World Heart Day is part of an international campaign to spread awareness about heart disease and stroke prevention. This is the perfect day to quit smoking, get exercising and start eating healthily – all in the name of keeping hearts in good working order, and improving the health and well-being of people the world over.

The World Heart Federation have found that heart disease and strokes are the world’s leading cause of death, killing 17.1 million people every year – that’s more than victims of cancer, HIV / AIDS and malaria combined.

Overeating, lack of exercise, unhealthy diets and high blood pressure / cholesterol and glucose levels are all factors which can trigger heart disease and threaten not only our own lives, and those of loved ones. Heart Day was set up to drive home the message that heart problems can be prevented.

The aim is to improve health globally by encouraging people to make lifestyle changes and promoting education about ways to be good at your heart. This lesson is becoming increasingly relevant as reports of obesity, poor diet and physical inactivity in children and young people, in developed countries, become more and more common. Unfortunately these problems are increasingly being seen in developing countries too.

On the day, events take place to promote healthy hearts. Charities and other organisations coordinate walks and runs, health checks, public talks, shows and exhibitions to name a few of the interesting and informative events which take place. So on World Heart Day get involved, eat your fruit and veg and get outside; both you and your heart will feel the benefits!!

HOW TO KEEP YOUR HEART HEALTHY

HEALTHY HEART TIPS:

A healthy lifestyle will make your heart healthier. Here are 10 things you can do to improve yours.

Get active – do 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity every week, i.e., cycle or briskly walk to work

Give up smoking - Smoking is one of the main causes of coronary heart disease. A year after giving up, your risk of a heart attack falls to about half that of a smoker.

Manage your weight - Being overweight can increase your risk of heart disease. Stick to a well-balanced diet low in fat and high in fruit and vegetables, combined with plenty of physical activity.

Ditch the salt - to maintain a healthy blood pressure, stop using salt at the table and try adding less to your cooking, or cut it out completely. You’ll soon get used to it. Also watch out for high salt levels in processed foods. Check the food labels – a food is high in salt if it has more than 1.5g salt (or 0.6g sodium) per 100g.

Get your 5 A DAY - eat five portions of fruit and vegetables a day. Add dried fruit to breakfast cereal, and add vegetables to your pasta sauces and curries.

Eat oily fish - eat oily fish twice a week. Fish such as mackerel, sardines, fresh tuna and salmon are an excellent source of omega-3 fats, which can help protect against heart disease.

Walk off stress - if you’re feeling under pressure, clear your mind with a walk. It will help put your ideas in order and reduce tension. If it’s a brisk walk, it will also count towards your daily activity.

Avoid Trans Fats - trans fats (also called hydrogenated vegetable oils) are increasing the risk of heart disease greatly. They are in a lot of commercially produced spreads and frequently made from palm oil. They are particularly in cakes, takeaways, biscuits, hard margarines and many other pre-produced foods. Always read the labels and buy healthy alternatives where possible.

Cut saturated fat - small changes to your diet can have positive health benefits. Choose semi-skimmed over full-fat milk, leaner cuts of meat, and steam or grill foods rather than frying. Find out the facts about fat.

Drink less alcohol - alcohol can be fattening. If you added three or four gin and tonics to your usual daily diet, you could put on nearly 2kg over four weeks.

Read the food label - when shopping, look at the ingrediant label on food packets to see what the product contains. Understanding what is in food will help you make healthier choices.

The following are statistics of people suffering / dying from Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) – this is an umbrella term for a number of different heart conditions.