Happy heart

for life

leaflet kindly sponsored by

 Your AMAZING heart
Love your heart
Your heart is important, physically and emotionally. Think how often we talk about the heart, like
when we say heart-felt or the heart of the matter. The key question is have you got your heart in
the right place i.e. first place?
Your heart does an amazing job every day of your life and deserves to be treated well. This may mean
making some invaluable changes to your lifestyle to give it the best.

The heart of
the matter
Your heart is roughly the size
of your fist and is the strongest
muscle in your body. It sits in the
middle of your chest and tilts
slightly to the left. Its job is to pump
blood around your body, ensuring
that each organ and cell receives
the vital oxygen and nutrients
needed to function and stay alive.
To do this job, your heart needs
its own supply of the oxygen and
nutrients carried in the blood. This is
where your coronary arteries come
in. These tiny vessels, as thin as a
drinking straw, ensure oxygen-rich
blood reaches all parts of the heart
muscle. If the blood supply in these
arteries is interrupted, your heart
can be in trouble.

A hearty task
On average, a heart beats about 100,000 times every day, pumping
around 7,200 litres of blood in all over a distance of 19,000km.
Thats enough to fill a very large paddling pool and is the same distance as flying from London to
Hong Kong and back. Not bad for a pump about the size of a fist!

2 More Healthy Heart info www.heartresearch.org.uk/heart/lifestyle-leaflets

A heart in trouble
Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) happens when the blood supply to the heart muscle is reduced
because the coronary arteries become too narrow or, worse still, become blocked.
Porridge-like deposits (called atheroma), which are mainly made up of fat, cholesterol and cells,
build up on the inside wall of the coronary arteries and harden (sclerosis). This process, known as
atherosclerosis, gradually takes place over many years and causes arteries to narrow, lose their
elasticity, and even become blocked. This interferes with the normal flow of blood to the heart muscle
and affects the hearts pumping efficiency.
If the coronary arteries become partially blocked so that the heart muscle no longer receives enough
blood and oxygen to match its needs, angina may occur. This is often felt as a chest pain, particularly
during exercise, and is a warning sign for CHD.
Should a complete blockage occur, such as when an unstable plaque breaks and causes a blood clot
that plugs the artery, part of the heart muscle becomes starved of oxygen and is damaged. This is
a heart attack.
A cardiac arrest is when the heart muscle cells stop contracting in a co-ordinated way causing
a loss of pumping action. Blood is no longer delivered to the organs resulting in collapse. A heart attack
can be one of the causes of cardiac arrest.

A heart at risk
A person is more likely to develop heart disease if he or she
has some of the risk factors:
Natural risk factors such as age, sex (men are more at risk
of CHD at an earlier age), a family history of CHD or a certain
ethnic background, in particular South Asians living in the UK.
Clinical risk factors such as high blood pressure, raised
blood cholesterol levels, diabetes, being overweight or
obese, or having a high waist measurement (being
apple-shaped).
Lifestyle risk factors such as smoking, having an
unhealthy diet or not being active enough.
While natural risk factors cannot be changed, your
chance of developing heart disease can still be
dramatically reduced by eliminating poor lifestyle
habits and minimising your clinical risk factors.

You can choose to have a healthy

heart its all about making the
right lifestyle choices.

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 A heart-healthy lifestyle
A heart-healthy diet
The key to a healthy diet is to eat a wide variety of foods,
in the right quantities to match your bodys need for energy and
nutrients:
A third of the food you eat should be fruit and
vegetables; eat at least 5 portions every day to get the
vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants that help promote good
heart and artery health.
A third should be starchy foods such as bread, cereals,
pasta, rice and potatoes. Choose wholegrain bread and
breakfast cereals, brown rice and brown pasta to boost your
fibre intake. Foods such as oats and pulses (peas, beans, lentils)
release energy slowly and contain soluble fibre which can help
reduce blood cholesterol levels.
The remaining third should include a moderate amount of
protein-rich foods such as meat, poultry, fish and vegetarian
alternatives and dairy foods. Foods containing fats and sugar
should be limited.

Heart-healthier fats reduce the total amount of

fat you eat, minimise saturated fats and avoid trans fats.
Reduce your saturated fat intake by choosing lean cuts of meat
and low-fat dairy products and checking food labels. Trans fats,
also known as hydrogenated fats, can be found in processed
foods, certain margarines and fried foods.
Replace saturated fat with mono and poly-unsaturated fats to
promote healthy cholesterol levels by using olive and rapeseed
oils, avocados, nuts and seeds. Oily fish such as salmon,
sardines and mackerel are good sources of omega 3 fats that
are beneficial for heart health.

Cut back on salt salt is present in processed foods

such as cheese, sausages, crisps, cereals, chutneys, Bombay
mix, soya sauce and biscuits, so we can easily eat more than we
need and this can lead to high blood pressure. The maximum
recommended salt intake for adults is 6 grams per day (about a
teaspoon). Check food labels, banish the salt cellar and use
herbs and spices for flavour instead.

4 More Healthy Heart info www.heartresearch.org.uk/heart/lifestyle-leaflets

Move more for a
healthier heart
Leading an active lifestyle is an important
step to prevent heart disease. Regular exercise
that gets your heart beating faster and makes
you feel warm and slightly out of breath will:
help to control blood pressure, promote
healthier blood cholesterol levels, keep a
healthy weight and waist measurement and
reduce your risk of developing diabetes. It
will also help keep your heart muscle working
efficiently, improve your general fitness and
make you feel on top of the world.
150 minutes over a week (for example 30 minutes
a day for five days) is recommended to reap the
benefits of physical activity. You dont need to do
it all in one session, for example a session of 30
minutes or two of 15 minutes on five days are fine.
Finding something that you enjoy doing and having
a variety of activities will keep you motivated and
active for years to come. Walking is a great way to
start: walking to work, to school with the kids, to the
shops, with your friends or dog, at lunchtime, in
the evenings and at the weekend just get those
feet moving. Always take a few minutes to warm up
and cool down, and build up gradually. If you have
a medical condition or havent exercised for some
time, consult your doctor before you start.
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Quit smoking
Smoking is the biggest risk factor for
heart disease.
There are thousands of chemicals in each
cigarette, like nicotine, tar, carbon monoxide,
formaldehyde, benzene and cadmium, to name
just a few. Many of these are poisonous and some
are particularly harmful to your heart as they make
your blood more likely to clot, reduce your bloods
oxygen-carrying capacity, cause your arteries to
fur up and increase your blood pressure and heart
rate. Worse still, nicotine is addictive, making it
harder to give up this costly habit.
Your heart and arteries will suffer whether you
smoke cigarettes, roll ups, low-tar cigarettes, shisha,
cannabis, cigars, a pipe, or breathe in someone elses
smoke. By saying NO to smoking and avoiding smoky
environments, you will dramatically reduce your risk
of damaging your arteries and having a heart attack.
One in five men and women in the UK
still smoke despite the increased
risk of serious health
problems, but there are now more
people who are ex-smokers, showing it can
be done! Visit: www.nhs.uk/smokefree
5
 Taking the road to heart
health...every step of
the way
Pregnancy and Pre-Birth
A babys heart develops very early on and the heartbeat can be first heard at around six weeks.
Your lifestyle habits before and during pregnancy can affect your babys development in the womb
and health in later life.
Give your baby and yourself the best: Keep a healthy weight gain in pregnancy
quit smoking before, during and to avoid the risk of gestational (during
after pregnancy. pregnancy) diabetes and high blood pressure.
Make sure you stay active, fitting in some
Eat a varied and healthy diet so you both get
exercise like walking or swimming every day.
the vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids
and other nutrients you need. A heart- Remember that you may be eating for two
healthy diet now can also help reduce but its not two of you, so food intake should
your babys risk of heart disease and type 2 focus on quality not quantity.
diabetes later on.

Babies and Toddlers Young Children

At around six months, your baby can start
exploring solid foods like mashed fruit and
vegetables. Remember not to use salt when
preparing food. Avoiding it at an early age will help
stop your little ones from acquiring a taste for
salt early on. Offer lots of different healthy
options as your baby learns to handle finger
foods and feed itself.
Young children grow rapidly so they need plenty
of high energy foods that also provide protein,
vitamins and minerals to meet their nutritional
needs. Whole milk and full-fat dairy foods should
be used initially, but semi-skimmed milk can be
gradually introduced from the age of two years if
your child is eating and growing well.
Getting your child to enjoy a healthy, colourful and
varied diet while being physically fit and active is a
great investment for the future. Giving them a home,
car and environment thats smoke-free is also key
and remember, parents who smoke are more likely
to pass on the habit to their children too. Eat as a
family and lead by example. Choose healthy options,
sensible portions and keep food and drinks that are
high in salt, fat and sugar to a minimum.
Physical activity is important for healthy growth and
development. Children need at least 60 minutes
of moderate intensity physical activity everyday, so
limit screen time and get them to try lots of different
activities to help them develop fitness, coordination
and flexibility, and get a life-lasting buzz for exercise.

The recommended maximum salt intake for children per day is:
1-3 years = 2g | 4-6 years = 3g | 7-10 years = 5g | 11 years and over = 6g

6 More Healthy Heart info www.heartresearch.org.uk/heart/lifestyle-leaflets

Teenagers
Children tend to become less active during The teenage years can sometimes be stressful
adolescence, so encourage them to join a sports and learning to cope with stress in a healthy way
club, get their bikes out or take up new physically is a valuable skill for life. Being a good role model
active hobbies or past times. Exercise is essential is especially important as most smokers and
for a healthy heart and healthy muscle and bone binge drinkers start these habits during their
development. It can be a great stress reliever and teenage years. As they gain more independence
help ensure a better nights sleep too. and responsibility for how they spend their time
and money, keep encouraging them to make
healthy choices.
Keep the fridge and cupboards stacked with plenty of healthy choices so your teenagers
growth spurts and hunger can be met with nutritious food.

Adults
Whatever your age, its never too late to get on track with lifestyle
changes that will reduce your risk of heart disease. Smoking is
the biggest risk factor for heart disease, so the sooner you stop,
the better your heart-health in the long-term and the more
years (and money) youll add to your life. Aim to eat a varied,
heart-healthy diet and to be physically active nearly every day,
keeping your sitting time to an absolute minimum.
Know your numbers to know your risk get Men tend not to focus on their health as
your blood pressure, cholesterol and blood much as women but visiting your GP for an
sugar levels checked regularly and keep an MOT or to discuss concerns could be a
eye on that middle age-spread or weight gain great opportunity to highlight any risk factors
by measuring your waist and stepping on that could easily be tackled through lifestyle
those scales. Work on your fitness with regular changes.
exercise and watch your alcohol units dont
The menopause is a time when womens risk
exceed the maximum recommended intake
of heart disease increases, so entering this
over the week.
time of your life with fewer risk factors and a
Stress can lead to less healthy lifestyle habits healthy lifestyle will help to reduce it.
and affect sleep, so reassess your work-life
balance every now and again and manage
your stress levels.

Golden Years
These years are an important time to continue
investing in a heart-healthy lifestyle.
Adults generally become more sedentary over
the age of 65 so, unless you have been advised
otherwise, aim for 150 minutes of moderate-
intensity activity each week. Try dancing, cycling,
gardening, golf or another activity that gets you
moving and socially active. Chair-based exercises,
swimming, bowls, Tai chi and walking are low
impact activities that could help you move more.
Keep your diet varied, nutritious and colourful to
give your heart and body the best. Include plenty
of fruit and vegetables, wholegrain starchy foods,
oily fish and low-fat calcium-rich foods. Take
up some cooking lessons; swap easy, healthy,
economical recipes with friends and cook dishes
in bulk, freezing smaller portions for later. Check
food labels when buying ready meals to spot the
hidden salt, fat and sugar.
Even if you already have heart disease, changes
to your lifestyle will still go a long way in helping to
prevent further problems.

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The hard facts
Heart disease, stroke and other types of cardiovascular disease are the UKs biggest killers and a major
cause of ill-health and disability.
Thanks to advances in medical knowledge and lifestyle interventions, fewer people die from heart
disease each year. But there are still more than two million men and women in the UK whove
been diagnosed with CHD and many more have diabetes, high blood pressure or other factors that put
them at a higher risk of heart disease.

Heart friendly foods Not so friendly

A variety of fruit and vegetables, whole grain
and high fibre foods, oily fish (mackerel, salmon,
sardines, fresh (not tinned) tuna, kippers), olive
and rapeseed oils and small amounts of
unsalted nuts.
Fatty cuts of meat, processed meat products
(sausages, pies, burgers), fried foods, fast foods,
take aways, full-fat dairy products, ghee, biscuits,
cakes, pastries, sweets, chocolate, crisps,
tortillas, crackers, fizzy drinks

Know your labels so you can compare products at a glance and choose heart-healthier options
Amount in grams (g) per 100 grams of food
LOW MEDIUM HIGH
More than 3g
Fat Less than 3g More than 17.5g
and less than 17.5g
More than 1.5g
Saturates Less than 1.5g More than 5g
and less than 5g
More than 5g
Total sugars Less than 5g More than 22.5g
and less than 22.5g
More than 0.3g
Salt* Less than 0.3g More than 1.5g
and less than 1.5g
* Some food labels state the sodium content, multiply the amount of sodium by 2.5 to find out the salt content.

Heart -warming news

Making some small
SHC001_116 SHCchanges now will help
AD 128x42mm you reap16:11
09/04/2015 big rewards
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1 your heart in the future.
Whatever your age, make yours a healthy, happy heart for life.

Did you know...

...you can get money back on everyday health costs.
The Sovereign Health Care cash plan gives you money back for a range of
essential health care costs such as dental treatment, glasses, contact lenses
and physiotherapy and can help you to budget towards your familys health care.

To find out more visit sovereignhealthcare.co.uk

Call 0113 234 7474 Fax: 0113 297 6208 Email: mail@heartresearch.org.uk
Website: www.heartresearch.org.uk
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Company limited by guarantee No. 3026813 Registered in England.