World Heart Day: Looking After Your Cardiovascular Health

On Sunday 29th September, it is World Heart Day, which looks to increase public awareness of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Your cardiovascular health plays a vital role in your overall wellbeing, yet it’s often easy to overlook until something goes wrong. With heart disease remaining one of the leading causes of death globally, taking proactive steps to care for your heart should be a top priority. The good news is, by making small, consistent changes in your daily habit, you can significantly improve your heart health and reduce your risk of cardiovascular issues.

Maintain a Healthy Diet:

A diet high in processed foods, unhealthy fats, and excessive sugar can contribute to conditions like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and obesity, all of which increase your risk of heart disease. Focus on consuming whole foods like whole grains and lean proteins and healthy fats like nuts and seeds.

Staying Physically Active:

Regular physical activity is one of the most effective ways to keep your heart healthy. Exercise strengthens the heart, improves circulation, and helps manage weight. Even going for a walk, or a short gym session at your own pace, will get your body moving and improve your heart health.

Quit Smoking

Smoking is one of the leading risk factors for cardiovascular disease, but the good news is that your heart health begins to improve quickly after quitting. Within just one year of quitting, your risk of heart disease is cut in half. There are many programmes and groups that can support your journey to quitting smoking, one of those being the 12 week Smokefree Hampshire programme, that takes place at our Wellbeing Hub.

Manage Stress

Chronic stress can negatively impact heart health by increasing blood pressure and contributing to unhealthy habits like overeating or smoking. Learning how to manage stress effectively can lower your risk of CVD. Some techniques include:

• Regularly practicing mindfulness
• Yoga, deep breathing exercises and other forms of physical relaxation techniques
• Prioritising downtime

Know Your Numbers

Attending health screenings to check your blood pressure and cholesterol is an important step in maintaining cardiovascular health. Knowing your numbers allows for early intervention and helps prevent serious conditions from developing. At our Wellbeing Hub, we offer free health checks, as well as free blood pressure checks, making it easy for everyone in our community to gain a better understanding of their health.

Cardiovascular disease often shows no symptoms, with a heart attack or stroke being the first warning sign. That’s why raising awareness about heart health is a global initiative led by the World Heart Federation and something we should all take part in and show our support for. Why not visit our Wellbeing Hub for a free health check, pledge to quit smoking, or join one of our gyms to start taking care of your heart today.