To tie in with National Heart Month, we’ve put together our easy guide to giving your heart health a boost… Here are 8 totally fun ways to keep your ticker ticking.

We all know the drill for a healthy heart – eat well, stress-less, move more…yawn! But with heart disease now recognised as one of the leading causes of death for both men and women, it’s time we took heart health a little more seriously. Besides looking after your ticker doesn’t have to be dullsville…

Cheer up

A study published in the journal Psychological Bulletin found optimism, happiness and positive emotions can help protect against cardiovascular disease. Glass half empty kind of guy or gal? Up your positive vibes with the Live Happy app (free for iOS) which suggests daily activities scientifically proven to boost your happiness.

Bust out a tune

Be the Calvin Harris to her Taylor Swift. A Swedish study found singing together or in a group improves your heart rate variability, making you resilient to cardiac arrest. Altogether now ‘Shake it off, shake it off…’

Sip a cuppa

New research has shown regular tea consumption can protect against arterial stiffness in the heart – a condition that’s been linked to a shortened lifespan and higher risk of cardiovascular disease. Just hold the custard creams!

Change to cherries…

…for a super quick boost to heart health. Cherries are high in potassium, which regulates heart rate and blood pressure. Go for the fresh variety, or even better, cherry juice.

And breathe…

Sometimes you can’t help but blow off a little steam, but considering your chances of a heart attack increase 2.4 fold in the two hours after an angry outburst thanks to soaring levels of adrenaline and cortisol squeezing your arteries, it could be time to simmer down. Try pranayama breathing, a yogic method that involves breathing through one nostril at a time to relieve anxiety.

Go nuts

We know about the benefits of fruit and vegetables, but the latest heart hero on the block is almonds. “Eating one handful of almonds a day has been shown to lower your LDL (bad) cholesterol which lowers the plaque in your arteries which is great for heart health,” explains dietician Emer Delaney.