This week is Men’s Health Week and we want to help men across Ireland make the right choice for their heart health – we want you to Reboot your Life – get active and eat healthily.

In 2023, 5,281 men died from heart disease and stroke with families, friends, and loved ones left devastated.

80% of premature heart disease and stroke is preventable and small, sustainable lifestyle changes can make a difference. Every small step you take to improve your heart health adds up. You’ll also lower your risk of other diseases such as some cancers, diabetes and obesity.

Here are some top tips to help you to Reboot your Life:

1. Know your Numbers:

Knowing your blood pressure, cholesterol and pulse can help prevent heart disease and stroke. It is important to get checked, and very often you won’t know you have high blood pressure, high cholesterol or an irregular pulse until you get checked.

For many, the level of your blood pressure and cholesterol can be controlled with lifestyle habits, and medication, if required. Making small changes now can make a big difference to your life now and in the future, especially if you already have heart disease or a family history of it.

This year’s Men’s Health Forum in Ireland campaign highlights the importance of knowing your numbers and has lots of resources to help you look after your health here.

2. Get Active:

Getting regular physical activity is one of the most important things you can do to improve your overall health.

To keep our heart healthy, all adults should do at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity movement each week. A working day looks different for many, and we can sit at our desks throughout the day without moving. This is known as sedentary behaviour which has been shown to increase your risk of developing heart disease or stroke. Even if you get the recommended amount of physical activity but spend a lot of time sitting down, you could still be putting your health at risk.

Make some changes to your day to include physical activity and reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke.

3. Eat Healthily:

A healthy diet can stop you gaining weight, reduce high blood pressure and help lower your cholesterol levels.

It’s not easy to make changes to the way we eat, but everyone should aim for a well-balanced healthy diet. The key to healthy eating is to eat a wide variety of foods.

Using the Food Pyramid (found in our healthy eating booklet here) as a guide will help make sure you get all the vitamins, minerals and goodness you need from your food.