GUIDE TO A HEALTHY HEART
Coronary heart disease is the most common cause of death in Britain. Each
year it kills about 170,000 men and women. This means that heart disease is the
country's biggest random killer, causing more deaths than all the forms of
cancer combined.
Heart disease has no single cause, it often results from a combination of
factors. But take heart. There is so much that the British Heart Foundation is
already doing to fight back, and there is plenty that you can do to help
yourself.
Five steps to a healthy heart
It is never too late to start looking after your heart. These five simple
steps will see you on your way.
Be a non-smoker. Smoke, and you double your chance of getting heart disease.
The more you smoke, the greater the risk. Smoking also causes other serious
diseases, and it is expensive and makes your clothes and breath smell. The best
advice is, if you do smoke, try to stop now.
Choose your food wisely. What you eat (especially the amount of fat) is
important to your heart health. If you love your heart, then eat less saturated
fatty foods (such as meat, dairy products, cakes, and biscuits), and eat more
poultry, fish, vegetables, fruit, and salads.
Take regular exercise. Regular exercise such as running, brisk walking,
climbing stairs, swimming, and cycling, can help to protect your heart, and is
good fun too. Choose an activity that you really enjoy, and try to set aside
two or three hours a week to spend on it. If you think you are very unfit,
consult your doctor before starting.
Watch your weight. One in three British adults is overweight. The more
overweight you are, the stronger the likelihood that you will get high blood
pressure or diabetes, both of which can lead to heart attacks and angina (heart
pain). The best way to stay trim is to cut down on fatty and sugary foods and
to take more exercise.
Go easy on alcohol. One or two drinks a day will not do your heart any harm.
But heavy drinking (more than two pints of beer, or four glasses of wine, a
day) can lead to high blood pressure and strokes. You should also avoid binge
drinking.
A note of warning - you should consult your doctor before taking up vigorous
exercise if you have high blood pressure or if you have ever suffered any form
of heart disease.
Other factors
High blood pressure
Most people with high blood pressure are not aware that anything is wrong.
If high blood pressure is not treated, it can cause heart attacks and strokes.
So have your blood pressure checked regularly (at least every five years) by
your doctor, especially if you are over 35 years old.
Heredity
Research has shown that people whose parents or grandparents developed heart
disease at an early age (under 50 years of age) are more likely to have heart
trouble than people with no family history of heart disease. If this has
happened in your family, ask your doctor to measure your blood cholesterol.
Heart disease and women
Coronary heart disease is often considered to be a predominantly male
disorder, but it is the major single cause of death among women over the age of
50. Women who use the contraceptive pill and smoke are increasing their risk of
heart disease.
Stress
Anger, frustration, and excitement, can increase your heart rate and blood
pressure. So make sure that you take time to relax as often as possible,
particularly if you already have heart trouble.
The British Heart Foundation
The British Heart Foundation is the UK's largest independent charity
committed to the fight against heart disease. For over 30 years it has fought
to understand and control all forms of heart disease. It depends entirely on
public generosity, as it receives no Government funding. Thanks to past
support, the foundation continues to help fund research projects, inform
doctors of advances in the field, and notify the public of proven risk factors
related to heart disease. It also provides life-saving equipment to hospitals
and ambulance services where no other source is available. For further
information, contact:
British Heart Foundation
14 Fitzhardinge Street
London
W1H 4DH
 020-7935 0185
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