Valentine's Day ♥ Take care of your heart

It's Valentine's Day! A day full of love. Love can last a lifetime, just like the beating of a heart and of course it is very important to take good care of your heart. Because we care about you, here are some tips for a healthy heart.

1: Eat enough fruit and vegetables

Taking good care of your heart also means eating enough fruits and vegetables. Why? These contain important vitamins, minerals and fibre that contribute to your health. We recommend eating 5 portions of fruit or vegetables each day.

2: Get enough exercise

Exercise is healthy, for your heart as well. Good fitness reduces the risk of high blood pressure and the risk of cardiovascular disease. Try to exercise intensively for at least half an hour every day. How intense is different for everyone and depends on your fitness level. In any case, you should put your heart to work!

3: Drink as little alcohol as possible

Drinking too much alcohol is bad for your heart. You can read more about it in our blog: "Dry January - What does alcohol do to your heart?".

4: Quit smoking

Smoking is not good for your health. Among other diseases and ailments, it can increase the risk of heart attack or stroke. This is because the nicotine in a cigarette increases blood pressure and your heart rate. Carbon monoxide also displaces oxygen in your blood. In addition, there are substances in a cigarette that damage the vascular wall. As early as a year after quitting smoking, the risk of heart disease is less. Note that passive smoking also has disadvantages for your heart health!

5: Eat as little salt as possible

Eating too much salt increases your blood pressure. The heart has to work much harder to pump the blood around. Avoid products with a lot of added salt, such as snacks and ready-made meals.

6: Eat unsaturated fats

If your diet consists mainly of saturated fats, this can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. For example, leave that bag of crisps behind more often and go for unsalted nuts instead. Or choose low-fat or semi-skimmed dairy products instead of the full-fat variety.

7: Avoid stress

Too much long-term stress can cause increased blood pressure. Do relaxation or breathing exercises or try some yoga sessions. Sufficient exercise can also reduce stress. If you find it difficult to reduce your stress levels or have depressive thoughts, then contact your doctor for professional help.