Tag: Heart Research UK

Cut down on sugar in your drinks

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

Cut down on sugar in your drinks

TODAY 14th November is World Diabetes Day. Consuming too much sugar in your diet can lead to weight-gain as well as increasing your risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

Over a quarter of the added sugar in our diets is believed to come from the drinks we consume. The focus of this week’s tip is on reducing the amount of sugar in your drinks.

Choose sugar-free or reduced-sugar drinks

When you feel thirsty, water is always the best option. Try swapping your sugary soft drink for a glass of water or a sugar-free or reduced-sugar drink. If you are not keen on the taste of water, you could try adding a slice of lemon and/or some mint leaves.

 

Save sugary drinks for an occasional treat

If you don’t want to stop drinking your favourite sugary drink permanently, try limiting the amount you drink by consuming it less frequently and in smaller quantities. Unsweetened fruit juices and smoothies also contain sugar, so try to limit your intake to no more than 150ml a day.

Avoid adding sugar, syrups and honey to hot drinks

If you usually add sugar, syrups or honey to hot drinks, why not gradually reduce the amount you add, until you can cut it out altogether. Alternatively, you could use an artificial sweetener, however this will not help you to adjust your taste preference for sweet drinks.

Cut down on sugar from alcoholic drinks

Alcoholic drinks can be high in sugar. A pint of cider contains around five teaspoons of sugar. Try to reduce your sugar intake by consuming alcoholic drinks less frequently, in smaller measures and by combining alcoholic drinks with sugar-free or reduced-sugar mixers, such as sugar-free tonic water.

A recent report from Action on Sugar identified very high levels of sugar in ready to drink alcoholic beverages, such as cans of ready mixed cocktails (http://www.actiononsugar.org/media/actiononsugar/Alcohol-Survey-Report.pdf).

For more healthy tips, recipes and advice, please visit heartresearch.org.uk.

Grab some art and help some hearts

Heart Research UK launch art inspired fundraising campaign where YOU can bag a piece of original world-class art

National charity Heart Research UK have launched the ‘anonymous heART project’ 2020. The online fundraising campaign will see hundreds of anonymous one-of-a-kind masterpieces created by huge names from the worlds of art and entertainment, go under eBay’s virtual hammer to raise money for life-saving research.

Robert Smith (The Cure), Ralph Steadman, Joe Lycett, and Ashley Jackson are just a few of the hundreds of international stars and artists who have created stunning original A5 pieces.

Their pieces will be auctioned alongside over 450 others, created by a host celebrities and international artists on eBay from the 6th – 15th November 2020.

You can bid on your favourite piece here – 

https://heartresearch.org.uk/anonymous-heart/

The twist? Though the list of artists will be available to all bidders, the artist of each individual piece will be kept anonymous, only being revealed once the auction is over. Could you bag yourself an original masterpiece for a bargain price?

All the money raised will fund Heart Research UK’s vital medical research into the prevention, treatment and cure of heart disease.

Kate Bratt-Farrar, Chief Executive of Heart Research UK, said: “The anonymous heART project is one of the most exciting projects Heart Research UK has ever run. The quantity and quality of the artwork that we have received from artists, designers and celebrities all over the world has been astounding.

“At Heart Research UK, we’re always looking for fun and interesting ways to raise money. The anonymous heART project allows people to support ground-breaking medical research but also get a little something back, owning their own mini-masterpiece created by an artist or celeb.

“What makes this project so special is that everyone has the chance to own a piece of iconic art; it really is making high class art available to all.

“All of the money we raise will help us continue our pioneering medical research, helping us benefit patients as soon as possible.”

A Healthy Halloween

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

Halloween is approaching fast and the shops are filling up with spooky costumes, decorations, pumpkins and sugary treats. It can be difficult to avoid overindulging on sweets and chocolate at Halloween, but there are some healthy swaps you can make.

Before you head out to buy bags of sugary and fatty Halloween treats, why not consider celebrating Halloween in a healthier way.

Here’s some ideas to help you enjoy a healthier Halloween:

• Whizz up some ‘vampire blood’ smoothies by blending strawberries, raspberries and blueberries that are packed full of antioxidants to keep your heart and arteries healthy.

• Pumpkin is high in fibre, vitamins and minerals and low in calories. When hollowing out your pumpkin lantern, save the flesh to make tasty pumpkin soup and call it ‘witches’ brew’. You can find many more healthy pumpkin recipes here

• Swap some of the sweets for ‘bat droppings’ of dried fruit and unsalted nuts and give your little monsters a boost of vitamins, minerals and fibre, as well as plenty of energy to run around in their scary costumes.

• Buy Halloween-themed toys, puzzles, magazines or stationery to give the kids, instead of sweets and chocolate.

Heart research UK Healthy tip – Sober October

Go Sober for October

This month is Sober October, when lots of people around the UK stop drinking alcohol for the month. If you have not yet joined in, it is not too late!

Research has found that alcohol consumption has increased in one fifth of people due to the coronavirus pandemic. As many as two fifths of people who have been furloughed are thought to be drinking more alcohol. Drinking in excess can increase your blood pressure and lead to weight gain, which is bad news for your heart.

If you have stopped drinking for October, we have some tips to keep you on track:

We hope these tips will help you if you are thinking about stopping drinking, but haven’t yet taken the plunge: 

  • Avoid temptation by not having alcohol in the house
  • Tell other people you have stopped drinking. By telling other people about it, you are more likely to stick to your goal
  • Reward yourself for your success. Decide on a reward that will motivate you to achieve your goal and keep reminding yourself about it whenever you are tempted to have a drink.
  • Regularly remind yourself of the health and financial benefits of not drinking. You could use the money you save to buy yourself a reward.
  • If you go back to drinking after October, keep a drink diary to record your weekly alcohol intake. If you are consuming more than 14 units a week, take steps to address it.
  • You can get help with calculating your alcohol units here: https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/for-your-body/drink-less/know-your-alcohol-units/

If you are concerned about your drinking, you can find further support and advice from the NHS: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/alcohol-support/

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

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: Managing stress

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.

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

Heart Research UK Healthy tip – Reducing your sugar intake

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

Reducing your sugar intake

Around 63% of adults in the UK are either overweight or obese. Excess weight gain occurs when you consume more calories (energy) than you need. Maintaining a healthy weight can reduce your risk of heart disease. Sugar provides energy and consuming too much can lead to weight gain.

In this Healthy Tip, we provide some tips for lowering your intake of sugary foods and drinks to help you achieve and maintain a healthy weight.

Check food labels

When checking food labels be aware that added sugar can be listed in a variety of ways, such as sucrose, glucose, maltose, fructose, dextrose, honey, syrup, molasses, treacle or fruit juice concentrates. The food label may also provide information on
how much sugar is contained.

High in sugar – Foods that are high in sugar contain 22.5g or more of total sugars per 100g

Low in sugar – Foods that are low in sugar contain 5g or less of total sugars per 100g

Save sugary foods and drinks for an occasional sweet treat

We all like to have a treat from time to time, but if we consume sugary foods and drinks too often, it can be a risk to our health. Sugar is added to many commonly consumed food and drink products, such as cakes, biscuits, puddings, sweets, chocolate, soft drinks and sweetened yoghurts. Try to limit the amount of these foods and drinks in your diet by eating them less often and in smaller portions.

Reduce sugar in your drinks

If you usually add sugar to hot drinks, why not cut back gradually on the amount of sugar you add, until you can cut it out altogether. Alternatively, you could opt for an artificial sweetener, however this will not help you to adjust your taste preference for less sugary drinks. Try swapping sugary soft drinks for water, sugar-free or reduced-sugar drinks. Unsweetened fruit juices and smoothies also contain sugar so try to limit your intake to no more than 150ml a day.

Reduce your sugar intake at breakfast time

Frosted, chocolate or honey-covered breakfast cereals tend to be high in sugar. Try replacing these with unsweetened wholegrain breakfast cereals. For added sweetness, you could top your breakfast cereal with fruit, such as sliced bananas or berries and this will also contribute to your 5 a day.

Switch to low-sugar desserts

For a low-sugar dessert try adding fruit to a low-fat and low-sugar yoghurt. If using tinned fruit, choose tins in juice rather than
syrup. If you cannot resist a sugary pudding, eating a smaller portion is a better option as it will contain less sugar than a regular-sized portion.

What about the sugars contained in fruit?

Fruit contains naturally occurring sugars as well as fibre, vitamins, minerals and water. In this combination fruit is generally regarded as being good for our health. Eating at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables every day is recommended as part of a healthy balanced diet.

Are honey and brown sugar healthy options?

Although they are often marketed as healthier options, brown sugar and honey are not better for you than white sugar. These products are simply different forms of sugar and they are all high in calories. Brown sugar is the same as white sugar, with a small amount of molasses added in to give it a brown colour and a different flavour. Although honey is a natural product, it has a low nutritional value and it is also high in calories. Therefore, you should try to reduce your intake of honey and brown sugar as well as other types of sugar and syrups.

Further information

If you would like further information on weight management, you can get advice and support from the NHS: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-weight/start-the-nhs-weight-loss-plan/

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

Heart Research UK Healthy Tip: Eatwell guide

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

Using the Eatwell Guide to plan your meals

A healthy, well-balanced diet is important for managing your weight and preventing serious health problems, including heart disease. The Eatwell guide is a visual tool that represents government guidelines on healthy eating.
In this Healthy Tip, we give you some tips for planning a healthy, well-balanced diet using the Eatwell Guide.

What is the Eatwell Guide?

The Eatwell Guide shows the proportions of different types of food that make up a healthy diet. This is represented as a plate, which is divided into five food groups.

The Eatwell Guide is appropriate for most people, but it should not be used in meal-planning for very young children.

It is not essential to achieve this balance with every meal, but it is good to try to get the proportions right over a day or longer. Try to consume a variety of foods from each of the food groups to ensure you consume a range of nutrients.

Fruit and vegetables

Fruit and vegetables should make up over a third of the foods in your diet as they are a good source of vitamins, minerals and fibre. However, most people do not eat enough.

Fresh, frozen, tinned, dried or juiced fruit and vegetables all count.

Fruit juice and/or smoothies should be limited to around 150ml a day due to their high sugar and low fibre content. Try adding fruit to breakfast cereals and increase the amount of veg or salad in your lunches and evening meals.

Potato, bread, rice, pasta and other starchy carbohydrates

Starchy foods, such as pasta, rice, bread, breakfast cereals and potatoes provide us with energy and essential nutrients. These starchy foods should make up just over a third of your diet.

Choose wholegrain versions, such as wholemeal pasta, brown rice, wholemeal bread and wholegrain breakfast cereals.

You can also try to leave the skin on potatoes for extra fibre. Get your day off to a good start with a bowl of wholegrain cereal or a slice of wholemeal toast with some fruit.

Beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat and other proteins

Try to include beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat or other protein with most meals.
These foods are a good source of protein, vitamins and minerals. Try to choose a lean cut of meat, such as chicken without the skin, as it is lower in saturated fat.

If you eat fish, aim to have two portions every week, including a portion of oily fish, such as salmon, mackerel or sardines as these contain the essential fatty acids that are good for your heart.

Oils and spreads

Try to choose unsaturated oils and spreads, such as rapeseed, vegetable, olive and sunflower oils. Try to cut down on butter, hard margarine, coconut oil and animal fats as these are all high in saturated fat, which can increase your risk of heart disease. When cooking fatty meats, such as bacon, cut away as much of the fat as possible. All fats are high in calories (energy) and should be consumed in small amounts.

Dairy and alternatives

Try to include some dairy or a dairy alternative with each meal. Products such as milk, cheese and yoghurt are a good source of protein as well as some vitamins. They are also a key source of calcium which is vital when it comes to keeping your bones strong. Choose lower fat and sugar dairy products where possible. This includes reduced fat cheese or fat-free and sugar-free yoghurt.

High fat, salt and sugar foods

Foods that are high in fat, salt and sugar should be consumed in small amount.
These foods, which can be eaten as an occasional treat, include chocolate, cakes, biscuits, sugary soft drinks, butter and ice cream.

Water, lower fat milk, sugar-free drinks.

Aim to drink around six to eight glasses of fluid every day. Water, lower fat milk and low sugar/sugar free drinks (including tea and coffee) all count. Fruit juice and smoothies can also count towards our fluid consumption. However, they can be high in sugar and low in fibre, so we should drink no more 150ml of these in a day.

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

Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip: Smoking

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

SMOKING

In the UK around 6.9 million people over the age of 18 smoke. Although rates of smoking have decreased in recent years, the number of people who smoke remains high.

Smoking harms almost all organs in the body and it is the leading cause of preventable deaths in England. Smoking can damage your blood vessels and heart, which increases your risk of having a heart attack.

Quitting smoking can be very difficult, but it is an important step for reducing your risk of heart disease. We provide some tips for stopping smoking below.

List your reasons for stopping smoking

If you are trying to quit smoking, an effective and simple thing you can do to stay on track is to write a list of the reasons why you wish to quit smoking. Whenever you feel the urge to smoke, you can read this list and it should inspire you to keep going.

Decide a time

As soon as you stop smoking, your risk of heart disease will reduce. The sooner you decide to quit the better. Try to choose a date within the next two weeks. If you leave it too long, you will give yourself time to change your mind.

Make a plan for when you quit

Make a plan to quit smoking and ask your friends, family and co-workers for their support. Identify the triggers that make you feel like smoking and work out how to deal with them in advance. For example, if you hang around with other people who smoke, you could plan to spend more time with non-smokers or do smoke-free activities with friends who are smokers.

If you usually smoke during your break at work, plan to go for a walk instead. Dealing with cigarette withdrawal can be tough and it can lead to you feeling emotional and upset. Before quitting, ask people to be patient and understanding and remind yourself that these feelings are temporary.

Distract yourself when you get cravings

Cigarette cravings are intense urges to smoke. Quitting smoking requires a huge amount of willpower. Cigarette cravings are temporary and they can last for 5 minutes. To avoid giving in to cigarette cravings, try to distract yourself for 5-10 minutes. You could try doing some physical activity or a bit of housework, do a bit of colouring in or planning a healthy dinner. Once the craving has passed, you can give yourself a pat on the back.

You could also consider using a stop smoking aid, such as nicotine patches, gums, lozenges or nasal sprays to help stop the cravings.

Get support to stop smoking

There is a lot of support available for people who want to stop smoking. Getting support with stopping smoking can increase your chances of success. You could try contacting your local Stop Smoking Services or chatting to your GP. If you know someone who is also trying to quit smoking, you could offer to support each other. You could also seek advice from a friend or family member who has successfully stopped smoking.

You can get further support with stopping smoking and a free Personal Quit Plan from the NHS: https://www.nhs.uk/smokefree.

For more healthy tips, recipes and advice, visit heartresearch.org.uk