By Dr Michelle Wright and Dr Mecky McNeil
Your heart beats more than two billion times over a lifetime, delivering blood, oxygen and nutrients throughout your body. Heart health affects how you feel and age. Genetics matter, but everyday factors such as smoking, high blood pressure, diet and physical activity also influence your risk. The good news is that adopting heart-healthy habits can significantly lower your risk of heart disease and improve your overall quality of life.
Key takeaways
- Cardiovascular disease is the world’s biggest killer, causing one third of deaths worldwide.
- Know your numbers: regular check-ups are important; risks can build up without symptoms.
- Adopting healthy lifestyle habits can help lower your risk.
Understanding cardiovascular disease
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) affects the heart and blood vessels. It includes coronary artery disease and stroke, with high blood pressure a major risk factor. Heart disease refers specifically to conditions affecting the heart, including:
- Coronary artery disease: fatty deposits narrow the arteries supplying the heart, potentially causing angina, a heart attack or heart failure.
- Heart failure: the heart cannot pump blood effectively, causing symptoms such as fatigue, breathlessness and fluid build-up.
- Arrhythmias: abnormal heart rhythms that can affect pumping.
- Congenital heart defects: conditions present from birth.
- Heart valve disease: damaged or poorly functioning valves disrupt blood flow.
- Cardiomyopathy: disease of the heart muscle that makes pumping more difficult.
Cardiovascular disease causes around one third of deaths worldwide; approximately 85% of these deaths are due to heart attacks and strokes.
Six ways to protect your heart
You can’t change your genes, but you can lower your risk of cardiovascular disease through a healthy diet, regular activity, not smoking and limiting alcohol. These steps matter for everyone, including if heart disease runs in your family
1. Fuel your heart with the right nutrients
A balanced diet can help manage blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar and weight. Eat plenty of fruit, vegetables, whole grains and fibre-rich foods such as oats and beans. Choose fats from foods such as olive oil, nuts and oily fish, alongside proteins such as fish, poultry, dairy and legumes. Limit processed foods, red and processed meat, and foods and drinks high in sugar. Check labels for hidden salt and aim for less than 5 g of salt a day.
2. Prioritise sleep
Regularly sleeping too little is linked to higher cardiovascular risk. Give yourself enough time for sleep, keep a consistent routine and make your bedroom restful.
3. Move regularly
Physical activity strengthens the heart and helps manage blood pressure, cholesterol and weight. Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity each week. Brisk walking, swimming, cycling and gardening all count; start small and build up.
4. Quit smoking
Smoking damages arteries and reduces the oxygen carried in your blood. Your health begins to improve quickly after you quit. Within two to five years, your risk of heart disease will have dropped significantly. Your doctor can help you find support, including nicotine replacement or medication.
5. Drink less alcohol
Excess alcohol can raise blood pressure and triglycerides and increase the risk of stroke and heart muscle disease. The World Health Organisation advises that no level of alcohol is risk-free. If you drink, keep your intake low and include alcohol-free days.
6. Know your numbers
Having high blood pressure, high cholesterol and raised blood sugar may cause no symptoms, but it increases cardiovascular risk. Being overweight or obese does too. Monitoring weight, waist circumference and calculation of Body Mass Index (BMI) can help manage risk. Regular physical exams and routine blood tests allows early detection of potential problems and provides an opportunity to address these through lifestyle changes or treatment.
Call to action
Protecting your heart does not require changing everything at once. This World Health Day, take one step for your heart: arrange a check-up with your doctor, or choose a healthy habit to prioritise.
Your heart works for you every moment of your life – now it’s time to work for your heart.
Additional resources
- Stop Tabac: a free mobile App in English, French, German and Italian to help you quit.
- Talk to Frank: – a UK-based website with honest information about drugs.
- Alcoholics Anonymous worldwide contact: https://www.aa.org/aa-around-the-world
- NHS Get running with couch to 5K: advice to help you gradually work up towards running 5km in 9 weeks.
