IN YOUR 20s–30s

A LARGE WAIST HAS BEEN LINKED TO A HIGHER RISK OF HEART DISEASE FOR MEN AND WOMEN

Now is the time to talk to your doctor about what your heart disease risk factors might be, take a look at your exercise, eating and lifestyle habits, and make any tweaks needed. The younger you are when you establish good habits, the easier it is to stick to them.

Your advantages

• Lots of energy Make use of it and exercise regularly. Keeping active aids your heart by helping to keep cholesterol and blood pressure low. Aim for a combination of cardio and resistance training. The former strengthens your heart while the la er builds muscle, increasing your calorie burn (even at rest) and reducing weight gain, which raises the risk of heart a ack and stroke.

• Hormones You have a good supply of oestrogen, which helps to increase your HDL (good cholesterol), reduce your LDL (bad cholesterol) and relax your blood vessels to maintain a strong blood flow.

PART OF LIVING YOUR BEST LIFE IS BEING ACTIVE. BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN DAILY MARATHONS – JUST FIND A PHYSICAL PURSUIT YOU ENJOY AND STICK WITH IT

STAYING HEALTHY IS CRUCIAL, BUT DON'T JUST ASSUME ALL IS WELL WITH YOUR HEART. STAY SAFE AND HAVE IT CHECKED. THE MORE YOU KNOW THE BETTER OFF YOU'LL BE!