Exercise and heart disease

If you have a stressful life and don't find the time or motivation to eat healthily, be physically active and take care of your mental health, your health suffers. It can be difficult to change unhealthy habits, as they have often been going on for many years and you don't notice the consequences as they often sneak up on you. Unhealthy lifestyles can lead to obesity, high blood pressure and high cholesterol, which can cause cardiovascular disease. Around 475,000 Danes are living with cardiovascular disease, an increase of 17% since 2006.

Recommendations from the Danish Heart Foundation to avoid cardiovascular disease

The Danish Heart Foundation recommends daily exercise, a healthy diet, a social life, avoiding stress, not smoking and drinking in moderation to reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

Find motivation to exercise

Make exercise fun by finding a sport you enjoy or by being active with a good friend or in a community you like. Physical activity strengthens your heart, lowers your blood pressure, gives you energy for everyday life and is good for your bones and muscles. Be active for 30 minutes a day and get your heart rate up a few times a week with higher intensity exercise.

Dietary advice for better heart health

Your diet also plays a significant role in your heart health. Eat more whole grains, fish and vegetables and cut back on salt and sugar. Replace saturated fat from animal products such as butter, cheese and meat with unsaturated fat from plant foods such as vegetable oil and nuts.
In addition to food and exercise, the Danish Heart Foundation also recommends having good social relationships. Being part of different communities brings joy and has a positive influence on your mental health. Your communities can give you support in difficult situations and you can share your interests with them.

How does mental health impact the body?

Your mental health can have an impact on your physical health. That's why it's also important to avoid stress. Prolonged stress affects the circulatory system with the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline. This can negatively affect your blood pressure, heart rate, blood lipid profile and insulin sensitivity. In addition, people with stress are more likely to engage in unhealthy lifestyles, such as starting smoking, increasing alcohol intake, poor sleep habits, inactivity and unhealthy eating.

The effects of smoking and alcohol on the body

Avoid smoking, including passive smoking, as it increases the risk of atherosclerosis and blood clots. No matter how old you are or how many years you have been smoking, quitting is worthwhile. There is a noticeable difference immediately after quitting tobacco.
Alcohol is not something you should drink for your health, but the heart can usually tolerate alcohol in moderation. Women should limit themselves to a maximum of 7 units per week and men to a maximum of 14 units per week.

By taking these precautions, you reduce the risk of developing or worsening cardiovascular disease.

By Josefine Huusom