Approximately 10,000 people die each year from cardiovascular disease making it the most common cause of death in Ireland, accounting for 36% of all adult deaths. The Irish Heart Foundation has set out 6 simple steps which actively reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

1. Healthy eating What you eat can either protect you or increase your chances of getting heart disease.
The key to healthy eating is to eat a wide variety of foods. Using the Food Pyramid as a guide will help make sure you get all the vitamins, minerals and goodness you need from your food. Choose most foods from the bottom two shelves, smaller amounts from the next two shelves and a very small amount from the top shelf. Check your portion size.

2. Regular physical activity is one of the main factors which reduces your risk of heart attack, along with not smoking and having a healthy level of blood pressure and cholesterol. Being active is the one factor that you can influence and change yourself without medication or treatment.

IHF Activity check

Are you physically active in the home (for example gardening, vacuuming or cleaning windows or floors)?
never
some days
every day

Are you physically active at work?
not active (sitting and driving)
light activity (some walking)
heavy manual labour

Do you do any physical leisure activities (for example, walking, cycling or dancing)?
never
some
most days

When you exercise, do you do so:
lightly
moderately
or vigorously?

How would you describe your weight?
more than two stone overweight
about two stone overweight
fine, maybe a little overweight

Would you describe yourself as fit for your life?
very unfit
quite fit
very fit

Mostly green - Well done. Keep up the level of physical activity in your daily routine.

Mostly blue - Try to include more activity in your weekly schedule and aim to include at least three sessions of 30 minutes continuous aerobic activity

Mostly orange - You need to be more active. Start gradually and work towards building up to about 30 minutes of any activity most days of the week.

3. It is never too late to stop smoking. The benefits begin as soon as you stop.

• Within 20 minutes, your blood pressure and pulse rate will return to normal. Circulation improves in your hands and feet, making them warmer.
• Within eight hours of stopping, the oxygen level in your blood will rise to normal and your carbon monoxide level will fall.
• Within 24 hours, the chance of you suffering a heart attack and stroke begins to fall.
• Within 72 hours, you can hold more air in your lungs. Breathing becomes easier. Your energy levels increase.
• Within days, your blood is less likely to clot.
• Within five years, the risk of a heart attack falls to about half that of a smoker.
• Within 10 years, you will have about the same risk of heart disease as someone who has never smoked.

4. Everyone has blood pressure. It shows the amount of work that your heart has to do to pump blood around the body. Two numbers measure the level of blood pressure. One number records blood pressure when the pressure is at its highest as the heart muscle squeezes out the blood from the heart - this is called systolic pressure. Then the heart relaxes, which allows the blood to flow back into the heart - this is called diastolic pressure. The normal level of blood pressure is usually about 120 (systolic) over 80 (diastolic), but this can vary with age, how you feel and activity. If you have been told that your blood pressure is higher than 140 over 90 you should discuss this with your family doctor.

5. Lower your cholesterol:

• Get down to a healthy weight - being overweight means your heart has to work harder to pump blood around the body.
• Eat oily fish twice a week.
• Eat more fruit and vegetables.
• Eat more wholegrain cereals and breads, plenty of jacket potatoes and rice and pasta.
• Choose lean meats.
• Trim fat off meat and skin off chicken.
• Drain oil from cooked dishes containing minced meat.
• Choose low-fat dairy products.
• Choose low-fat spreads made from sunflower or olive oil.
• Choose less foods from the top shelf of the Food Pyramid.
• Use low-fat healthy ways of cooking, like grilling or oven-baking, instead of frying.

6. Manage your stress

• Work off stress - physical activity helps to produce the body's own ‘happy’ hormones, or antidepressants, called endorphins. These give us that feel-good factor we experience after exercise.
• Be more active every day. Walk briskly, cycle, jog, swim or enjoy any favourite activity for 30 minutes or more. Build up your 30 minutes of activity over two to three shorter sessions, if you prefer.
• Talk to someone you really trust - we often underestimate the value of talking to friends.
• Learn to accept what you cannot change.
• Get enough sleep and rest to recharge your batteries.
• Take one thing at a time.
• Agree with somebody. Life doesn't have to be a constant battleground.
• Manage your time better - develop a system that works for you, not against you. Learn to prioritise, make lists and praise yourself for getting through the various tasks.
• Plan ahead and learn to say ‘no’.
• Take up a hobby. Work or family commitments do not have to take up all of your time.
• Eat a variety of foods. Eat lots of fruit and vegetables every day and cut down on fat
• Learn to relax. Try going to the cinema, listening to music or reading.

For more information log on to www.irishheart.ie