Heart Health

10 Healthy Steps

For some tips on how to lower cholesterol and support heart health see if you can do our 10 step challenge.

Step 1.

Weigh in – Almost 2 out of 3 Australian adults is either overweight or obese. Being overweight or obese is related to over 30 different diseases including those related to heart health. Maintaining a healthy weight is therefore important for both your heart and helping to maintain overall health and wellbeing. A nutritious diet and regular exercise are great steps to take to help achieve and maintain a healthy weight and lower cholesterol levels. There can be lots of confusing information about healthy weight management, but the best place to seek help specifically for you and your personal health needs is with your doctor or dietitian

Step 2.

Positive Choices: Fruit, Vegetables, Fibre and more – Try to eat a variety of nutritious foods in your diet every day. For heart healthy eating the Heart Foundation recommend:

Eating plenty of fruits, vegetables and wholegrains, like oats and barley for their beta glucan fibre

Having a variety of healthy proteins such as fish, seafood, legumes, beans, nuts, seeds, egg and lean chicken. Keeping red meat to 1-3 times a week

Having unflavoured milk, yogurt and cheese, looking for low fat options if you have high cholesterol

Including health monounsaturated and polyunsatured fats like nuts, seeds, avocado, olives and healthier cooking oils (e.g. olive, peanut, sesame, canola)

Using herbs and spices instead of salt to season your food

It’s all about swinging the balance to more healthy nutritious foods and saving treats for special occasions. Eating the right foods can improve your health and lower cholesterol, now and in the future.

TIP: Try having 30 different types of plant foods each week for nutrition variety and fibre

Step 3.

Fat Facts – Replacing saturated and trans fats with polyunsaturated (omega-6, omega-3), and monounsaturated fats has been shown to be beneficial to heart health and cholesterol levels. This including reducing the bad LDL cholesterol, and increasing the good HDL cholesterol.

Polyunsaturated fats include soybean and sunflower oil, as well as grains, nuts and seeds. Also try to specifically include omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids found oily fish (e.g. sardines and salmon) and plants sources such as linseed (or flaxseed). Monounsaturated fats include extra virgin olive oil, canola oil, peanuts and avocado.

Step 4.

Get Moving – Exercise and physical activity is not only beneficial for heart health, it can support muscle and bone health, mental health and can be a social opportunity with others.

The Australian physical activity and exercise guidelines recommends adults per week to do:

2.5-5 hours of moderate exercise or movement, or
1.25-3.5 hours of vigorous exercise or movement, or
An equivalent mixture of both.

Muscle strengthening is important to do twice a week (e.g. lifting weights, squats, push ups, lifting or carrying household items, gardening)

For older adults, 30 minutes of moderate activity most days a week is recommend, but of course talk to your doctor about what might be appropriate for you if you have concerns.

If you have not been exercising regularly start gently and build up. Try to increase your incidental (or everyday) activity. This may be by taking the stairs instead of the lift, walking to the local cafe instead of driving. Combine this with some regular planned exercise that suits you and which you enjoy. Maybe walking the dog, a hit of golf, dancing, gardening, cycling or pilates. Simply get your body moving and your heart pumping and you’ll be on your way to better fitness!

Step 5.

Go fish – The Heart Foundation recommends Australian adults consume about 250-500mg of combined polyunsaturated EPA/DHA type omega-3’s each day. Oily fish is rich in these nutritious omega-3’s and its also recommended in the Australian dietary guidelines to consume fish meals twice each week.

Great choices include salmon, tuna, mackerel, barramundi, snapper and canned sardines. Other types of seafood can also provide omega-3’s like squid, scallops and mussels.

Step 6.

Alcohol – No alcohol is best for health, but if you do enjoy a drink better to do so in moderation and save it for those celebratory occasions. For Australian adults it’s recommended to consume no more than 10 standards drinks per week, no more than 4 in one sitting. For some people’s health less or no alcohol may be required, best to discuss with your GP.

Step 7.

Quit – Cigarette smoking or vaping is not only bad for your heart health but can cause many other health problems. If you need help visit the Quitline website, call the quitline on 13 7848 or talk to your doctor.

Step 8.

Shake the Salt – salt and more specific sodium is required by the body, but too much can be harmful to heart health. Its estimated that Australians are consuming nearly double the World Health Organisation daily sodium target of 5g per day, therefore it is important we make conscious efforts to reduce salt and sodium intake where possible. Avoid salty snacks, sauces and take away options, and look for salt reduced varieties where possible. When cooking avoid adding salt and look to use other herbs and spices instead.

Step 9.

Add some plant sterols – An additional option to help your heart health is to consume foods that contain plant sterols. Studies show that consuming milk with plant sterols every day, like HeartActive, can reduce LDL cholesterol after a minimum of three weeks*. HeartActive® is a low fat milk enriched with plant sterols. Enjoy 2-3 serves (250mL) of HeartActive® for the best results – try it on cereal, in your morning coffee or in a delicious fruit smoothie.

Step 10.

Keep a check on it – There are lots of factors that affect your heart health. High cholesterol levels may not come with any immediate signs or symptoms, therefore its important to have regular check ins with your doctor to understand your individual health requirements and how to keep your heart and body healthy.