British Heart Week: 4 Simple Steps to A Healthier You

Seeing as though it’s British Heart Week (Thursday 7th July – Friday 15th July), we thought now would be the time for a good old ?-to-?. Sadly, cardiovascular disease accounts for more than a quarter of all deaths in the UK each year. That’s 420 deaths every day, or one death every three minutes.

We know it’s not always easy, but here at B&M HQ we do our best to eat right and stay in shape. So we’ve put together some handy tips to help you take better care of your heart.

Check out these 4 simple steps to becoming a healthier, happier version of you!

Eat Well, Eat Green

The '5-a-day' mantra was adopted by the government in 2003, as a way to encourage a healthier diet featuring more fruit and veg.

And it’s still as important as ever. Not only does a healthy diet help you lose weight and stay in shape, it will help reduce the chances of developing coronary heart disease.

Too much saturated fat can increase the levels of cholesterol in your blood, so try not to rely on dairy foods or fatty meat for lunch and dinners. Increase your vegetable intake instead – whether it’s fresh or frozen, if it’s green it’s good!

B&M Top Tip: don’t forget you can bag a great deal on all your favourite Frozen Vegetables at selected B&M stores!

More Exercise

Watching what you eat is all well and good, but it’s only the first step to becoming a healthier you. Getting a sweat on regularly is vital if you’re looking to lose weight and consequently reduce the risks associated with high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

Remember, small changes can make a big difference. If you’re more likely to run a bath at the end of the day rather than a 5k, you can start with some simple everyday changes:

• Use stairs instead of lifts or escalators
• Walk to the local shop instead of driving
• Air-biking – just lean back on your sofa and pretend to cycle!
• Do 10 press ups – increase the amount every week

Once you’re feeling confident enough for a run, why not take up the NHS Couch to 5K Challenge? It’s a great way for new runners to get themselves in shape – and it’s completely free! Just go to the App Store or Play Store and download the podcast.

Lose the Booze

Many of us find a couple of cold beers or glasses of vino help us unwind at the end of a busy week. We meet up with friends and family over a pint, we toast happy couples and we celebrate birthdays with a glass of fizz.

Alcohol is a big part of our lives, and it’s not going anywhere any time soon, but it’s important to consume in moderation.

Research published in April in the Lancet (one of the most prestigious medical journals in the world) found that drinking more than recommended UK guidelines puts drinkers at a higher risk of stroke, fatal aneurysm and heart failure.

It supports the UK’s guidelines of no more than 14 units of alcohol per week (that’s around 6 pints of beer or 6 glasses of wine). By cutting out a couple of glasses of wine a week or the odd bottle of beer with dinner, you’ll reduce the risks of suffering from heart disease.

Pack It In

We all have our bad habits. But it’s clear that some habits are worse than others. Approximately 79,000 smokers die each year in England, from preventable illnesses brought on by smoking.

Compared to people who have never taken up smoking, smokers are almost twice as likely to have a heart attack.

These kinds of numbers can be sobering, so if you want to avoid being just another statistic, the medical advice is quite clear: quit smoking! It will improve your health, extend your life and save you money!

We have a great range of products available in-store to help you pack in the fags, like NiQuitin 4mg Mint Gum.

B&M Top Tip: remember, you’re not alone! There’s lots of advice out there for people who want to quit smoking. Try the NHS website or British Heart Foundation to get the support you need to quit.

What lifestyle changes do you want to make? Share your stories and tips with the B&M Community on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.