Let’s Talk About Heart Health Awareness
February; the month of love!
In the UK, February is National Heart Month, and what better way to celebrate the month of love than by doing our best to take care of our literal and figurative hearts! During this period, awareness of multiple heart diseases is brought to the attention of the nation. Commonly known as cardiovascular diseases (CVD), there are various conditions that impact the heart. Some of the heart diseases include but are not limited to angina, heart failure, coronary heart disease, heart attacks, congenital heart disease, abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmia) and more (1). Occasionally, heart disease may go unnoticed and therefore undiagnosed until you develop one or more symptoms of a heart attack, heart failure, or an arrhythmia. Some symptoms of a heart attack may include heartburn, chest pain, upper back or neck pain, shortness of breath, and intense fatigue. In addition to swollen neck veins, legs, ankles, feet, or abdomen, symptoms of heart failure may similarly include fatigue and shortness of breath. Arrhythmia often causes a fluttering feeling in the chest (2).
Did you know that in 2021, approximately 7.6 million people were found to have some type of CVD in the UK? That is broken down into 4 million men and 3.6 million women. The most prevalent heart disease is known as coronary heart disease (CHD), which happens to be the greatest cause of heart attacks. CVD is responsible for a quarter of all mortality in the UK, equating to more than 160,000 deaths a year (3)!
Risk Factors & Nutrition
Smoking, high blood pressure, and high blood cholesterol are all significant risk factors on people developing CVD. Other factors that may place a heightened risk on people developing heart disease include diabetes, overweight and obesity, lack of activity, and extreme alcohol consumption (2). Poor nutrition may also have a key impact on risk of heart disease. Foods that are high in salt, sugar, saturated fats, and processed foods including red meat, should all be consumed with caution, as they may all play a role in harming your cardiovascular health (4).
Incorporate more variety including plant-based foods such as fruits and leafy green vegetables, whole grains, nuts, herbs, and spices. Additionally, choose low-fat protein sources such as salmon rich in omega-3 fatty acids, skinless poultry, soybeans, lean ground meats, eggs, and low-fat dairy products (4,5).
What steps can you take to prevent heart disease?
Here are the things that you can do to help protect your heart:
- Choose healthier food and drink options.
- Get the recommended minimum of 150 minutes of physical activity for adults per week.
- Try to stop smoking if you do.
- Check your cholesterol.
- Control your blood pressure and sugar.
- Take your medication as instructed.
- Get regular check-ups on your heart if CVD runs in your family (6, 7).
How to contribute to Heart Health Awareness Month!
- You can sign-up to join a walk, run, or other athletic event held by organisations that aim to raise awareness and money for heart disease (8).
- You could dedicate one day a week to have a workout session with a friend or family member to keep each other encouraged!
- If you or your family members, friends, or colleagues smoke, pick one day to collectively be smoke free!
- Wear red, and if you're feeling creative, have facts about heart disease written on your shirt.
- Post! Post! Post! Use your social media platforms to bring heart health awareness to your followers by sharing a post, article, or tagging someone you care about (9)!
Written by: Lujayn Alatawneh (ANutr)