Heart Health

Who and when should you have your heart checked (those eligible for a FREE check)

Males 45 years and over
Females 55 years and over

If you are, or have any of the following you need to have your heart checked 10 years earlier e.g. Males 35 years and over and Females 45 years and over

  • A person of Maori, Pacific, Indian or Asia descent
  • A smoker
  • High cholesterol
  • High blood pressure
  • Overweight
  • A family history of heart disease or diabetes
  • Diabetes
  • Had diabetes in pregnancy
  • Renal impairment
  • Polycystic ovary syndrome
  • What is a heart healthy lifestyle?

    From: https://www.heartfoundation.org.nz/wellbeing/healthy-eating/eating-for-a-healthy-heart

    A heart healthy lifestyle involves healthy eating, maintaining a healthy body weight, enjoying regular physical activity and not smoking.

    The Healthy Heart visual food guide is based on a cardio-protective eating pattern, so it focuses on looking after your heart and overall health. It's a simple tool for you to use that shows:the balance and proportions of heart-healthy foods to eatsimilar foods that can be substituted for each other, and the variety and types of food to eat for optimal heart health.If you have cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk >15% or a BMI >30 kgm2 with high blood pressure or high cholesterol, you are eligible for free nutrition support from a dietitian.  If you would like to find out more about this, please see the “Nutrition*” section for more details.