Cardiovascular Disease is the world's number one killer! Each year, it's responsible for 17.5 million deaths! Over half of all adults in England have raised cholesterol BUT it's not just exclusive to older generations, it can also affect children and young people too! Also, Worldwide, one in 10 schoolchildren are estimated to be overweight which puts them at risk of heart disease and stroke.

Your HEART powers your whole body! That's why it's so incredibly important for everyone, young and old, to look after it! The good thing is that Cardiovascular Disease can be prevented by making very simple changes to your lifestyle.

So, what can you do to control the risk factors for CVD?

Get Active!
30 minutes of activity a day can help prevent a heart attach and stroke. Find an activity that works for you, whether that might be running, cycling, swimming or dancing.. or even just make simple changes during the day to make sure you're walking enough, check out my video for getting in 10,000 steps a day!:
Also, as a positive, being active is a great stress reliever and can help you control your weight!

Eating/Drinking Healthier!
Being more mindful of what you're eating is very important, try to be aware of the amount of processed foods that you consume. There are some foods that are proven to keep your heart healthy and reduce cholesterol levels. Here's some recommended heart-healthy foods:
Nuts -  All nuts are rich in vegetable protein, fibre and heart healthy unsaturated fats, magnesium, potassium and more! 30-35g of nuts(a handful, be careful of portion sizes) has the potential to lower cholesterol by an average of 5%.

Whole Grains such as Oats and Barley - Both Oats and Barley are rich in a form of soluble fibre called Beta Glucan. This forms a gel which helps bind cholesterol in the intestines and prevent it from being absorbed. The recommended amount of beta glucan is 3g per day.

Herbalife has just released a new heart health product in Europe called 'Beta Heart'.The vanilla flavoured powder contains a key ingredient  OatWell oat beta-glucan that was mentioned above. 1 scoop of Beta Heart provides 1.5g of oat beta glucans, 3g of fibre and is a source of protein.
Fruits and Vegetables - Fruits and Veggies are low in saturated fats and they're also a valuable source of soluble fibres. Some rich sources of soluble fibres can be found in sweet potato, broccoli, apples, strawberries

As for drinks, of course it's important to make sure that you drink plenty of water. Ideally, avoiding drinking alcohol is best, but if you like a drink, they try to have it in moderation!

Stop Smoking!
This would help with a whole host of problems, not just CVD, but if you stop smoking, you half the risk of coronary heart disease within  a year and will return to a normal level over time. Not only that, but Non-Smokers, including children are killed each year from exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke. Smoking causes 10% of CVD.

So by quitting, you not only improve your health but those around you too!

Know Your Numbers!
You can know your risk by visiting your health professional/GP and asking for some simple tests including:
Glucose Levels - High blood glucose is indicative of Diabetes which CVD accounts for 60% of deaths with people who have diabetes.
Blood Pressure - High blood pressure is the number one risk factor. It's known as the 'silent killer' because there's usually no warnings or symptoms.
Cholesterol - High Cholesterol is associated with around 4 million deaths per year.

So, there's some tips for controlling the risks of Cardiovascular Disease. If you'd like to know more about CVD, you can find it on the World Heart Day website HERE. There's facts, warning signs and some interesting infographics on there.

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This World Heart Day, you have the power to make sure you(& your family) take the necessary actions to keep your heart healthy!

Disclosure: I received an Healthy Heart Hamper containing Herbalife Beta Heart for free in return for blogging and raising awareness of World Heart Day. I am not being paid to talk about or advertise their products. All opinions are as always, my own. See my policy page HERE for more detail.