Is YOUR lifestyle good for your heart? See for yourself by trying this new cardiologist quiz…
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Taking care of your heart may be the key to a longer, healthier life.
But trading indulgence for nutrition can be challenging.
Heart and circulatory diseases are the leading causes of death in the UK and US, responsible for a quarter of deaths each year.
Cardiologist Dr. Ameet Bakhai has devised a lifestyle questionnaire to help indicate whether you are taking care of your heart.
From your favorite potato to how much you exercise, the eight question quiz will determine the effect your lifestyle choices are having on your heart.
Cardiologist Dr. Ameet Bakhai has designed a lifestyle questionnaire to help indicate whether you are taking care of your heart.
For each question, choose which answer A, B, and C applies the most to you.
Dr Bakhai, from Spire Bushey Hospital in north London, who has been advising Healthspan on its love your heart supplement range, said: ‘Heart problems can often get progressively worse, until one day you have a more complicated problem, which could have been avoided if we had paid attention to the warning signs.
“Heart problems may be related to other things — you might consider not being able to climb two more flights of stairs because of a lung condition or lack of fitness or weight gain, but there’s a lot of overlap with coronary artery disease. or heart valve problems or irregular heart rhythms.
“Therefore, taking care of your heart health is essential and should be planned as a New Year’s resolution every year.”
How many servings of fruits and vegetables do you eat a day?
A. 0-2 servings – I really don’t like them
B. 3-4 servings, although I could probably eat more if I tried
C. 5 or more servings per day – 1 can’t get enough of them
Which of the following do you eat the most?
A. Fries – delicious, especially with mayonnaise.
B. Roast potatoes, although I only have one or two and they are made with olive oil instead of meat.
C. Boiled or baked potatoes, and I often eat super healthy sweet potatoes too
How often do you eat fresh fish?
A. I eat fried and battered fish and chips every week. I never buy fresh fish. It is too difficult to prepare.
B. Once or twice a week, usually cod or other prepackaged white fish. I would love to cook more exotic fish dishes, but I don’t know how.
C. At least three times a week, especially oily fish such as fresh sardines, mackerel or salmon. I always make the fish grilled, poached or baked, and never fried
When do you add salt to your food?
A. Both during cooking and at the table: it is essential to highlight the flavor.
B. During cooking only: I am trying to reduce
C. Almost nothing: I use fresh herbs for flavor and check labels for salt content in foods I buy
From your favorite potato, whether it’s fried, grilled or baked, to how much you exercise, the quiz will determine the effect your lifestyle choices are having on your heart.
How much exercise do you do each week?
A. Sometimes I stop at work and walk when everything is quiet.
B. I joined a gym and go from time to time; I also try to walk or bike on the weekends (if I have energy)
C. At least 30 minutes of vigorous exercise, five times a week and often every day.
How many units of alcohol do you drink a week?
A. Er, what is a unit? Is half a bottle of wine every night okay?
B. 15 or more – But I intend to reduce
C. No more than 1 or 2 units a few nights a week
How overweight are you?
A. More than a stone – being caring suits my warm and bubbly personality!
B. Less than a stone – and I’m trying to lose it because I feel so tired all the time
C. I am not overweight. I eat a healthy diet, exercise regularly, and always watch my weight.
How much do you smoke?
A. At least 20 cigarettes a day: My grandfather smoked his entire life and lived to be 92, so why bother?
B. I have switched to vaping as a less risky option and am trying to reduce
C. I don’t smoke at all, and I also avoid secondhand smoke.
Results
mostly like
Your diet and lifestyle are not heart healthy at all. Take a look at the C options to see where you’re going wrong.
If you have not had your blood pressure checked in the last one to two years, please contact your office to ask how to arrange this during the current restrictions.
mostly B
You know you could do better, and you’re already making improvements.
Healthy eating and exercise can lower your cholesterol level, reduce high blood pressure, help you maintain a healthy weight, and even prevent diabetes, as well as help keep your heart healthy.
mostly C
You are taking all the right steps to help keep you fit and healthy.
Keep it up so that your risk of developing high blood pressure, diabetes, elevated cholesterol levels, coronary heart disease, and stroke in the coming years is significantly lower than average.