Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the UK, so more attention should be paid to prevention of this disease. Prevention is important for everyone but particularly for people with many risk factors. So, keep physically active, don’t smoke, lose weight if you are overweight and enjoy a healthy, well balanced diet!

There are many steps you can take to help reduce the risk of heart disease. Including plenty of wholegrain foods in your diet is just one of them.

Here are some lifestyle tips to help you look after your heart:

Keep physically active (a minimum of 30 minutes activity of at least moderate intensity on 5 or more days of the week*)

Try to reduce the intake of salt and fatty foods in your diet

Choose low-fat dairy foods such as skimmed or semi-skimmed milk or low-fat yoghurt

Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables. You should have 5 portions per day

Cook with small quantities of vegetable oil that is high in unsaturated fat, for example olive oil or rapeseed oil

Eat fish at least a couple of times a week, including one portion of oily fish such as salmon  

Eat plenty of starchy foods like potatoes, rice, pasta, bread, cereals etc. High fibre and wholegrain options are best

Replace fatty meat in your diet with alternatives such as beans, lean meat, poultry etc.

Do not smoke  

Do not drink alcohol in excess. Men should not drink more than 3-4 units per day and women should not drink more than 2-3 units per day

Maintain a healthy body weight, i.e. a BMI of 20-25. Click here for a health and BMI check