dearPHARMACIST - Keeping Hearts Healthy

Your heart is a muscle, about the size of a fist. It is in the middle of your chest tilted slightly to the left. Each day, your heart beats about 100,000 times. It pumps about 23,000 litres (5,000 gallons) of blood around your body. This blood delivers oxygen and nutrients to all parts of your body, and carries away unwanted carbon dioxide and waste products.

For this reason dearPHARMACIST wants you to keep your heart healthy. Whether you already have heart disease or not, it’s important to reduce your risk factors to heart disease; also known as coronary heart disease.

Risk factors of CHD include lack of exercise, smoking, diet, stress, alcohol, high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, obesity, ethnicity and family history. dearPHARMACIST can help you improve your heart health.

The more risk factors for coronary heart disease you have, the greater your chance of developing it.

The good news is that for most risk factors, dearPHARMACIST can help you do something about them.

Pop in-store to have a risk assessment done. Visit dearPHARMACIST at Regent Pharmacy, 19 Windmill Street, Gravesend, Kent DA12 1AS. No appointment required.

For more information contact us on 01474 534771.

Do you know what your blood pressure is?

High blood pressure is not something you feel or notice, so the only way to know what your blood pressure is, is to have it measured. It is important that you get your blood pressure measured today with dearPHARMACIST.

As part of our ‘Keeping Hearts Healthy’ Campaign; dearPHARMACIST will be performing blood pressure readings. During the consultation, you will have a risk assessment performed. With your readings and risks; dearPHARMACIST will put into place an action care plan.

If you do not have high blood pressure you can keep it this way by following dearPHARMACIST’s top tips for a healthy heart.

However, if after your risk assessment and blood pressure reading, dearPHARMACIST may liaise with you GP to include medication to improve your health.

Beetroot juice has been associated with helping maintain a healthy blood pressure. Studies have found a link between the active elements of beetroot juice and lowering of blood pressure.

One of dearPHARMACIST’s recommendations is to take 30mls of BeetActive Concentrate daily to help maintain your blood pressure. Follow instructions on dilution of the concentrate.

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 aerobic activity every week. One way to achieve this target is by doing 30 minutes of activity on five days a week. Fit it in where you can, such as by cycling 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. Download the 12-week weight loss plan.

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.

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.

Drink less

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 label on food packets to see what the product contains. Understanding what is in food will help you make healthier choices.