Seven ways to a healthy heart

Get more sleep

Too little sleep may increase your risk of developing high blood pressure, according to a report in Hypertension, a journal of the American Heart Association, earlier this year. Around one quarter of people aged from 32 to 59 who slept for five or fewer hours a night developed hypertension, compared with 12% of those who got seven or eight hours. “Sleep allows the heart to slow down and blood pressure to drop for a significant part of the day,” says Dr James Gangwisch, lead author of the study at Columbia University. “However, people who sleep for only short durations raise their average 24-hour blood pressure and heart rate. This may set up the cardiovascular system to operate at an elevated pressure.”

Eat more fruit

Fruit and vegetables have a high level of naturally occurring minerals called electrolytes, and of plant chemicals called phytochemicals: all protect cells against damage from free radicals that can cause heart disease. Bananas, especially, are packed with potassium, which helps lower blood pressure, while a study last year found that pomegranate juice may help reduce fatty deposits on artery walls. The next big thing, however, could be the juice of the noni fruit, an indigenous South Pacific plant used in Polynesian folk medicine for more than 2,000 years: a recent conference of the American Heart Association, found that the juice lowered cholesterol and triglycerides (the main constituent of vegetable oil and animal fats).

Control your coffee intake

Coffee drinkers got some welcome news recently when a study in Circulation, another journal of the American Heart Association, revealed that long-term caffeine consumption might not increase the risk of heart disease. Researchers analysed consumption in more than 128,000 subjects, and found no link between the amount they drank and the risk of disease. However, experts can’t seem to agree whether caffeine is good or bad news – another recent study showed that just two cups of coffee prior to a gym workout reduced the body’s ability to boost blood flow to the heart during exercise. The verdict? Limit your intake to three cups a day.

Eat less salt

Reducing salt intake by one third might cut your risk of heart disease by up to 40%, according to the Department of Health. And the World Health Organisation says that in countries where people eat 3g or less of salt a day, they tend to have the same blood pressure at 65 as they did at 15. Professor Graham MacGregor, chairman of Consensus Action on Salt and Health and a specialist in cardiovascular medicine at St George’s hospital in London, says the message is simple: most Britons consume twice as much salt as they need. He advises against adding salt in cooking or at the table. “Within two to three weeks, you’ll find high-salt foods unpleasant,” he says. Choose cereals and bread without added salt and opt for low-salt processed foods. Aim for no more than 5-6g a day.

Eat more folic acid

Several studies, including one published recently in the Journal of the American Medical Association, have shown that an increased intake of folic acid helps keep blood pressure in check. A Harvard University team looked at data on about 156,000 nurses and found those with the lowest intakes of folate were at greater risk of hypertension. Other researchers have shown folic acid – found in green leafy vegetables, fortified cereals and fortified bread – might benefit people at risk of stroke and heart disease.

Take up T’ai Chi

The ancient marital art has proven heart protective benefits. Doctors in the US analysed 47 studies looking at the impact it had on people with chronic health problems, such as heart disease. They found that it could improve the health of their heart. “Benefits were reported in cardiovascular and respiratory function in healthy subjects and in patients who had undergone coronary artery bypass surgery,” said the researchers from Tufts University Medical School, Boston.

Measure your waist

Measuring your waist-to-hip ratio is the best way to see if you’re at risk of heart disease, and according to a study published in The Lancet last year is a more reliable measurement than body mass index or weight. To work out your waist-to-hip ratio, divide your waist measurement by that of your hips – for men, the ratio should ideally not be over 0.90; for women, not over 0.85. The more above these values the ratio is, the greater your risk of heart disease. According to Dr Marie Savard, author of Apples And Pears: A Revolutionary Diet Programme For Weight Loss And Optimum Health (£10.99, Vermilion), most forms of cardiovascular disease have a high correlation with the visceral fat (around the organs) that accumulates when someone gains weight around their midriff. “Studies show that apple shapes have a threefold risk of suffering a stroke or heart disease, regardless of their weight.”

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