It is that time of year again: Valentine’s Day. A day when we ponder over what (or perhaps whom) the heart wants.
But, with over 7.6 million people in the UK affected by heart or circulatory disease, what the heart really wants is to be healthier.
What are the Risk Factors involved in Heart Health?
Lifestyle choices and underlying conditions can increase your risk of heart disease. Risk factors include smoking, your family history, diet, physical activity (or lack thereof), and mental health. Many people will find it easy to recognise when they have not been looking after their body as well as they should, but not all know how to begin to look after their heart.
Ways to improve heart health
It can be hard to know exactly what to do to keep yourself and your body healthy. Each individual case will be different. It is generally advised that to improve heart health you should stay active, control your cholesterol and blood pressure, drink only in moderation, eat a healthy diet, and cut down or quit smoking entirely.
Also, as mentioned earlier, your mental health and stress levels are important to manage, too. (1) Understandably, these may be more difficult to directly control, but changes to diet and lifestyle can have a positive impact on your mental health, further benefitting your heart health. Relaxation and mindfulness can also help.
For those risk factors that you can’t control; family history and your general biological makeup, the best prevention for heart disease is a timely diagnosis, and the knowledge and peace of mind that it brings.
If you do have any concerns, consult your GP or book in with us for a consultation.
Advantages of a consultation at Venturi
Here at Venturi Cardiology, we offer quick and easy diagnostic investigations that aim to answer any questions you may have about your heart health. Our tests are done within a few hours, rather than months on an NHS waiting list. Results are given to you on the day, which means you either get a clean bill of health and peace of mind, or an early indication that further steps need to be taken.
Give a bit of extra love to yourself this Valentine’s. Implement those healthy changes to your lifestyle and book in with us if you do have any concerns that you wish to address.
