Dr Sarah Jarvis is the Clinical Director of the Patient Platform, an active medical writer, broadcaster, and the resident doctor for BBC Radio 2.
World Heart Day, celebrated on 29th September, is all about raising awareness of heart health and inspiring healthier living. This global initiative by the World Heart Federation aims to inform you about cardiovascular disease risks and the importance of a healthy lifestyle.
In this blog post, I'll explore some key lifestyle changes that can boost your heart health and lower your risk of heart disease. Let's dive in and discover simple steps you can take towards a healthier heart!
Heart Health – Why Should I Worry?
Diseases affecting your heart and circulation (mostly heart attack and stroke) are together known as cardiovascular disease or CVD. Coronary heart disease or CHD is the most common type of CVD – it includes angina and heart attack. CHD happens because of the furring up of your arteries, and high blood pressure is one of the biggest risk factors for both heart attack and stroke.
There’s no question that heart disease doesn’t kill as many people is it did. And we’ve made great inroads into reducing deaths from them in the last 60 years. But there’s still a long way to go and there’s definitely no room for complacency.
Fortunately, we know a great deal more about the causes of CVD than we did. Doctors have much more detailed information on how you can cut your risks and what small lifestyle tweaks you can make to stack the odds in your favour.
Heart Disease: The Size of the Problem
Since 1961, the age-adjusted death rate from CVD in the UK has gone down by an impressive three-quarters. However, coronary heart disease is still the most common cause of premature death in the UK, leading to about 68,000 deaths in the UK every year. That means 1 in 8 men and 1 in 14 women will die from CHD. To put that into perspective, CHD kills more than twice as many women in the UK as breast cancer, the commonest form of cancer.
What’s more, overall death rates from CVD have changed very little since the mid-2000s. A new 2024 study in the British Medical Journal shows that the number of people in the UK having heart attacks and strokes went down by about 30% between 2000 and 2019. However, the number of people with abnormal heart rhythms (like atrial fibrillation) and heart valve disease went up.
Let’s Start with the Obvious (and the Slightly Less Obvious)
I'd be astonished if there was anyone out there who didn't know the risks smoking carries for your heart. I’ll be writing next month about the benefits of quitting smoking – some of them within hours or days – and along with cutting your risk of lung disease and a variety of cancers, giving up smoking is one of the biggest favours you can do your heart.
Fewer people are aware of the impact of social support. Looking after your circle of friends can also help your heart – people with a strong support network are almost 1/3 less likely to have a heart attack or stroke.
You might not think there's any connection between your heart and your gums, but you'd be wrong. Germs from inflamed gums can get into your bloodstream, leading to heart problems. Visit your dentist regularly, brush your teeth twice a day and don't forget to floss or use interdental sticks to clean between your teeth.
Keep it Moving
It's impossible to stress enough the benefits of exercise for your heart. Doctors recommend that you should be aiming for 30 minutes of aerobic exercise – the kind that makes you mildly out of puff and gets your heart beating faster – five times a week.
But even if you think you'll never achieve that level, you can still make a difference by getting active. Any amount of exercise will help and if you can manage just 10 minutes at a time of aerobic exercise, you'll get many of the benefits of the full half hour. Swimming, dancing, cycling, brisk walking and gym work all count.
Blood Pressure Bad-ness
High blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart attack and stroke. About 1 in 4 adults have high blood pressure, but it's often described as a ‘silent killer’ because it rarely causes symptoms. Have your blood pressure measured at least every 5 years or more often if advised. You won't know it's high unless it's checked.
Keeping your weight within healthy limits and being physically active can both reduce blood pressure. But many people need regular medication. This won't make you feel any more healthy in the short term, but behind the scenes, blood pressure-lowering medication is reducing your risk of stroke. Do take your medicines as directed and don't stop without medical advice.
READ MORE: Travelling with High Blood Pressure
Salty Stuff
The role of salt in heart disease is often underestimated. Excess salt in your diet (more than about 1 teaspoon a day from all sources) is a big contributor to high blood pressure. The Department of Health estimates that if all of us cut our salt intake by just one gram a day, there would be over 4,000 fewer early deaths a year in the UK.
Sea salt is no healthier than ordinary table salt – if you want salt, try a reduced sodium alternative and get the flavour from herbs, spices and lemon juice rather than salt.
Heart Healthy Diet
Where diet is concerned, there has been a lot of conflicting advice in recent years. But one diet has consistently come out on top – the Mediterranean diet. We're not talking Greek kebabs and sugar-drenched Turkish pastries. Lots of veg, fruit, beans and pulses; olive oil rather than butter; less red meat and regular fish (including at least one portion of oily fish a week) is the order of the day.
There's also emerging evidence that refined carbohydrates and ultra-processed 'junk' foods actively contribute to heart disease, as well as type 2 diabetes. Choose wholegrain and wholemeal alternatives where you can and cut back on sugary drinks and snacks.
Atrial Fibrillation: Know the Signs
Atrial fibrillation, the most common abnormal heart rhythm, affects more than 1 million people in the UK and gets more common with age. The risk factors for atrial fibrillation are very similar to risks for other heart conditions – raised blood pressure or cholesterol, excess weight or alcohol, lack of exercise etc. Age is a risk factor you can’t change but there’s lots you can do about the rest.
Untreated, atrial fibrillation increases your risk of stroke by more than 500%. Fortunately, treatment with anticoagulant 'blood thinning' medicine can dramatically reduce this risk.
That's why it's worth keeping an eye on your pulse. If it's 'irregularly irregular' – in other words, there's no regular pattern to your pulse at all – see your doctor. Other symptoms include chest pain, feeling lightheaded or shortness of breath on exercise.
READ MORE: Travelling with a Heart Condition
For more detailed insights and guidance, be sure to explore our comprehensive guides and stay updated with the latest tips and advice on our blog pages. Your heart will thank you for it.