A healthy heart

We may think of heart attacks happening to elderly men, but in truth, it can affect any one of us, at any stage of our life, if we don't look after ourselves. Heart disease can be prevented, even if you have a family history of it, so check out these tips for keeping that ticker in tip top shape:

1) Eat well - lean proteins, whole grains and fruit and veg will all put you at an advantage of those eating lots of fatty/sugary foods

2) Maintain a healthy weight - being overweight puts you at increased risk. It affects your blood pressure, glucose and cholesterol levels

3) Ditch the cigarettes - don't even do it socially as it's not worth it. It increases your blood pressure and damages heart and blood vessels

4) Get active - aim to do some exercise 30 minutes a day - something that gets your heart rate going (so more than just a casual walk to the station).

5) Check food labels - synthetic sugars (sweeteners) can raise your risk, so make sure you're not consuming too many and also check for unnecessary sugars such as those in ketchup and sports drinks.

6) Take time to relax - doing busy jobs, running around after kids and not taking time for yourself can get us very stressed and that again puts pressure on our hearts, so make sure you take that holiday and that 10 minute break before picking up the kids!