Ninox Health

Dr. Heaney – Heart Check

Healthy Habits for Your Heart

Move Daily

30 minutes of exercise every day can improve your blood pressure and overall heart health.

Eat Smart

Lower your cholesterol by focusing on eating:

Whole grains
Fruits
Lean proteins

Quit Smoking

Quitting smoking is one of the best things you can do for your health.

Sleep Well

Ensure you get 7–8 hours of sleep every night to support cardiovascular and overall health.

Manage Stress

Increased stress levels can increase your heart rate, blood pressure, and cortisol levels.

Possible Signs of Heart Disease

Heart disease can whisper before it shouts – if you have any concerns, please make an appointment with your doctor.

Some symptoms that can be due to heart disease include:

Fatigue
Shortness of breath
Reduced exercise tolerance
Jaw or back pain
Swelling in your legs or ankles
Persistent dizziness

Heart Healthy Foods

Nutrition is an integral component of preventing heart disease.

1. Plenty of Fruits, Vegetables & Whole Grains

These contain lots of vitamins, minerals, fibre and antioxidants. They are high in fibre and can help reduce your cholesterol.

2. Protein-Rich Foods

Choose foods such as:

Plant-based options like legumes (beans and lentils)
Nuts and seeds
Seafood, which contains omega-3 fats that can reduce triglycerides in your blood
Eggs
Lean poultry

Reduce lean red meat to 1–3 times per week.

3. Dairy

Choose unflavoured milk, yoghurt and cheese in moderation, opting for reduced-fat varieties if you have heart disease or high cholesterol.

They are an important source of calcium, protein and other minerals.

4. Healthy Fats & Oils

Choose:

Avocados
Olives
Nuts
Seeds

When cooking, try using:

Olive oil
Canola oil
Sunflower oil
Peanut oil
Soybean oil

5. Reduce Your Salt Intake

Opt for herbs and spices to flavour your food rather than salt.

Eating too much salt can increase your blood pressure, which can increase your risk of heart disease.

Avoid processed foods such as:

Canned goods
Deli meats
Baked goods

Instead, try to eat more fresh, unprocessed foods.

Salt and Your Heart

Eating too much salt can increase your blood pressure, which can increase your risk of heart disease or stroke.

Common sources of salt include:

Processed meats such as sausages, salami, ham and bacon
Bread and cereals
Sauces and stock
Ready meals
Snack foods
Takeaways

The Heart Foundation recommends no more than 5g of salt per day, or about 1 teaspoon of salt daily.

However, there are alternatives.

Apart from using herbs and spices to flavour your food, another heart-healthy option is potassium-enriched salt.

Potassium-enriched salt tastes just like regular salt but replaces some of the sodium with potassium. It can lower your blood pressure by increasing your potassium intake while reducing sodium.

It can be purchased from many supermarkets. Speak with your GP to see if it is suitable for you.

Heart Health Check

Do you know what your risk of a heart attack or stroke is?

A Heart Health Check can help.

People who may be eligible include:

People aged 45 years and over without any health conditions
People aged 35 years and over living with diabetes
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people aged 30 years and over

A Heart Health Check includes:

A discussion about your risk factors, including smoking history, medical conditions and family history
A review of your blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels
An assessment using a clinically validated calculator to determine your risk of a heart attack or stroke within the next five years
The creation of a personalised plan to reduce your risk of heart attack or stroke. This may include lifestyle changes, referrals or medication.

Heart Disease Risk Factors

1. Lifestyle Risk Factors

Smoking – smoking can increase your risk of dying from a heart attack by up to five times
Unhealthy diet
Physical inactivity
Unhealthy weight
High alcohol consumption

2. Medical Conditions

High blood pressure
High cholesterol
Diabetes
Mental health conditions, including anxiety and depression
Social isolation and stress

3. Other Risk Factors You Cannot Control

Family history of heart disease
Ethnic background
Social environment, including social exclusion and limited access to healthy foods, employment and healthcare services

4. Female-Specific Risk Factors

Pregnancy complications such as gestational diabetes and pre-eclampsia can increase the risk of heart disease later in life.
Menopause can also increase the risk of heart disease.

Risk Factors for Heart Disease in Women

In addition to common risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, smoking, high alcohol consumption, lack of exercise, poor diet and being overweight, women have additional risk factors that should be considered.

These include:

Early or late first period
PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome)
Pregnancy complications such as:
- Gestational diabetes
- Pre-eclampsia
- Low birth weight baby
- Premature birth
Autoimmune diseases such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, and their treatments
Depression and other mental health conditions
Menopause, especially before the age of 45
Some oral contraceptives, which may increase the risk of heart disease (discuss your individual circumstances with your doctor)
Some cancer treatments, which may increase the risk of heart disease (discuss this with your doctor)