SHAPING UP: Changing lifestyle habits can help to ward-off coronary heart disease risk

Coronary heart disease is responsible for 73,000 deaths each year and is the leading cause of death in the UK.

Most of us know someone who’s been affected by heart disease and the saddest part is, a lot of the time, it’s avoidable by changing lifestyle habits.So, I think it’s a really good idea to use February’s National Heart Month to assess your way of living and introduce some good habits into your lifestyle so you don’t become a national statistic.To help prevent heart disease here’s five ways to change your lifestyle and take better care of your heart:Eat Healthy

A healthy and balanced diet can help to reduce your risk of heart and circulatory diseases, such as type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure and can help you to maintain a healthy weight. It can also help to lower your cholesterol levels.

Even if you already have a heart condition, eating healthily can still be of benefit to your heart health. Try to eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, nuts, seeds, pulses and wholegrain varieties of bread, rice and pasta. You should also look to choose options that are lower in saturated fat, salt and sugar where you can.Quit smokingSmokers are twice as likely as non-smokers to have heart disease with all the health issues it causes it is the most important thing you can do for your heart.

Know Your Numbers

If you’re concerned about your blood pressure, speak to your GP or a pharmacist. You can normally get it checked at your GP surgery or local pharmacy. Having high blood pressure means you’re at an increased risk of having a heart attack or a stroke, so it's really important that you know your numbers.

Around 28 per cent of adults in the UK have high blood pressure, which can be caused by unhealthy habits. Being overweight, drinking too much alcohol and not doing enough exercise are all examples of factors which can increase your risk of getting high blood pressure.Get moving

Whatever your age or ability, exercising can help to improve your general wellbeing. In fact, regular physical activity can help to reduce the risk of developing heart and circulatory disease by up to 35 per cent. Just taking 20 to 30 minutes from your day to exercise, whether that is going for a run or a walk, can help make such a difference to your heart.

You could start with my 10-mInute Cardio workout on this page.

Or if you’d prefer to workout with the guidance of a trainer we do a 7-Day KickStart programme for just £10. For more info go to www.eastcoast-fitness.com/trial