Matters of the heart

4 minute read time.

FormerMember

16 Feb 2017

February is all about matters of the heart, right? In this blog post, our senior editor Sarah explains a little bit about how to keep your heart healthy, because happy hearts aren’t just for Valentine’s Day!

Heart disease affects lots of people in the UK and across the world. But the good news is that small lifestyle changes can often prevent heart disease, or help you to control it. Managing your diet, keeping fit and watching your blood pressure are just a few important factors.

How can I keep my heart healthy?
There are lots of ways we can all keep our hearts healthy:

Eat a healthy diet – this includes lots of fruit and vegetables, meals based on starchy foods, some proteins, some dairy and small amounts of unsaturated oils and spreads.
Avoid food and drinks that are high in fat, salt or sugar – try to have these less often and in small amounts.
Drink plenty of fluids – this includes drinks that are low in sugar or sugar-free. But avoid too much alcohol or binge drinking.
Keep to a healthy weight – try to keep your weight and waist measurements within normal ranges.
Exercise regularly – walking, gardening and housework all count!
Stop smoking – your doctor can support you to stop. We have more information about giving up smoking.
Know the symptoms of heart problems – if you have any warning signs of heart problems, it’s important to let your doctor know straight away. We have more information about the symptoms of heart problems.
Control stress or anxiety – you may want to try relaxation techniques or talk to family or friends about your worries.

Small changes to your lifestyle can make a big difference. The British Heart Foundation have some 10 minute challenges to help get you started:

Can cancer treatment affect my heart?
Some cancer treatments can affect how your heart works. But it depends on the type of cancer treatment and how much treatment you have. Some treatments have an immediate effect on the heart. Others may not cause problems for many years. Many people living with cancer also already have a heart condition. It’s important to discuss the risks and benefits of treatment with your doctors. If cancer treatment does affect your heart, your doctors will decide the best way to manage any problems. This may include taking heart drugs, changing your cancer treatment or having a procedure or surgery.

Talk to your cancer doctor if you’re worried about any aspect of your treatment. If your treatment has finished and you have concerns about your heart health, talk to your doctor.

We worked with the British Heart Foundation to write a booklet on Heart health and cancer treatment. You can order a free copy at be.macmillan.org.uk or by calling 0808 808 00 00.

Spread the word and we can all try to have healthier hearts this February!

To see what else Macmillan's cancer information team has been blogging about, please visit our blog home page! You can subscribe to receive our blogs by email or RSS too.

We're with you every step of the way

The Macmillan team is here to help. Our cancer support specialists can answer your questions, offer support, or simply listen if you need a chat. Call us free on 0808 808 00 00.

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