February is National Heart Month and organizations and charities like the British Heart Foundation are asking everybody to pay attention to their hearts and start living healthier lifestyles.
Around 7 million people are currently living with heart and circulatory diseases in the UK and cardiovascular and heart disease causes 420 deaths in the UK every single day with death rates being highest in Scotland and the North of England.
WSHQ is keen for UK residents to use February’s National Heart Month to change their own habits and introduce more exercise and a better diet into their lives.
WSHQ says “Most people know someone or have themselves been directly affected by heart disease and the saddest part is a lot of times it is avoidable by changing lifestyle habits.”
“Simple changes in diet by reducing your salt intake and eliminating processed foods and trying to get a few hours of exercise a week can make a huge difference.”
“A healthy diet reduces the risk of coronary heart disease and prevents weight gain which puts pressure on your heart, healthy nutritious food also helps to prevent further worsening of existing heart disease and it’s not too late to start now.”
To help prevent heart disease WSHQ has come up with five foods and exercises to change your lifestyle and take better care of your heart.
FOODS
- Oily fish
- Mediterranean diet
- Reduce salt
- Limit red meat
- No processed foods
EXERCISE AND LIFESTYLE
- Quit smoking
- Cardio workouts
- Yoga
- Lose weight by joining a fitness class
- Drink less alcohol and switch to red instead of white wine
- Walk instead of driving when possible