“A light heart lives long”, wrote William Shakespeare. This can be true physiologically as well as emotionally, because if we weigh down our hearts with salt and saturated fats, it puts pressure on the heart and can lead to a number of problems.

The heart is a very important organ. It is a muscle that beats 100,000 times a day to continuously pump blood around the whole body in order to keep us alive. Blood is moved throughout the body partly due to a certain pressure in the arteries and other blood vessels.

High blood pressure increase the risk of coronary heart disease
High blood pressure (BP), also known as hypertension, is when the overall pressure remains at a higher level than normal. Over time, this enlarges the heart, which makes it pump less effectively. A person with high BP is more at risk of developing coronary heart disease. Many people do not know they have high BP as there are no signs or symptoms, so it is a good idea to get your BP checked regularly by your doctor – especially if you are over 40 years old.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a collective term for a number of heart conditions including stroke, arterial disease, and coronary heart disease, which encompasses heart attack and angina. It can affect anyone, but seems to affect a larger percentage of males over 45 years old. As well as high BP, other risk factors for developing CVD include being a smoker, drinking a high amount of alcohol, being over-weight, or having high cholesterol levels.

A build-up of cholesterol has many health risks
Cholesterol is a fatty substance that exists in the blood. If the levels of cholesterol become too great, this creates a build-up in the arteries, which narrows them and prevents the natural flow of blood round the body and to the heart. This can cause angina – a pain in the chest – and if the fatty deposits break off or burst, this creates a blood clot. The clot can block the supply of blood to the heart, causing a heart attack, or prevent blood reaching the brain, which causes stroke.

Symptoms of a heart attack include chest pain, pain in the arms, feeling short of breath, and lightheaded, nausea and a high level of anxiety. Signs of a stroke include muscle weakness in the face and arms, and affected speech.

These can both be life-threatening, so call 999 immediately if you think you or someone else is suffering with a heart problem.

Prevent heart disease with a healthy lifestyle
Heart disease can be prevented by maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Ensure you eat a good diet with lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, fibre, fish and nuts, and cut down on fat, sugar, salt and alcohol. Keep active and get plenty of exercise to maintain a healthy weight, cut down on smoking, and engage in relaxing pursuits to reduce the stress in your life. To quote Nelson Mandela, ‘A good head and a good heart are always a formidable combination’.

If you are concerned about yourself or another, speak to your GP for further information and support.