Tag: Heart Research UK

Healthy Heart Tip: Reducing stress levels this festive season

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

Healthy Heart Tip: Reducing stress levels this festive season

Feeling stressed at this time of the year? When you feel stressed, your body releases adrenaline which causes your breathing, heart rate and blood pressure to increase. These reactions give you the ‘fight or flight’ response, which helps you to deal with the situation.

When we feel stressed it can be easy to adopt unhealthy lifestyle habits such as eating unhealthy foods and not being physically active, which can increase your risk of heart disease. The key is to recognise when you are beginning to feel stressed and put things in place to reduce it. Exercise, socialising, sleeping, meditation and trying mindful activities can help to manage your stress levels.

In this healthy tip, we look at ways to reduce your stress levels.

Exercise regularly

Physical activity reduces the levels of stress hormones in the body.

Exercising regularly and aiming to meet the physical activity guidelines of 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity per week will help to lower your risk of heart disease as well as help to relieve stress, tension and anxiety.

Next time you are feeling stress, why not try walking or running in nature, meditation or a yoga class?

Spend time with friends and family

Spending time with friends and loved ones can significantly reduce stress by providing emotional support and connection. Socialising releases feel-good hormones like oxytocin, which counteract stress hormones.

You may find it beneficial to talk through your situation with those that you trust or simply use the conversations to distract your mind.

Find a new hobby

Engaging in hobbies can be a good way to destress by providing a creative and enjoyable experience.

Activities like cooking, knitting, drawing, gardening or taking part in sports or physical activities can help you to relax and refrain from dwelling on negative thoughts or worries.

Finding enjoyment in hobbies releases dopamine, which improves mood and fosters a sense of accomplishment. Try different hobbies until you find one that you enjoy and leaves you feeling happy.

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.

Healthy Heart Tip: Protein and heart health

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

Healthy Heart Tip: Protein and heart health

Many people know the benefits of protein for muscle growth and repair, but do you know the other benefits for your health? Protein is one of the main forms of nutrients you need for your body to function.

In the UK, on average, there is an over consumption of the recommended amount of protein but often from few sources. 

It is essential that your body is getting protein from a range of different foods to ensure you meet all your body’s requirements. Did you know that approximately 16% of the UK population follow a meat-free diet? These people may need to focus more attention on meeting their protein requirements than those who regularly eat meat. 

In this healthy tip we discuss the importance of protein, different sources and how to get protein into your diet: 

Importance of protein 

Protein is required for general health, growth and maintenance of the body’s tissues. It helps your bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments and skin to stay healthy and have structure, strength and elasticity. Protein helps your muscles to repair and rebuild after exercising and helps to increase your muscular strength.

It also supports the immune system by helping to form antibodies that fight against disease-causing bacteria and viruses.  

Protein has a satiating effect on the body and helps you to feel fuller for longer. It provides energy to your body, but only as a last resort if all your carbohydrate and fat stores have been used up. It should make up 10% to 35% of your total daily energy intake.  

Sources of protein 

Animal proteins are often more known and more commonly consumed than other protein sources.

These include meat and poultry, fish and seafood, eggs, and dairy products.

However, more people are beginning to follow a diet rich in plant proteins and consuming more nuts and seeds, beans, chickpeas, lentils and tofu.  

Getting protein into your diet 

You should try and include a portion of protein in every meal of the day, as well as in the snacks you eat. This will help to keep you feeling fuller for longer and reduce those cravings for foods with low nutritional value. 

For better heart health you should aim to eat a diet that is rich in plant foods. This simply means you need to consume lots of plant-based foods and proteins, and lower amounts of proteins from animal sources. This will not only benefit your heart health but also the sustainability of the planet.  

If you are consuming animal proteins, then red meats and processed meats are often high in fat and it is more beneficial for your health to consume leaner protein sources such as plant proteins, poultry and fish where possible. 

Healthy Heart Tip: Carbohydrates and heart health

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

Healthy Heart Tip: Carbohydrates and heart health

Carbohydrates are one of the main food groups, but many people are unaware of the different types of carbohydrates and the impact they have on your health. Did you know that sugar is a form of carbohydrate?

Carbohydrates come in all different shapes and sizes, some are good for our health and some are not so good. Fibre, which is a form of carbohydrate that is beneficial for heart health, should be eaten regularly as part of a healthy balanced diet, however only 9% of the UK meet the recommendations.

This tip shares the importance of carbohydrates in your diet, where you get them from, and how to increase your intake:

Importance of carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are your bodies main source of energy and should make up 45 to 60% of your total daily energy intake. They fuel most of your body’s cells to allow you to carry out everyday tasks and extra ones like exercise.

Any excess carbohydrates that you’ve consumed but not used up are stored in your liver and muscles, these are slowly released throughout the day for blood sugar stability and brain function.

Fibre, a form of carbohydrate that is naturally found in plants, promotes digestive health and helps to reduce your risk of heart disease.

It does this by helping to stabilise blood sugar levels, lower bad (LDL) cholesterol levels, reduce blood pressure and inflammation.

Sources of carbohydrates

Some sources of carbohydrates are more well-known than others, such as pasta, rice, bread, potatoes and cereal. These are often your main sources of energy and ones that you pair with other foods to create your meals.

It is recommended for better heart health to follow a diet higher in fibre and choose wholegrain or wholemeal varieties of pasta, rice, cereals and bread where possible.

Sugar is also a form of carbohydrate called a simple carbohydrate.

Your body can break it down quickly to provide immediate energy however, it doesn’t have much nutritional value and can be the cause of weight gain. You should consume this in small amounts infrequently.

Increasing your fibre intake

Increasing your fibre intake to meet the recommended guidelines of 30g per day should be done gradually to avoid any unpleasant symptoms such as bloating. It is recommended that you drink plenty of fluids when adding more fibre to your diet to keep your digestive system working effectively.

Making healthier choices and increasing your fibre intake will benefit your overall health. Make sure you eat 5+ a day of fruit and vegetables, whilst swapping your carbohydrates to wholegrain varieties where possible.

Dancing for heart health

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

Healthy Heart Tip: Dancing for heart health

Strictly Come Dancing is now back on your screens and regularly being watched by around 10 million people. Dancing is a fun and enjoyable form of exercise that is great for your heart, but only 17% of adults in the UK engage in it.

Whether you’re dancing at home in the kitchen, in a dance class or out with your friends, it is a great way to keep your heart, body and mind healthy.

Dance is an accessible sport that can be cheap and fun to do at your own desired intensity and has an added social benefit of bringing people together.

This healthy tip shares the benefits of dancing for your health:

Heart health benefits

Dancing is an endurance activity that increases your heart rate and improves your cardiovascular fitness.

When carried out regularly it increases your heart’s strength and helps you to maintain a healthy body weight, which supports healthy blood pressure. Dancing is also great for keeping your arteries clear from plaque build-up through increasing your HDL (good) cholesterol levels.

Other health benefits

There are many other benefits to dancing too. The physical benefits include increasing muscle mass, energy, balance and flexibility.

Other health benefits include improvements in mental health such as reducing depression, decreasing anxiety levels and enhancing both sleep and stress.

Recent studies have found an association between dancing and improved brain health through reductions in the risk of dementia.

Socialising

Dancing is a great way to socialise with your friends and family, whilst being able to meet new people.

Why not make an evening of it?

Put on some music and de-stress from life allowing the music to take control.

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.

Healthy Heart Tip: Know your numbers

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

Healthy Heart Tip: Know your numbers

When was the last time you had your blood pressure checked? Around one in three people in the UK have high blood pressure, and around six million people are unaware that they have it. High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, often doesn’t have any symptoms meaning that you wouldn’t know you had it unless you got it checked by a health professional or checked it yourself.

Several different factors affect your blood pressure, including physical activity, diet and genetics. Following a healthy or unhealthy lifestyle can impact your blood pressure readings. Everyone should aim for their blood pressure to be within a healthy range throughout the day especially at resting.

Here we give more information on blood pressure and the risks of hypertension.

What is blood pressure?

Blood pressure is the pressure of blood on the walls of your arteries as your heart pumps blood around your body.

Systolic blood pressure is the first (or top) reading that you get on the BP monitor and the higher number of the two. This is the maximum reading recorded when your heart contracts.

Diastolic blood pressure is the second (or bottom) reading that’s on the monitor. This is the minimum recorded reading when your heart relaxes prior to the next contraction.

Blood pressure readings

Blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury (mm/Hg) and is written in a form of systolic over diastolic.

A healthy blood pressure range is a reading below the healthy range is classed as having low blood pressure, and a reading from 121-140 systolic or 81-90 mm/Hg diastolic is within a raised range.

If your blood pressure is above this, then you have high blood pressure and need to visit your GP. High readings range from 141-160 systolic or 91-100 mm/Hg diastolic, with very high readings being anything above 160 or above 100 mm/Hg.

Risks of hypertension

Having high blood pressure increases your risk of having a stroke or heart attack. Uncontrolled high blood pressure damages the walls of your blood vessels, which results in plaque build-up and can lead to coronary heart disease or strokes.

It also damages the heart muscle due to it needing to work over-time, which can lead to heart failure.

Reducing your blood pressure

Physical activity and exercise are one of the best ways to strengthen your heart and reduce your blood pressure. Aim to carry out at least 150 minutes of physical activity each week.

Dietary factors such as consuming high amounts of salt and sugar increase your blood pressure and can influence weight gain. An easy way to reduce your blood pressure readings is by reducing your consumption of these by opting for low salt and sugar versions of foods, making sure you’re reading the food labels on packaging.

Consuming too much alcohol and smoking can increase your blood pressure too, so reducing these and stopping where possible will help your heart massively.

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.