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Healthy Heart Tip: Have A Healthy Bank Holiday

Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by the Health Promotion and Education Team at Heart Research UK

This Monday marks the last bank holiday of the summer. How about reducing the end-of-summer blues by kicking off autumn on a positive note?

With that in mind, you may want to resist the temptation to have a boozy one and indulge in too many unhealthy foods as this will leave you feeling less than your best as we head into September.

Why not make a few healthy changes this bank holiday and start September feeling great and ready to tackle the month ahead? Heart Research UK have put together a few tips to give you a helping hand.

Breakfast

Always start the day with a good breakfast as this sets the tone for the day and encourages you to choose healthy options at other mealtimes. Consuming a breakfast rich in protein will help keep you fuller for longer and a portion of wholegrain carbohydrate will give you the energy you need to power your morning. Why not try scrambled egg and avocado on wholegrain toast or fresh fruit with low-fat yoghurt and low-sugar granola?

Choose healthier drinks

Consuming too much alcohol can have a negative impact on your heart, but the good news is there are so many healthier and delicious, alcohol-free drinks available nowadays. A simple soda water with fresh lemon is delightful, or you could try a gut-loving kombucha or simply choose alcohol free versions of the alcoholic beverages you usually consume. These drinks generally contain fewer calories than normal soft drinks and alcoholic tipples and won’t leave you with a fuzzy head the following day.

Drop the guilt

Bank holidays are usually a time when families and friends meet up to enjoy some quality time together. Often this includes an abundance of less healthy food and drink options to tempt us. Avoid over-indulging, by giving yourself permission to enjoy a moderate amount of food and drinks that are higher in sugar, salt, fat or alcohol, and enjoy it without feeling guilty. If you are planning a BBQ this weekend, you might want to check out the Healthy Tip on BBQs. Healthy Heart Tip: Heart Healthy BBQ

To help keep your heart healthy, why not try out some of the Healthy Heart recipes from the website: https://heartresearch.org.uk/heart-research-uk-recipes-2/.

Or have a look through the Healthy Heart cookbook filled with recipes from top chefs, celebrities and food bloggers:
https://heartresearch.org.uk/heart-research-uk-cookbook/.

Heart Research UK
Proud to stand out from the crowd, Heart Research UK is the charity dedicated to your heart. They inspire and invest in pioneering medical research, ground-breaking training and education, and in communities to improve their heart health for themselves. For over 50 years they have driven advancements in the prevention, treatment and cure of heart disease to benefit patients as soon as possible.