10 things your heart would love you to do...
Easy, everyday tips
1 STAND
We can spend up to 10 hours a day on our bottoms – bad news for our hearts. Studies show that – compared to the shortest time spent sitting – the longest time spent sedentary was associated with a 90% increase in death from cardiovascular events. Break up periods of sitting with activity. Set a timer to remind you to move every half hour; get off the sofa during TV advert breaks, or try an activity tracker.
2 DANCE
Research from the University of Sydney found dancing could almost halve your risk of dying from cardiovascular disease. And it doesn’t matter what dance you do as long as you work up a sweat.
3 NAP
Try a siesta. A study from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health suggests three 30-minute naps a week could mean you’re 37% less likely to die from heart disease. But keep an eye on the length of time, as another study suggests napping for longer than 40 mins could increase heart disease risk.
4 CONNECT
Loneliness and social isolation have been linked to a 30% increase in the risk of coronary heart disease. So, make an effort to plan regular dates with friends, or join clubs to meet like-minded people.
5 SWITCH
Swap ‘white’ foods for their wholegrain counterparts (eg, rice, pasta). Wholegrain foods contain more fibre and often more nutrients than white and, when eaten regularly, can help reduce the risk of heart disease. Research suggests that even just 90g (three servings of 30g) a day can cut the risk of cardiovascular disease by 22%. This can easily be achieved by having a tablespoon of uncooked oats at breakfast, half a wholemeal pitta at lunch, and two heaped tablespoons of cooked brown rice at dinner. Eating seven servings a day was linked to even more health benefits, so look into adding other wholegrains such as bulgar wheat, whole barley, millet and quinoa.
6 INDULGE
A little bit of what you fancy could do you – and your heart – a lot of good. Researchers found that people who ate up to 100g of chocolate a day (about the size of a medium bar) had an 11% lower risk of cardiovascular disease. Dark chocolate (at least 50-70% cocoa solids) is a rich source of flavonoids and there’s evidence it can help restore flexibility to the arteries. Enjoy a square or two, but remember it contains added sugar and fat, so don’t go overboard.
7 STRETCH
If your body’s flexible, your arteries may be, too. A study in Japan showed people over 40 who were less supple than others had ‘stiffer’ arteries, which can lead to high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. Try stretching exercises, like yoga and Pilates, to stay flexible.
8 SOAK
Arsenic is naturally present in air, soil and water, and rice absorbs it more readily than most other crops. Chronic exposure to arsenic can cause heart disease, and the most common method of cooking rice (boiling it until the water has steamed away) leaves most of the arsenic present. Research from Queen’s University Belfast has found soaking rice overnight can help reduce levels of the toxin by up to 80%. ‘After soaking, when you’re ready to cook it, rinse until the water runs clear and then drain,’ says nutritional therapist Dee Brereton-Patel.
9 WALK
Just two miles of walking a day has been shown to lower heart disease risk by 30-40%, says Mark Fenton, author of The Complete Guide To Walking (Lyons Press). And upping the pace could bring more benefits. Tufts University in Boston, US, found older adults who walked faster than 3mph had a 50% lower risk than peers who walked slower. See our plan to get you moving on page 28.
10 MEDITATE
The American Heart Association has said that Transcendental Meditation (TM) could help lower blood pressure and the risk of heart attack. ‘The technique is taught by a trained meditation coach, but the practice itself is very simple,’ says Ruby Warrington, author of Material Girl Mystical
World (Harper Thorsons). ‘You repeat a mantra in your mind –one word that has no meaning – coming back to it any time you find your mind wandering. The recommendation is two 20-minute sessions per day.’