Looking After Your Heart
With Valentine’s Day coming up, it’s a timely reminder to look after your heart – all year round.
February means Valentine’s Day, heart-shaped everything, and – if you’re anything like us – an excuse to eat chocolate. But while we’re all focused on romantic hearts, it’s worth taking a moment to think about the one that’s actually keeping you alive.
Your heart is working hard for you right now. As you read this, it’s beating steadily away, pumping blood around your body, delivering oxygen and nutrients to where they’re needed. It does this around 100,000 times a day, every day, without you having to think about it. Pretty impressive.
And we all know we should be looking after our heart, but it kind of falls into the ‘I’ll deal with that later’ pile. Heart health isn’t just about avoiding problems decades down the line, though. It affects how you feel right now – your energy levels, your sleep, your ability to handle stress, your mood, even how well you recover from illness or injury.
The good news is that looking after your heart doesn’t require dramatic lifestyle overhauls or giving up everything you enjoy. Small, sustainable changes can make a real difference.
Changes like:
Move your body (and not necessarily in a gym)
Yes, exercise is good for your heart. But it doesn’t have to mean going to the gym if that’s not your thing.
What matters is regular movement that gets your heart rate up a bit. That could be a brisk walk that leaves you a bit breathless, or swimming (maybe not in Helensburgh for a while, though…), cycling, dancing or gardening, or playing with your kids or grandkids. It doesn’t matter so much what it is, the best exercise for your heart is the one you’ll actually do consistently.
If you’re living with a health condition or recovering from injury, our exercise classes might be right for you. These are small group sessions with chair-based exercises that are designed by a physiotherapist specifically for people who need a bit more support with exercise. It’s not about fitness levels or keeping up with anyone else – it’s about moving safely and building strength at your own pace. And they’re also very sociable and a lot of fun!
You don’t have to be perfect. None of us are. You just need to make more good choices than poor ones, most of the time.
Eat well (most of the time)
We’re not going to tell you to never eat chocolate or have a glass of wine again. Life’s too short, and overly restrictive diets tend to backfire anyway.
But what you eat does matter. A Mediterranean-type diet rich in vegetables, fruit, whole grains and healthy fats (olive oil, nuts, oily fish) supports your cardiovascular system. Processed foods, excess salt, and too much sugar or alcohol will put strain on it.
You don’t have to be perfect. None of us are. You just need to make more good choices than poor ones, most of the time.
If you’d like personalised nutrition advice – not a generic meal plan, but actual guidance based on your individual needs and lifestyle – our nutrition advisor Rachael can help. She can also advise on whether you would benefit from using supplements.
To get in touch with Rachael, give us a call on 01436 672677 or email us
Manage stress (it’s not optional)
Here’s a big one: stress is really, really bad for your heart. And you don’t have to be working a high-powered job to be stressed.
Chronic stress raises your blood pressure, increases inflammation in your body, disrupts your sleep, and can lead to unhealthy coping mechanisms like comfort eating, drinking too much, or not exercising. Over time, this takes a toll on your cardiovascular system.
So when you start thinking about the harm stress can cause, self-care stops seeming like a luxury – or even something that is optional. It’s essential maintenance for both your mental and physical health.
‘Self-care’ means different things for different people. It might mean therapy or counselling to work through what’s weighing on you. It might mean massage to release the physical tension you’re carrying in your body. It might mean acupuncture, or hypnotherapy, or just be as simple as making time for yourself to enjoy activities that help you decompress.
Whatever works for you, make it a priority.
Sleep matters more than you think
Poor sleep is linked to high blood pressure, obesity, and increased risk of heart disease. And yet most of us are running on far less sleep than we need.
If you’re consistently struggling with sleep, it’s worth getting to the bottom of why. Is it stress keeping you awake? Pain or discomfort? Sleep apnoea? Hormonal changes? There’s usually a reason, and there’s usually something that can help.
Our mental health practitioners can help with sleep issues related to stress or anxiety. Our physiotherapy team can help with pain that’s disrupting your sleep. And if you suspect there might be an underlying medical reason, our private GP can investigate further.
But if it’s something as simple as you burning the candle at both ends, or doom-scrolling before bed, try a week of going to bed half an hour earlier without your phone to see the difference in how you feel.
Get your heart checked (especially if you’ve been putting it off)
When’s the last time you had a check up? Prevention is always better than cure, so if you haven’t been looked over in a while, or if you have risk factors for heart disease (family history, high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol), it’s worth getting things checked out.
Our private GP, Dr Joyce Braaksma, offers thorough, unhurried appointments. No rushing, no feeling like you’re taking up too much time – just proper care and attention. She can arrange health checks, review your cardiovascular risk factors, and help you make a plan to protect your heart health going forward.
Small changes, big impact
You don’t have to overhaul your entire life to look after your heart. Start small:
- Take a 20-minute walk most days
- Add an extra portion of vegetables to your dinner
- Go to bed half an hour earlier
- Book that massage you’ve been putting off
- Get your blood pressure checked
- Spend less time scrolling, more time doing something you actually enjoy
Small changes, repeated consistently, add up to real results. And your heart will thank you.
If you need us, we’re here
If you’re looking for support with your health – whether that’s nutrition advice, help with exercise, stress management, or a general health check – we’re here to help. Give us a call on 01436 672677, or book an appointment online.
Join our mailing list
We are a well-established multi-disciplinary health clinic on the seafront of Helensburgh. Join our mailing list to get all the latest news and updates directly to your inbox!