Heart Health Boosters
Keeping your ticker ticking is down to a combination of healthy body and mind
Arecent Japanese study, looking at more than 20,000 women and men over 65, found people who laughed every day had less heart disease than those who never or almost never laughed. Even after adjusting for hypertension, body mass index, depression and other risk factors.
Apart from a daily laugh, “There are plenty of things we can do to help reduce our risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD)”, says Lucy Wilkinson, a Senior Cardiac Nurse at the British Heart Foundation.
“Stopping smoking is the best thing that you can do for your heart health. Remaining physically active and eating a well-balanced diet is imperative to heart health. High blood pressure and high cholesterol are both risk factors for CVD. If you have either of these conditions, tr y to keep to the targets recommended by your doctor.
“As we get older our risk of CVD naturally increases. Contrary to popular belief, just as many women as men suffer with CVD. It is important for women to be aware of the signs and symptoms of a heart condition.
“If you are between the ages of 40 and 74 in England and do not have a pre-existing condition, have a free NHS health check with your GP. Your NHS Health Check will assess your risk of developing conditions such as cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes and give you personalised advice on how to reduce it.
“If you have a heart condition it is important to maintain your heart healthy activities and lifestyle choices to help prevent further problems. If you have recently been in hospital for a heart attack or cardiac procedure, enquire about the cardiac rehabilitation program in your area. “