Keep your heart healthy

Keeping your heart healthy is something you can work on every day.

What you eat, how much you move, whether you smoke, and managing your cholesterol and blood pressure are five things that can have a big impact on your heart.

Find out why they're so important and get practical tips for living a heart-healthy life.

Tips for a heart-healthy diet

A healthy diet for a healthy heart is a model. It doesn't focus on one type of food or nutrient, but what you eat over days, weeks, and months.

This eating style is naturally low in saturated and trans fats, salt, and added sugar. It is rich in whole grains, fiber, antioxidants, and unsaturated fats.

Eat more fruits and vegetables

A diet rich in a variety of fruits and vegetables is linked to a healthier heart and a lower risk of heart disease.

Swap to wholegrain

Whole grains include more natural grains. This means they have more nutrients like dietary fiber, B vitamins, vitamin E, and healthy fats.

Choose healthy fats

The best fats to include in your diet are monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats (omega-3 and omega-6). You can find these healthier fats in avocados, nuts, fish, and sunflower seeds.

Use herbs and spices instead of salt

Eating too much salt is bad for the heart. The sodium in salt can raise your risk of developing high blood pressure, a major risk factor for heart disease.

Learn more about heart-healthy eating habits

Tips for being more active

Regular physical activity reduces the risk of having a heart attack or developing heart disease. Staying active helps control common risk factors for heart disease, including:

  • high blood pressure,
  • high cholesterol and
  • To be overweight.

Regular physical activity can also help strengthen bones and muscles. It can help you feel more energized, happier, and more relaxed.

Move more

Any physical activity is better than none.

Set realistic goals

Start with small, realistic goals and work your way up to the recommended 30 to 60 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity (like brisk walking) most days of the week.

Choose activities you enjoy

When you enjoy being active, you're more likely to do it more often.

Get social

Stay motivated by being physically active with a group of friends or family, or even with your dog.

Sit less

Adults who spend less time sitting during the day have a lower risk of premature death, especially from heart disease.

Tips to help you quit smoking

The first step to quitting smoking is to understand the risks associated with smoking.

Smoking damages the blood vessels that go to the heart, brain, and other parts of the body. This makes him four times more likely to die of a heart attack or stroke and three times more likely to die of sudden cardiac death.

Keep trying

Quitting smoking isn't always easy. It may take perseverance. You can do it with planning, practice, and help.

look for support

If you find it difficult to quit smoking, support is available. Call the Quitline on 137 848. You can also talk to your doctor about options that might help you.

Give up for your loved ones

To protect the health of your family and friends, stop smoking inside your home, car, and other enclosed areas.

Do it now

When you quit smoking, your risk of heart attack and stroke decreases almost immediately.

Get more info and support to help you stop smoking.

Tips to help you understand and manage your cholesterol levels

Cholesterol is a fatty substance that transits through the body in the blood. Cholesterol is made naturally by your body and is also found in certain foods. Cholesterol is essential for the normal functioning of your body.

There are two main types of cholesterol:

High-density lipoprotein: HDL or “good cholesterol”.

Low-density lipoprotein: LDL or “bad cholesterol”.

"Bad cholesterol" can stick to artery walls and cause a buildup of cholesterol, called plaque. This buildup can create blockages in the arteries and contribute to an increased risk of heart attack and stroke.

Know your dietary fats

Eating too many saturated and trans fats can raise blood cholesterol levels. Saturated and trans fats can be found in foods like pizza, cakes, cookies, pies, and fried foods.

Eat a heart-healthy diet

Fresh foods should make up the bulk of your diet. Choose a wide variety of fruits and vegetables and a variety of healthy protein sources, including seafood, lean meats, poultry, legumes, nuts, and seeds.

know your levels

A key step in managing your cholesterol is determining your blood cholesterol level. If you are 45 or older (30 or older for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people), you should see your doctor for a heart checkup.

If your doctor recommends medication, take it as prescribed.

The best way to achieve your treatment goals and enjoy the benefits of better heart health is to follow the advice of your doctor or pharmacist and take your medications exactly as directed.

Tips to help you understand and control your blood pressure

Blood pressure is the pressure of blood against the walls of the arteries as the heart pumps it throughout the body. It is an essential part of heart function and circulation.

Long-term high blood pressure is one of the major risk factors for heart disease. As you age, the chances of having constant high blood pressure increase.

stay active

Being active regularly helps control high blood pressure and reduces your risk of having a heart attack or developing heart disease.

Minimize your salt intake

A diet high in salt can cause an increase in blood pressure. Eating more than 5 grams of salt (one teaspoon) each day increases the risk of heart disease and stroke.

know your numbers

You cannot experience high blood pressure. That's why it's important that they examine it and learn how to deal with it.

See your doctor for a heart checkup

If you are 45 or older (30 or older for Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders), you should see your doctor for a Medicare-covered heart checkup.

During a heart health checkup, your doctor will assess your risk factors for heart disease, including:

  • Blood pressure
  • Cholesterol
  • Diet
  • Physical activity levels
  • Medical and family history.

Then your doctor will tell you if you have a low, moderate, or high risk of having a heart attack or stroke within the next five years. The most important part of this exam is working with your doctor to control your risk factors to improve your heart health.

A heart checkup consists of 3 key steps

1. Talk to your doctor

Your doctor will begin monitoring you by talking with you about your risk factors for heart disease.

2. Know your risk

Once your doctor knows your risk factors, they will enter this information into an online calculator to understand your risk of heart attack or stroke over the next five years.

3. Manage your risk

Depending on your result, your doctor may encourage you to keep doing what you're doing or provide you with advice, information, and support to make heart-healthy changes.

You can reach TIB Pharmacy at any time of day or night by contacting us through our 24/7 online customer support chat or by calling 510-573-0064.

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