Wealden Times | WT243 | August 2022 | Taste Of The South East Supplement inside

Nourish to
Flourish
Wellbeing
Nutrition & Lifestyle Coach
Charlotte Lau explains how
to protect your heart’s health
through healthy lifestyle choices
Heart disease is still one of the leading causes of
death in the UK and worldwide. Encouragingly,
however, the death rate from heart disease has
reduced by more than three quarters since the 1960s.
The British Heart Foundation estimates that more than
half of UK adults will suffer from a heart or circulatory
condition in their lifetime, which is a shocking statistic,
so it is important to know how to best take care of
your heart. There are a number of different issues that
can impact the heart and circulatory system, including;
cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease, heart
attack, heart failure and stroke and unfortunately there
are risk factors for heart disease that we can’t change,
including genetics, age and sex (men have a higher risk).
However, there are some things we can control to help
minimise the risk including prioritising a healthy diet,
not smoking, taking regular physical activity, getting
enough sleep, managing stress levels, attending medical
appointments and taking recommended medication.
Give it a go… PRIORITISE
HEART HEALTHY FATS
There has been much conflicting advice over the
years when it comes to healthy fats and it can make it really
difficult to know what is best when it comes to looking after
our hearts. Although all types of fat play a role in our body,
it is best for heart health to consume more unsaturated fat,
compared with saturated fat. This is because unsaturated fat
can improve blood cholesterol levels, reduce inflammation
and support healthy blood vessels and blood pressure. So
focus on including plant oils, like olive and rapeseed oil and
choose avocados, nuts and seeds over fatty meats, pastries
and fried foods. Don’t forget about oily fish which has a
great source of Omega-3 fats. These are essential for normal
functioning of the heart and regulating blood pressure, so
try to consume two portions of fish a week, one of which
should be oily such as salmon, herring, kippers or mackerel.
istockphoto.com, JulijaDmitrijeva
Learn to… BE KIND TO YOUR HEART
A heart-healthy diet, such as the Mediterranean diet, has
been seen to help with reducing or maintaining healthy
cholesterol and blood pressure levels along with the risk
of type 2 diabetes, which is another risk factor for heart
disease. A strong emphasis on eating a plant-based diet
is beneficial to the heart. Fruit and vegetables provide
vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fibre and wholegrains,
such as; oats, bulgar wheat, quinoa and brown or wild
rice have also been associated with a lower risk of heart
disease. It’s never too early to be kind to your heart.
Charlotte runs Plume Nutrition, where she offers
support and advice for weight management, controlling
cravings, sleeplessness, stress and increasing energy
levels. Find out more at plumenutrition.com
Step away from… TOO MUCH SALT
A high intake of salt can increase blood pressure. Many
foods we consume probably contain more salt than we
realise, so it is wise to reduce our salt intake to 3g per
day which, for many, would have a positive effect on
blood pressure. The key message is that it is best for our
heart to limit the amount of salt we eat by adding less
to our food and being aware of foods that can be high
in salt like crisps, salted nuts, salted crackers, soy sauce,
stock cubes, processed meat and powdered soup. Being
more aware and checking the salt content on the labels
of readymade products is also a good habit to get into.
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