Taking steps to support your heart health is a great way to support your overall health and well being. Having a healthy heart and cardiovascular symptoms not only significantly reduces your risk of developing heart disease, it also reduces your risk of heart attack or stroke.
It is never too late to overhaul your lifestyle and focus on your heart health. In this blog we have put together our top 5 tips for promoting a healthy heart…
1. Quit smoking & reduce your alcohol consumption
Smoking is believed to be the single biggest cause of coronary heart disease so giving up smoking is the best possible thing you can do, to support your heart health. Research indicates that after just one year of non-smoking, an individual's risk of coronary heart disease reduces by around 50%, compared to an active smoker.
Over-consumption of alcohol can also have a whole host of detrimental effects on your health, and that includes on your heart. Alcohol is also very high in calories so high consumption can be linked to being overweight or obese - which can also put you at risk of developing heart problems.
2. Assess your diet
There are a few things you can be mindful of when it comes to your diet and the health of your heart. Cutting down on saturated fat is a hugely important step in looking after your heart, as well as cutting down on salt intake to maintain a healthy blood pressure.
Increasing your fibre intake to around 30g a day can lower your risk of heart disease and ensuring you get your 5 day is a great source of fibre, vitamins and minerals. Supplementing with premium-quality products can also help maintain healthy levels of those essential vitamins and minerals.
3. Get active
If you’re not someone who exercises regularly, becoming more active can significantly reduce your risk of heart disease and improve your overall cardiovascular health. Starting out with walks and low-impact activity is great to ease yourself in and help you to build up to more cardio-based activity and strength training. The recommendation is a minimum of 30 minutes activity per day, for 5 days a week to feel the maximum benefits and improve your health.
4. Maintain a healthy body weight
Being clinically overweight or obese comes with multiple health risks, and a higher BMI (body mass index) leads to increased risk of high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Obesity is also associated with increased risk of breathing problems, liver disease, gallbladder disease and cancer.
Combining a balanced diet with a more active lifestyle is a healthy, sustainable way to reduce body fat and achieve a healthier weight. Studies suggest that overweight individuals who lose up to 5-10% of body fat will significantly reduce their risk of heart disease or stroke.
5. Consume enough Omega-3
Omega-3 fatty acids are typically found in oily fish and they are absolutely key for heart health. If you struggle to consume sufficient levels through diet alone, investing in a high-strength supplement will ensure you are getting all the Omega-3 that your heart needs.
Our High Strength Omega-3 formula delivers 900mg of EPA and 600mg of DHA which are both essential fatty acids.
Omega-3
For those who lead a plant-based lifestyle, we also have Puro Vegan Omega-3 which delivers 1000mg of pure and potent organic Flaxseed Oil, to support heart health alongside a vegan diet.
Promoting heart health is something we should all be mindful of, whatever our age or personal circumstances. Research suggests that all of these tips can make a significant difference to your risk of heart disease (even in a short space of time) and it is never too late to take these steps towards a better, healthier version of yourself.
