The sun is expected to stick around for the week which is great news for your heart.

02 June 2018

With weather forecasters predicting another sunny week ahead there is no better time to get out and about and enjoy the sun.

The sunny weather and longer evenings provide an increased incentive to get outside in the fresh air and increase your activity levels. Whether it’s a short walk, a swim or a cycle with friends all these activities will benefit your heart health.

Regular physical activity (30 minutes a day for five days a week) has been shown to reduce your risk of developing blood pressure, heart attack and stroke.

Did you know that more than 20 per cent of heart disease and 10 per cent of stroke is due to physical inactivity and aerobic exercise (such as walking, cycling or gardening) is the best type of exercise you can do to keep your heart healthy?

Chose an activity you enjoy and makes you feel good. For example, if you enjoy walking a long weekend is the perfect time to check out your local Sli na Slainte walking route.

Apart from encouraging us to get more active, lifting our spirits and providing the perfect excuse for ice cream, the sun is also one of our main sources of Vitamin D; also known as the sunshine vitamin.

The body absorbs Vitamin D from direct sunlight on our skin and this is essential for healthy teeth, bones and muscles.

According to Sarah Noone, dietitian with the Irish Heart Foundation, during spring and summer eating a healthy, balanced diet and getting out in the sunshine for short periods of time should be all we need to get enough vitamin D.

“Vitamin D is found naturally in oily fish and egg yolks and it is added to foods like fortified breakfast cereals, fortified milks and spreads. If you are indoors most of the time, don’t eat many foods that contain vitamin D, particularly during the autumn and winter and/ or within the high-risk groups which include those with dark skin, pregnant women, elderly and sedentary people, you may require supplementation and should discuss this with your GP,” Sarah advised.