The £1.20 'superfood' you can sprinkle on breakfast to avoid heart disease
Looking after your heart is one of the most important things you can do. There are 7.6 million people in the UK living with a heart or circulatory disease, according to the British Heart Foundation.
Diet and exercise play an important role in keeping your heart healthy. There are a number of things you can eat which could help prevent heart issues.
There are also certain exercises you can do not only to improve your heart and circulation, but also your lungs. Dr John Burke, chief medical officer at AXA Health, has revealed the best foods and exercises for maintaining a healthy heart.
READ MORE: Northern Lights explained as Met Office confirms aurora borealis tonight
Don't miss the biggest and breaking stories by signing up to the BirminghamLive newsletter here.
Three foods to eat for a healthy heart
Oily fish
You should eat oily fish to stay healthy. Dr Burke said: "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 your heart against disease.
"Omega 3 fats can help protect the heart and blood vessels from disease, helping to improve circulation, prevent blood clots and lower blood pressure.”
Whole grains such as Quinoa
There is a lot of fibre in whole grains which can help with your blood pressure and cholesterol. Dr Burke said: "Whole grains such as quinoa and brown rice contain high levels of fibre, which can help to regulate blood pressure and cholesterol, making it a possible key to better heart health.
"Quinoa is a gluten-free grain alternative that offers a range of health benefits as it is packed with fibre, magnesium, B vitamins, iron, and antioxidants. Quinoa aids digestion, helps regulate blood sugar levels, and provides sustained energy throughout the day.
"The process fibre goes through in the body requires bile acids that are partly created by cholesterol, meaning the more fibre we eat, the more cholesterol the body uses to process it, helping to lower our bad (LDL) cholesterol levels."
Nuts and seeds
Dr Burke said there was one superfood which could be sprinkled on your breakfast yoghurt or put into a smoothie. He said: "Chia seeds are great for heart health as they are high in fibre, protein, and omega-3 fatty acids.
"They also contain calcium, magnesium, and antioxidants. These seeds can help stabilize blood sugar, improve digestion, and support heart health. Chia seeds can be easily incorporated into smoothies, yoghurt, or used as an egg substitute in baking."
Chia seeds are available in most major supermarkets, starting from about £1.20 in shops including Tesco, Asda and Sainsbury's.
Diet and health changes to maintain a healthy heart
Cut back on saturated fat
Dr Burke said you should think about making changes to your diet if you want to improve your health. He said: "Making small changes to your diet can have positive health benefits.
"Choose semi-skimmed over full-fat milk and leaner cuts of meat. Try steaming or grilling food rather than frying. However, fat shouldn’t be avoided; it’s an essential part of a healthy, balanced diet.
"Fat is one of the three macronutrients that are essential for a balanced diet – the other two are protein and carbohydrates. There are unsaturated fats, saturated fats and trans fats.
"As a very general rule, you should avoid trans fats, limit saturated fats and aim to eat unsaturated fats, which are considered more beneficial to your health. Unsaturated fats can improve your blood cholesterol levels, ease inflammation and regulate heart rhythms."
Manage your weight
Being overweight can make your health worse. Dr Burke said: "Being overweight can increase your risk of heart disease.
"Stick to a well-balanced diet that is rich in variety and high in fruit and vegetables. Combine with plenty of physical activity to maximise benefits."
Say no to salt
You should limit the amount of salt you have in your diet. Dr Burke said: "To maintain a healthy blood pressure, adults should eat no more than 6g of salt a day – that’s around one teaspoon.
"Salt can already be found in some of the foods we eat, such as bread and breakfast cereals."
Stop smoking
Quitting your smoking habit is another tip. Dr Burke: "Smoking is one of the main causes of coronary heart disease as nicotine raises your heart rate and blood pressure, which puts extra strain on your heart and blood vessels.
"After a year of giving up, your risk of a heart attack falls to about half that of a smoker."
Three exercises to keep your heart healthy
Dr Burke said: "As a rule, the best activity to improve circulation is aerobic exercise – the kind that makes you warm and mildly out of breath. It’s ideal because you can modify the intensity and duration of this kind of exercise to suit your level of experience, ability and health."
Cycling
Cycling is a good exercise to do, Dr Burke said. He added: "Cycling is a great way to increase your physical health as it improves your heart, lungs and circulation, which in turn reduces your risk of cardiovascular diseases.
"Research shows that cycling regularly reduces the risk of coronary heart disease by 50% and may reduce cancer risk."
Running
Running also helps your heart. Dr Burke said: "Running is good for your heart as it is known to reduce blood pressure, lower BMI and cholesterol levels.
"Doing exercise such as running helps the circulation as it increases blood flow, gets your heart pumping blood around your body faster and helps flush the blood through your arteries."
Swimming
One exercise which is great is swimming. Dr Burke said: "Swimming is a great cardiovascular exercise as it strengthens the heart, allowing it to pump blood better, which helps to reduce your resting heart rate over time.
"As you are constantly moving in swimming, this promotes better blood circulation meaning your body gets more oxygen and nutrients."
On the subject of exercise, he did issue a warning, saying: "If you have high blood pressure, avoid any exercise that will cause an immediate spike in blood pressure over a short period of time, such as weightlifting or powerlifting, scuba diving, squash and sprinting. This is due to the pressure it puts on the heart and walls of your arteries."