Easy ways to boost the heart you love

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Valentine’s Day may have been and gone, but you still need to look after your heart and keep it healthy and strong if you want to live well.

On the go food, desk jobs and social media scrolling can all lead to a life that isn’t so great for your heart.

We aren’t here to spoil the fun or lay down the law, but we have some easy to implement ideas that could help you to boost your heart health and lead a better, fitter, happier life in 2020.

Look at portion sizes
The extra-large hot chocolate with cream, the super-size fizzy drink at the cinema and just one more slice of cake might taste good, but the additional calories, sugar and fat could play havoc with your heart as well as your waistline and your teeth. When it comes to portion sizes, you don’t have to overload your plate at every meal or fill your bowl to the top when it comes to cereal. Go easy on meat, stack up the veggies and be sure to drink plenty of water.

Snack on nuts
Yes, we know they come with fats, but eating nuts can help lower your cholesterol levels and half a handful with a banana will help to fill you up. You might want to try walnuts because they are a rich source of the omega-3 fatty acids that can help decrease inflammation in the arteries and protect your heart.

You generally want to eat a balanced diet that is rich in fruit and veg as well as wholegrains, protein and water. Yes, have treats but don’t make take-aways your daily supper staple or you may end up in trouble.

Think about how you cook
As well as what you eat, when it comes to your heart, you need to think about how you prepare your food. To boost your heart and overall health, we suggest you avoid frying or cooking foods in fat and this includes meat, fish and vegetables. If you bake, boil, grill, steam, or poach you will get all the goodness without the nasty heart harming extras. If you are worried about losing flavour, add in spices, herbs, garlic and lemon juice but ease up on salt, cheese and artery clogging cream.

See your friends
Loneliness and isolation aren’t good for any of us. As well as leaving us sad and prone to eating junk food and binge watching boxsets, it can raise the levels of stress hormones which can interfere with circulation and this makes your heart work harder, but not better. So, why not get out and see your friends, make new ones at a club or start a hobby and fill your heart with happiness and connections? Even better, play some sport or join a dance class and get some of the exercise your heart craves and loves.

Give up smoking
We know quitting is hard, but if you do smoke now is the time to stop. Smoking is one of the main causes of heart disease and as soon as you stop, your risk of a heart attack begins to fall. Quitting will also mean you smell better, breathe more easily, save money and generally live life in a smoke free, heart happier zone. There are many free resources out there to make this easier, and you can speak to your GP for help with this.

Ease up on booze
We always say everything in moderation, and that includes drinking. Some research says drinking red wine could be beneficial for your heart, but this is a ‘may’ so if you want to boost your heart health, limiting your consumption of alcohol will be a step in the right direction. Too much wine, beer or vodka won’t be good for you and can lead to abnormal heart rhythms, high blood pressure as well as strokes, liver issues and some cancers.

The thing is, you only have one heart, so love it and look after it and it will serve you well.

Team Pure Beauty

Eat less sugar and feel better for it

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From breakfast cereals and frothy coffees, to Christmas treats and party bag chews, sugar is all around us and it is very tempting, as well as very tasty.

We know sugar is found in sweets, biscuits, and cakes, but it is also hidden in bread, dips, and sauces, and that’s where many of us really fall down and our intake adds up.

Eating too much sugar is linked to tooth decay, mood swings and weight gain, so while we aren’t going to tell you to stop enjoying it altogether, we do have some simple swaps which can help you cut down, without missing out.

Clear out at the cupboards
Let’s face it, if the kitchen is packed with sugary snacks and treats, people will eat them, remove temptation and they can’t. Go through your fridge and cupboard and have a look at what you are currently buying and see where changes can be made and once something sweet has gone, don’t replace it. When you are more aware of what you are buying, you may well find that as your shopping habits change, your bill goes down and your sweet tooth eases.

Easy swaps
Scrambled eggs rather than waffles for breakfast, carrot and cucumber sticks with hummus after school and natural yogurt with a handful of nuts and raisins for supper are all healthy offerings that taste good and take the sugar down. Change isn’t always easy, but over time healthier eating does become a way of life and you never know, you might suddenly realise what you have been missing out on.

Cook from scratch
You might think that an organic tomato sauce in a jar is a healthy bolognaise option, but you will be surprised just how much sugar, and other additives and preservatives, are added to get that perfect taste. If you really want to know what you are eating, make it yourself. Yes, it might take a little longer, but we are pretty sure it will be better for you and if you get the family involved, it can bring you together and make you closer as well as healthier.

Size matters
One biscuit is fine; the entire packet isn’t! It is so easy to eat as you watch TV or swipe right on your phone, but as you munch through that popcorn and chocolate, the sugar levels will be increasing and in time, your waistline will too. Look at having three balanced meals a day, packed with fresh fruit and veg, as well as two healthy snacks and plenty of water, and look at keeping portion sizes reasonable, and added extras down.

You are what you drink
As we have just mentioned water, we are going to say right now that sugary drinks should ideally be avoided. Fizzy drinks and syrup laden hot chocolates won’t do you any favours and while we think fruit juices and smoothies are good for us, in the main it is best to drink water and milk. Boring, maybe, good for you, yes! If you do want to make your water a little more uplifting, try adding ice along with some cucumber, mint, basil or rosemary and you will be better off for it.

So, we aren’t saying to give up everything you love, but we do recommend taking time to look at what you are eating and drinking, and seeing how just a few small changes could make a difference not only to your hair, skin and teeth, but your mood and pocket too!

Team Pure Beauty