Keeping your heart healthy

A slight nod to Valentine’s Day this week, with a little bit about hearts and keeping them healthy. It won’t be news to anyone to hear that eating a healthy diet, not smoking and getting some exercise all help; but what about some of the other elements of life that contribute to heart health? They are often inter-connected. For example, stress is not a direct risk factor for cardiovascular disease, but it's possible that it may contribute to increased risk levels. It all depends on someone’s coping mechanisms. Some people try to cope with stress by smoking, drinking too much alcohol and overeating. All of these increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, but it’s important to remember that they do not necessarily cause it.
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So what can you do about it? Well, there is nothing new under the sun and I’m in danger of repeating myself with this…! Perhaps ask yourself why you are smoking, drinking too much alcohol or overeating. What are the reasons behind your behaviour? And maybe there is another way to deal with it. It’s all about knowing what triggers your behaviour and what could help instead. I’m not suggesting that a year-long sabbatical is all that will help, as that may be impractical. Yet there are daily steps that we can all take to reduce stress levels: and we go full-circle back to eating a healthier diet, being physically active and looking after yourself. See? Nothing new under the sun!