the environment. 

Take a break from red and processed meat once a week

Don’t feel pressured to cut out all meat from your diet. If you tend to eat red and/or processed meat most days, why not challenge yourself to one meat-free day every week? Try searching online or in cookbooks for meat-free recipes.

You can also get some inspiration by visiting: https://www.meatfreemondays.com/

Switch to white meat or fish

If you eat a lot of red and processed meat, try switching to chicken, turkey or fish instead. This will help to reduce your saturated fat intake. Aim to eat two portions of fish every week, one of which should be an oily fish. Oily fish, such as salmon, sardines and mackerel, contain omega-3 fatty acids which help to keep your heart healthy.

Try some vegetarian alternatives

Meat substitutes, such as vegetarian sausages, mince and burgers are lower in saturated fat compared to equivalent meat products. Explore different meat substitutes and find out which you like, you might surprise yourself!

Keep an eye on the food labels as some meat substitutes are high in calories and salt.

If you’re not a fan of ‘fake meat’ you could try products made with beans, pulses and nuts as these are all good sources of protein. If you do not eat oily fish, you can get omega-3 fatty acids from nuts and seeds, such as walnuts and pumpkin seeds.

You can find more healthy tips, recipes and advice at heartresearch.org.uk.

Heart Research UK Healthy tip – Stay Hydrated

Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by Dr Helen Flaherty, Head of Health Promotion at Heart Research UK

STAY HYDRATED

Staying hydrated throughout the day is really important for keeping your heart and circulatory system healthy. Dehydration makes the heart work harder and it can cause your blood pressure to drop. Being hydrated can also help with weight loss as thirst can quite often feel the same as hunger!

During hot weather, or physical activity, we lose water through sweating and this can lead to dehydration. Guidance says we should aim to drink between 6-8 cups of fluid every day.

Have a read of some of our tips below to help you stay hydrated.

How do I know if I am dehydrated?

When you become dehydrated, you may notice symptoms such as headaches, tiredness, irritability or difficulty concentrating. The easiest way to tell if you are dehydrated is the colour of your urine. If your urine is pale and clear then you’re hydrated. However, if your urine becomes more yellow, brown or dark in colour with a strong smell, this suggests you aren’t drinking enough.

I’m struggling to keep hydrated – what can I do?

Regular drinks of water throughout the day is the best way to keep hydrated. Water is always best, but if you don’t like water, or want to mix things up, fluids such as herbal teas and sugar-free squash are also good. You should avoid having too many drinks with added sugar and caffeine in them, such as sweet tea and coffee, energy drinks or sugary pop.

Keeping hydrated out and about

If you’re going out for the day, make sure you take a drink with you. You can also get water from foods. Fruit and vegetables tend to have a high water content, especially cucumber, watermelon, tomatoes, oranges and apples.

Try snacking on these foods rather than foods with a high fat and salt content, such as crisps or salted nuts, as these can make you feel thirsty.

You can find more healthy tips, recipes and advice at heartresearch.org.uk.

Heart Research UK: Look after your heart and mind

HEALTHY HEART TIPS

Look after your heart and mind

Approximately one in four people in the UK will experience mental health problems, such as anxiety, depression or schizophrenia (writes Dr Helen Flaherty, Head of Health Promotion at Heart Research UK).

People with mental health problems have an increased risk of developing heart disease.

If you are living with a mental health condition, there are things you can do to reduce this risk. Looking after your physical health can reduce your risk of developing heart disease as well as impacting positively on your mental health.

·         Follow a healthy diet and maintain a healthy weight

Eating a healthy diet can have a positive impact on your mood. Changing dietary habits can  be difficult, but small changes can make a big difference. Try to plan healthy meals in advance and make sure you include five portions of fruit and veg every day.

·         Stay hydrated

If you are not adequately hydrated, you may find it difficult to think clearly and concentrate. Try to drink 6 to 8 glasses/cups of fluid each day. Water is a cheap and healthy option. Tea, coffee and juices all count, but these may be high in sugar or caffeine.

·         Get plenty of physical activity

Being physical activity can help to improve your mood. Try to establish a realistic physical activity routine that fits in with your commitments. If you are not very active now, you should start slowly and try to be active every day, for example by going out for a short walk. If you do not feel like going outside, try exercising indoors.

·         Cut down on alcohol

Alcohol acts as a depressant and can have a negative impact on your mental health as well increasing your risk of heart disease. Try cutting down on alcohol by swapping to drinks with a lower alcohol content or having a soft drink between alcoholic drinks.

·         Stop smoking

Smoking in people with mental health conditions is higher than the general population. Stopping smoking will reduce your risk of developing heart disease and other serious health problems. Stopping smoking is more successful if you plan ahead. Speak to your GP or pharmacist about the support and set a date to stop smoking. Calculate how much money you are saving by not smoking and use this to reward yourself.