How to Reduce Your Risk of Vascular Disease

Our latest health and social care blog looks at what you can do to keep your circulatory system healthy and reduce your risk of vascular disease.

As a leading homecare provider, we look after people with a variety of medical problems, so we always want to do our bit to raise awareness of common health conditions. This September it’s Vascular Disease Awareness Month. Covering diseases that affect the veins, arteries and lymphatic system, vascular disease includes conditions like stroke, hypertension, deep vein thrombosis, aneurisms, embolisms, varicose veins, lymphoedema and narrowing of the arteries.

As a catch-all term, it’s perhaps as high profile as illnesses like dementia or cancer but The Circulation Foundation report that vascular disease is the cause of a staggering 40% of deaths in the UK. While the statistics might sound quite worrying, the good news is that it’s possible to reduce your risk of vascular problems just by making some lifestyle changes.

Ways to boost your circulatory health

Eat well

Obesity and a poor diet that’s high in saturated fats and sugar is a real risk to your vascular health. Swapping the bad stuff for foods that make up a heart-healthy diet will go a long way in cutting your chances of developing circulatory problems. That means eating more wholefoods like fruit, vegetables, pulses, dairy, nuts, seeds and lean meats. One recent study has shown that a Mediterranean diet can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by a quarter.

If you want to make changes to your daily diet, the cholesterol charity Heart UK have some great tips, healthy eating plans and recipes to get you started.

Get moving

Most of us live a more sedentary lifestyle than anyone in past generations which is not great for our circulatory health. Getting the blood pumping and keeping your vascular system in good shape is really important. That doesn’t mean you have to start training for the marathon. Any exercise that you enjoy and can manage will be beneficial – walking is a great way to add some cardio to your daily routine and you can go as slow, fast or far as suits your fitness levels.

It’s all too easy to get comfy in your favourite chair for a few hours while you’re glued to the telly, but it’s important to get up and move around regularly, even if it’s just to grab a cuppa. Sitting for long periods is really bad for your circulation, so remember to get moving every so often.

Stop smoking

According to the British Heart Foundation, smoking almost doubles the risk of having a heart attack. As well as reducing the amount of oxygen that’s being pumped around your body, smoking raises your blood pressure, leads to fatty deposits clogging up your arteries and increases the likelihood of blood clots which can cause strokes.

We all know that nicotine is highly addictive, which is why it can be hard to give up tobacco, but you can get help from the NHS who offer free local Stop Smoking services.

See your doctor

Catching things early is one way of reducing the risk of conditions developing to the point where your health is at serious risk. If you think you might have an issue or haven’t had a check-up in a while, contact your GP for a health check.

It also helps if you manage any current medical conditions properly by attending regular appointments and taking your medication correctly. For example, conditions like diabetes can have significant effects on your cardiovascular health if not controlled.

Caring for people across South London

If you have a health condition and would like more support to stay living in your own home, give us a call. We provide everything from 24-hour live-in care to short-term respite across the London Borough of Lambeth. Whatever you need, we’re here to help. Just give our friendly Bluebird Care team a call on 0208 677 6665.