Tag: Heart Research UK

Heart Research UK: Healthy Heart Tips

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

Physical activity for adults while staying at home

At a time when gyms are closed and the population is being asked to stay at home, finding ways to keep active can be challenging. 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 meet the recommended amount of physical activity while staying at home.

How much physical activity is recommended?

The Government recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity each week.

It is also recommended that adults engage in strengthening activities on two days each week, such as lifting weights or press ups. If you are not yet in the habit of doing this amount of physical activity, you can start small and build up to the recommended amount over time.

Moderate Intensity Activities

(150 minutes weekly)

Your heart will beat faster, you will breathe harder, you will get warmer and you can probably maintain a conversation

E.g. Brisk Walking or cycling

Vigorous Intensity Activities

(75 minutes weekly)

Your heart will beat rapidly, you will breathe much harder, you will get warmer and it will be difficult to have a conversation

E.g. Running or football

Replace your daily commute with physical activity

If you are working at home, you may be saving time that would normally be spent on commuting to and from work. 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.

Find a range of exercises you can do inside your home

Find exercises that you can do 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 on their Website

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.

Examples of some exercises you can do from your sofa can be found on the NHS website, and you can find lots more healthy tips, advice and recipes at heartresearch.org.uk.

Heart Research UK Healthy Tip: Healthy Eating at Home

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

Healthy Eating at Home

At a time when we are spending more time at home, shopping for food less frequently and no longer eating out, our usual eating habits may be disrupted.

Good nutrition is essential for good health and it is important that we do not develop less healthy eating habits during this time. Heart Research UK have some tips to help you eat more healthily at home.

  •  Establish a routine and plan your meals

Try to establish a normal routine by sticking to set meal times. This can help you to manage hunger and prevent snacking on less healthy foods. Plan healthy meals for the week in advance and make a shopping list. Planning your meals should help you to eat more healthily as well as reducing food waste.

You may find it useful to use the Eatwell Guide when planning healthy meals: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/528193/Eatwell_guide_colour.pdf

  • Avoid snacking on less healthy food

If you are making regular trips to the kitchen and snacking on less healthy food because you are bored, try stocking up on healthy snacks, such as fruit & veg, nuts, seeds, rice cakes, yoghurt). When we see junk food, such as chocolate, biscuits or crisps, it can be tempting to eat it, so you could try hiding the junk food away and making healthier snacks more visible. You can also try waiting until you are hungry before visiting the kitchen.

  •  Are you eating enough?

At-risk groups who have been advised to stay at home are likely to have a greater risk of malnutrition. Malnutrition is a serious condition where people do not get enough nutrients from their diet. This is more common in older people and it can increase the risk of infection as well as delaying recovery.

Some tips for avoiding malnutrition include:

  •  Eat a good source of protein every day (e.g. fish, meat, eggs, nuts, beans, tofu)
  • Consume 2 or 3 portions of dairy every day (e.g. milk, cheese, yoghurt or dairy alternatives such as soya milk)
  • Include starchy foods at every meal (e.g. bread, potatoes, rice, pasta, cereals)
  • Eat a minimum of five portions of fruit and veg every day
  • If you eat fish, aim for two portions a week and try to include oily fish, such as salmon, mackerel, sardines or herring
  • Drink 6 to 8 cups/glasses of fluid every day

Healthy cooking with children

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

Healthy cooking with children

Getting children involved in cooking from an early age can help them to develop the skills they need to plan and cook healthy meals throughout their lives as well as overcoming picky-eating.

With most children being schooled at home during the Coronavirus pandemic, now could be a good opportunity to teach them some healthy cooking skills. With fast food outlet closures, it may also be a great time to get your child to ditch the junk food and start enjoying some nutritious home-cooked meals.

Below are some tips for involving kids in cooking some simple and healthy meals at home. It is important that children are supervised by an adult, particularly when using sharp equipment or heat.

Meal planning

Try to involve the kids in planning meals by looking through the cupboards, fridge and freezer together to plan a healthy main course and a dessert. Use recipe books or find recipes online to get some inspiration. Encourage your child to include a good source of protein (e.g. eggs, fish, lean meat, lentils, beans or yoghurt), plenty of fruit and vegetables and a portion of carbohydrate (e.g. rice, pasta, bread or potatoes).

Develop your child’s technical skills in the kitchen

Younger children can safely learn how to use basic equipment in the kitchen, such as stirring food in a bowl with a wooden spoon or pouring ingredients into a bowl. Older children can be supervised when weighing out ingredients, breaking eggs, chopping up fruit and vegetables and using the hob/oven.

Encourage your child to taste a range of foods

Encouraging children to taste a range of different foods in a relaxed and fun environment can help overcome picky-eating. Making a simple fruit salad with your child, using fresh, frozen and/or tinned fruit can provide the opportunity for your child to taste small amounts of a wide-range of different fruits. For older children, this activity can also develop their skills in peeling and cutting fruit as well as opening tins.

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

Ric sings his heart out to raise money for Heart Research UK

A long term supporter of national charity Heart Research UK is hosting a live Facebook concert to raise funds for the charity and help to raise the spirits of the nation.

Ric Cipriani, from Cheltenham, will be grabbing his guitar and singing his heart out from 7 – 8pm tomorrow (Wednesday 8 April), live on Facebook.

Ric first became involved with Heart Research UK six years ago, after his grandfather sadly passed away due to heart disease.

Since then, he has raised over £15,000 for the charity, running marathons, dressing us as Santa, and playing charity gigs. Ric will also be taking part in this year’s London marathon alongside his son, Daniele.

Ric had initially planned to do a number of physical gigs in the UK as well as the United states to raise funds, but this was postponed due to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic.

So, he is taking his skills to the web and asking participants to make a donation to Heart Research UK instead.

“I love singing, and this is a great way for me to try and raise some much-needed funds for a charity that is very close to me, and also try to make some people smile in these difficult times,” said Ric.

“I have friends all over the world who will be tuning in, especially my family over in Italy who I hope will all be singing along with me.

“After my grandfather passed away, I knew I wanted to help his memory live on. I’ve also recently lost a dear friend to a heart attack, so it’s really important to me to be able to raise funds for such a vital cause.

“Because I’ve been involved with Heart Research UK for such a long time now it’s always fun to try and think of new ways to support them!”

Music fans can expect an eclectic mix of tunes, ranging from Eric Clapton and U2 to Radiohead, Fleetwood Mac and Oasis.

All the money raised will support Heart Research UK’s pioneering medical research into the prevention, treatment and cure of heart disease, the nation’s single biggest killer.

You can sign up to watch the event here – https://www.facebook.com/events/151990389473700/

Heart Research UK Healthy tip: Easy ways to get your 5-a-day!

Eating five portions of fruit and veg every day can help keep your heart healthy and reduce the risk of heart disease. As supermarket shelves are emptier than usual, Heart Research UK have some tips to help you achieve your 5-a-day during this challenging time.

What counts as a portion?

Eighty grams of fresh, frozen or tinned fruit and veg or 30g dried fruit count as one portion. For example, one fresh pear or banana, two small plums, or three heaped tablespoons of peas. Beans and pulses also count, but you should only count these once as they contain fewer nutrients compared to other fruit and veg. 150ml of fruit/vegetable juice or smoothie also counts, but you should limit these drinks to no more than one a day due to the sugars they contain.

Top up with lentils

Lentils are a versatile ingredient and a great source of fibre, which is good for heart health. Try replacing some of the meat in your bolognese sauce with a handful of lentils or try adding lentils to homemade soups.

Include tinned, frozen and dried fruit and veg in your meals

As the population is being encouraged to make fewer trips to the supermarket, you may find that you need to rely on the food in your store cupboard and freezer more than usual. Try adding dried or frozen fruit to your bowl of breakfast cereal in the morning and include a variety of frozen or tinned veg with your evening meals. Tinned fruit with yoghurt can also provide you with a healthy dessert.

Enjoy homemade soups for lunch

Homemade soups are an easy way to increase your veg intake. You can include a variety of tinned, fresh and frozen veg in soups. There are lots of healthy vegetable soup recipes available online, but here is one to get you started.

Easy-peasy pea soup.

  • 1 tbsp rapeseed oil or vegetable oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 400g frozen peas, defrosted
  • 500ml vegetable stock
  • Salt and pepper
  • Fresh mint, finely chopped (optional)

Heat the oil over a medium heat and stir in the chopped onion. Gently fry the onion until soft, but not browned. Add the peas and stock, bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Puree the soup using a blender and add salt and pepper to taste. If you have fresh mint available, you can add this at the end.

Actor Mark Bonnar becomes patron of Heart Research UK

Scottish actor Mark Bonnar, star of Guilt, Line of Duty and Shetland, is to become a patron of national charity Heart Research UK.

Mark first became involved with the charity in 2018, producing a piece of original artwork that was auctioned as part of the charity’s anonymous heART project.

Since then, he has been involved with various campaigns, including Heart Research UK’s Heart of Scotland appeal, a dedicated fundraising campaign to raise money to take on Scotland’s biggest killer –heart disease.

Mark Bonnar said: “The work that Heart Research UK does is incredibly close to my heart. My father had a triple bypass over 20 years ago, and thankfully he is still going strong.

“The advances in research and surgery over the last few decades have been truly remarkable, thanks in no small part to the vital work that charities such as Heart Research UK are doing.

“I’m especially proud to support the Heart of Scotland appeal to inform and educate all age groups and help make a change to people’s lives.

Heart disease is still the number one cause of death in Scotland when, ironically, it’s often the most easily preventable.”

Kate Bratt-Farrar, Chief Executive of Heart Research UK, said: We are all over the moon that Mark is becoming a patron for Heart Research UK.

“Since he first became involved with the charity, he has been eager to help in any way he can, and we are delighted to begin what I’m sure will be an incredibly rewarding partnership.

“We know research works, but the seven million people living with cardiovascular disease in the UK need it to work faster. We are dedicated to funding the latest pioneering research in to the prevention, treatment and cure of heart disease.

“We have some incredibly exciting projects coming up, and we can’t wait to work with Mark on them!”

Heart Research UK was founded in 1967 by Mr David Watson, an eminent cardiovascular surgeon, with the intention of making heart surgery safer. Since then, Heart Research UK has invested over £25m in pioneering research in to the prevention, treatment and cure of heart disease.

Your chance to win uniquely Scottish prizes and support the Heart of Scotland appeal

National charity Heart Research UK has launched a very special prize draw as part of the Heart of Scotland appeal, a fundraising campaign to tackle heart disease, Scotland’s single biggest killer.   Continue reading Your chance to win uniquely Scottish prizes and support the Heart of Scotland appeal

Spring events for the Scottish social calendar in aid of Heart of Scotland Appeal

The Balmoral and Archerfield have announced that tickets are now on sale for a new golfing challenge and an unmissable charity dinner in support of the Heart Research UK’s Heart of Scotland appeal.  Continue reading Spring events for the Scottish social calendar in aid of Heart of Scotland Appeal

Art for hearts: Heart Research UK raises over £37,000 with art-inspired fundraiser

                       

National charity Heart Research UK has raised £37.500 with their ‘anonymous heART project’, auctioning unique anonymous artworks by a host of celebrities, artists and designers. Continue reading Art for hearts: Heart Research UK raises over £37,000 with art-inspired fundraiser