Love your heart.  It beats more than 100,000 times a day and provides lovely oxygen-rich blood to all your vital organs. Where would you be without your heart? 

**Click here to download our NEW Healthy Heart leaflets**

Know the risks

Your lifestyle and family history can affect your heart health.  The more you know about your risk of developing heart disease, the more you can do something about it. You can help your heart be healthy by making the right choices in life and there are three simple things you can do to help your heart:

Eat a healthy, balanced diet

Balance is the key.  Ignore faddy diets. Eat lots of fresh fruit and vegetables and reduce the amount of saturated fats and salt on your plate. Make sure you include starchy carbohydrates, protein from lean meat, fish and pulses and only a small amount of fats and sugars. 

Take regular physical activity

Half an hour of moderate physical activity a day is recommended.  Brisk walking, running, swimming, cycling  or even dancing energetically can be just the ticket for a healthy ticker.

Do not smoke

Another reason to quit. Smoking is just about the worst thing you can do for your health and your heart.

Young at heart

Even children are showing signs of heart disease so check out the childrens' page to help your little ones get into good habits at an early age.  

Take control

Most people should make just a few small changes to their daily routine to reduce their risk of heart disease.  Have a browse to find out more about your heart, what can go wrong with it and how you can help it.

Take the first steps to a healthier heart today. Love your heart and it will love you back.

For more information about keeping your heart healthy contact Heart Research UK's Lifestyle Officer on 0113 297 6206 or email lifestyle@heartresearch.org.uk