National Heart Month
Coinciding with Valentine’s Day, February marks National Heart Month. The aim is to raise awareness of heart and cardiovascular disease (CVD) and educate people in the steps that they can take to improve their hearts health – ultimately reducing the risk of heart disease.
Currently, there are around 7.6 million people living with a heart or circulatory disease in the UK1. It is important to remember that even making a small change to your daily routine can in turn benefit your hearts health – reducing your risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and strokes. In today’s blog, we have put together our top tips for ways in which you may be able to improve your heart’s health and support National Heart Month.
Tip one – eat healthy
Both what you eat and how much of it matter. Try to limit the amount of food you eat at each meal by consuming more low-calorie and nutritious foods, such as fruits and vegetables. The high mineral and vitamin content of fruits and vegetables promotes heart health. B1, which is present in foods like cauliflower, oranges, potatoes, asparagus, kale, and many others, helps to support healthy heart function.
You can reduce your chance of developing high blood pressure by consuming less high-calorie, processed, or high-sodium foods. Your risk of developing heart disease or having a stroke can rise if you have high blood pressure. You can still enjoy these meals while protecting the health of your heart if you consume them in moderation.
Tip two – know your numbers
Blood pressure is the pressure of blood in your arteries - the vessels that carry your blood from your heart to your brain and the rest of your body2. When your blood pressure decreases, your heart rate increases, which on occasion can cause shortness of breath or chest pain due to an inadequate blood supply to the heart muscle. As we have already discussed, on the flip side, having a blood pressure rating that is too high can increase your risk of heart disease or stroke.
If you want to check your blood pressure regularly at home, you can buy a digital blood pressure machine. Choose a machine that measures your blood pressure at your upper arm, not your wrist or finger3.
For more information on blood pressure, and where you can have yours measured, please visit the NHS website.
Tip three – be active
Whatever your age or ability, regular exercise can have many beneficial impacts to your overall health, alongside your heart’s health. Statistics show that it can reduce your risk of major illness, heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and cancer by up to 30%4. Try taking as little as 20 minutes per day to exercise – this could be a stroll, a run, or taking a yoga class. Whatever your exercise activity may be, it can contribute to the health of your heart.
Tip four – stress
Studies have demonstrated that there is an association between high stress levels and an increased risk of heart disease. Even though high stress levels alone are not the cause of these conditions, high levels of stress can also make people more likely to engage in harmful behaviors such as comfort eating, drinking more alcohol, smoking, and engaging in less physical activity. There are some simple lifestyle modifications that you can do that may help you cope with stress even though we can't always control or modify what happens in our busy lives. Yoga, meditation, writing down your thoughts, and talking to loved ones are a few examples. For our best mindfulness and meditation advice, see our previous blog.
Tip six – heart care supplements
The Kwai Heartcare range consists of supplements which have been developed to help support your hearts health. By putting the above top tips into practice, and combining that with Kwai supplements, you’ll be on the path to a healthy heart in no time!
Kwai Heartcare – helps maintain a healthy heart, supports healthy cholesterol levels, and contains vitamin B1 which contributes to normal heart function.
Kwai Heartcare+ – contains Japanese black garlic, allicin and vitamin B1 to help maintain a healthy heart, support cholesterol levels, and contribute to a resistance against temporary stress.
Kwai Blood Pressure – a blend of nutrients specifically selected to help maintain normal blood pressure and heart muscle function.
If you are concerned about your heart health or if you are experiencing worrying symptoms, please contact a GP or local hospital. For more information on Kwai products, and to keep up to date with the latest blogs, visit us here.
Sources
3 NHS
4 NHS