True love! World Heart Day 2018 is celebrated on 29th September every year. It’s a day created to get people around the world more aware that heart disease and stroke are the world’s leading cause of death. This year the organisers are asking you to make a promise: to eat more healthily, to get more active, and to say no to smoking.
So there’s never been a better week to get your heart pumping as you pump some iron or get on a treadmill run or any of a number of heart-healthy exercises you can do. We’ll show you the best ones. They’re all great fun too – and a laugh and smile are proven to be good for the heart too!
But being physically inactive and not exercising can contribute significantly to heart disease, leading to unhealthy weight gain, raised blood pressure and diabetes. And who on earth wants to be out of breath from climbing such as a flight of steps?
Here are some life choices the NHS heart-health experts strongly suggest for everybody:
- Eat well, including more fruit & vegetables. Many doctors say that “five a day” is actually the minimum.
- Exercise with mates – it’s more fun and you’ll be more motivated.
- Aim for a minimum of half an hour of moderate exercise five times a week, every week.
- Be more active every day – take the stairs, walk or cycle instead of driving.
- The best types of activity for a healthy heart are aerobic exercise, which includes such as swimming, jogging, brisk walking and cycling. Muscle strengthening exercises also help to burn more calories that will keep your weight down and so put less stress on your heart.
Our gyms in Watford and Gravesend will hearten anyone: vow to get fit – and show your heart you really love it!