Valentine’s Day - A Day for the Heart
Today is widely known as the day of Saint Valentine, or Valentine's Day, a time for courtship and a ‘day for the heart'. So what are you hoping for… a romantic meal or a bunch of roses, or maybe like me both, a girl can dream!?
Why not make it the start of something bigger and better - we got thinking about this highly regarded organ, so fundamental to both life and our lives, and attributed to both our health and happiness – what can we do for our hearts?
Let's start with the basics; it is well documented that a diet high in saturated fat will cause cholesterol deposits in the body, including within arteries and the cardiovascular system. The cholesterol in your arteries then restricts the blood flow, making your heart work continually harder to circulate enough oxygenated blood around the body. Having a high calorie diet leading to weight gain can also add pressure to the heart, making it work harder to circulate blood around the body.
Regular moderate exercise can reduce the risks associated to high cholesterol and excessive weight gain dramatically. The NHS recommends at least 2.5 hours moderate aerobic exercise per week, or 1.25 hours intense aerobic exercise; however lifestyle changes such as walking or cycling instead of driving, or picking up the pace of your housework can raise the pulse – know I can burn a sweat when I get vacuuming!
So we understand that a diet low in saturated fats, a sensible calorie intake and regular moderate to intense exercise are the first
steps to maintaining a healthy heart, but what else can we do to protect this precious organ?
As part of maintaining a healthy weight, through a calorie controlled diet you should also consider alcohol as it contains a lot of calories. Regular consumption of alcohol can have many detrimental effects to the mind and body; it can act as a depressant and reduce brain function leaving you feeling more tired, as well as more severe symptoms including cancer and liver failure. But how does less alcohol help to protect our heart? A side-effect of consuming excess alcohol is the body becoming dehydrated, therefore water carried in the blood is used in other areas of the body, therefore increasing the viscosity of the blood and making the heart work harder to circulate oxygenated blood. High alcohol consumption can also cause high blood pressure, and lead to heart disease, leading to heart attacks. Studies show that simply reducing alcohol intake can have the most dramatic effect reducing cholesterol and blood pressure. Find out more about more about the NHS low-risk guidelines.
To support your new healthier lifestyle it is also important to understand nutrition and hydration. If you are doing more exercise your body will require fuel, therefore it is still important to eat a balanced diet containing complex carbohydrates, including pasta, rice and potato. A good rule of thumb is to split your ‘plate' into thirds: carbohydrate, protein, salad & vegetables.
How can water help in your new healthy lifestyle and support your hearts health? The recommended intake for an average adult is 2 pints for women and 2.5 for men. By drinking plenty of water it can help with dieting, as the body sometimes confuses thirsty for hunger, it also fills the stomach. Being fully hydrated also improves brain function reducing the feeling of tiredness, giving you more motivation to exercise. It is important to take on water when exercising to maintain your bodies balance. Water is the most effect way to rehydrate after exercise.
steps to maintaining a healthy heart, but what else can we do to protect this precious organ?
As part of maintaining a healthy weight, through a calorie controlled diet you should also consider alcohol as it contains a lot of calories. Regular consumption of alcohol can have many detrimental effects to the mind and body; it can act as a depressant and reduce brain function leaving you feeling more tired, as well as more severe symptoms including cancer and liver failure. But how does less alcohol help to protect our heart? A side-effect of consuming excess alcohol is the body becoming dehydrated, therefore water carried in the blood is used in other areas of the body, therefore increasing the viscosity of the blood and making the heart work harder to circulate oxygenated blood. High alcohol consumption can also cause high blood pressure, and lead to heart disease, leading to heart attacks. Studies show that simply reducing alcohol intake can have the most dramatic effect reducing cholesterol and blood pressure. Find out more about more about the NHS low-risk guidelines.
To support your new healthier lifestyle it is also important to understand nutrition and hydration. If you are doing more exercise your body will require fuel, therefore it is still important to eat a balanced diet containing complex carbohydrates, including pasta, rice and potato. A good rule of thumb is to split your ‘plate' into thirds: carbohydrate, protein, salad & vegetables.
How can water help in your new healthy lifestyle and support your hearts health? The recommended intake for an average adult is 2 pints for women and 2.5 for men. By drinking plenty of water it can help with dieting, as the body sometimes confuses thirsty for hunger, it also fills the stomach. Being fully hydrated also improves brain function reducing the feeling of tiredness, giving you more motivation to exercise. It is important to take on water when exercising to maintain your bodies balance. Water is the most effect way to rehydrate after exercise.