The Heart Physio

The Heart Physio Tom Kellock
MSc Cardiac Physiotherapist
1:1 Heart Health Programmes
Easy-to-follow, evidence based advice to help take control of your heart health

14/04/2026

We can’t always control what causes stress in our lives—but we can control how much it affects us.

Chronic stress keeps your heart under constant pressure, both physically and through the habits it influences day to day.

The goal isn’t to eliminate stress—it’s to create small, consistent ways to come out of it.

Even 10 minutes can make a difference.

13/04/2026

When it comes to a great heart health routine sleep is usually the most overlooked factor.

Poor sleep doesn’t just leave you tired, it keeps your blood pressure elevated, disrupts key hormones, and quietly increases your risk of long-term heart disease risk.

But small changes to your routine can make a big difference.

Prioritise your sleep like you would your exercise or diet and your heart will thank you.

Try:
1) A consistent set bedtime
2) Limiting screen time 60 minutes before bed
3) A specific pre-bed wind-down routine focused on relaxation

Sleep isn’t a luxury, it’s a key pillar of heart health, so start treating it as such!

12/04/2026

Nutrition plays a huge role in your risk of heart disease.
From managing blood sugars and non-HDL cholesterol to influencing blood pressure, inflammation, and body weight.

The good news? It doesn’t have to mean extreme restriction.

Think ‘swap, don’t stop’
Small, sustainable changes can have a big impact over time.

3 simple tips to get started:
Snack swaps – change crisps and sweets for nuts, fruit, or yogurt
Focus on lean protein – think chicken, turkey, and fish over processed or fatty meats
Upgrade your carbohydrates – swap refined options like white rice & bread for high-fibre wholegrain or brown alternatives

It’s not about perfection, it’s about small, sustainable changes and consistency.





11/04/2026

The research is overwhelmingly clear, exercise is one of the best things we can do for our heart health.
So the real question isn’t ‘if’ you should exercise, it’s how often and how hard.

Here’s what the science says:
Aim for 150 minutes of exercise per week. It doesn’t matter if it’s 50 minutes 3 times a week, 20 minutes every day, wherever works with your lifestyle.

Work to at least 60% of your maximum heart rate.
You can calculate this by:
Estimating your max heart rate using the formula
‘220 – your age’

Multiply that number by 0.6 (60%)
This is your heart rate target

For example, a 60 year old would use ‘220-60’, giving an estimated maximum heart rate of 160.
‘160x0.6’ gives a 60% heart rate target of 96 beats per minute

Simple wearable heart rate monitors like smartwatches make checking this easy. Just keep an eye on your heart rate during exercise and as long as you’re feeling fine, aim to stay at or above your target.

150 minutes a week, to at least your 60% heart rate target, doing whatever type of exercise works for you, and you’ve got an evidence-based sustainable exercise plan to improve your heart health.





moveyourbody

10/04/2026

When it comes to building a lifestyle for heart health, it often comes down to making some high impact changes to just 4 key things:

•Exercise
•Nutrition
•Sleep
•Stress Management

Over the next four days I’ll be discussing the ‘Four Pillars of Heart Health’, explaining how each one can influence your heart disease risk and how small changes to each can significantly improve your heart health for the long term.





05/04/2026

Remember, long term eating habits over excessive restrictions.

Allowing yourself the freedom to enjoy what you eat from time to time is proven to improve outcomes in the long run!

Happy Easter from the Heart Physio




04/04/2026

Structured exercise is great for your health—but it’s not essential.
However you get your heart working harder, find something you enjoy and that fits into your lifestyle, and stick with it ❤️

03/04/2026

The most effective ways to prevent heart disease are still the basics.

Move more. Eat well. Sleep better. Manage stress.

Exciting? Not really.
Effective? Absolutely.

Consistency beats complexity every time ❤️

EatWell SleepBetter StressManagement

02/04/2026

The 4 simple markers you can monitor that tell you lot about your heart health:

1. Resting Heart Rate
Your heart rate at complete rest.
Above ~80 bpm consistently may indicate your heart is working harder than it should be.
📊 How to check: Measure your pulse at complete rest, first thing in the morning or use a smartwatch.

2. Blood Pressure
The force needed for your heart to push blood around your body.
High blood pressure puts strain on your blood vessels over time, increasing your risk of a heart attack.
130/90 mmHg or higher may be putting you at increases risk.
📊 How to check: Use a home monitor or get it checked at a pharmacy or GP.

3. Non-HDL Cholesterol
This includes cholesterol types known to increase heart disease risk.
Higher levels are linked to plaque build-up in arteries over time.
📊 How to check: Blood test available free through the NHS Health Check for adults aged 40–74 in England.
Your GP can help interpret your results and what they mean for you.

4. Waist-to-Height Ratio
A simple measure of body fat distribution.
Carrying fat around your middle is strongly linked to heart disease risk and is a much better indicator than just weight or BMI.
📊 How to check: Take your waist measurement in cm at the level of your belly button, divide by your height in cm.
A number above 0.5 indicates increased heart disease risk.

Why these matter:
Together, these markers reflect how hard your heart is working, the health of your blood vessels, and your overall risk of heart disease. A long term increase in any of these metrics is a great prompt for you to book a check up with your GP to talk about your heart health.

Here’s where I recommend you start if you’re looking for simple, high impact changes to improve your heart health…Exerci...
01/04/2026

Here’s where I recommend you start if you’re looking for simple, high impact changes to improve your heart health…

Exercise: Aim for 150 minutes a week, however you want. 20 minutes every day, 50 minutes 3 times a week, walking, cycling, lifting weights, playing sport, it’s up to you. However and whenever you can get your heart working hard, 150 minutes a week

Nutrition: Don’t try and overhaul your diet in one go.
25% of the calories we eat come from snacks, so simply swapping out your crisps, biscuits and other highly processed snacks to a healthier option can have a huge impact

Sleep: Create a 1-hour wind-down period before bed. No screens, dim the lights, read or listen to a podcast- let your body switch off properly so you’re actually ready to sleep

Stress: Schedule time to relax and do things you enjoy like it really matters—because it does. Whatever helps you take a break, schedule it in your diary and stick to it.

Try one change, stick to it consistently, then introduce the next one…
Small changes, big impact.

31/03/2026

Heart attacks aren’t usually sudden- They are the end result of a long-term process that has likely been building over decades.

Factors like smoking, lack of exercise, chronic stress, poor sleep and diet all contribute.
The good news? These are largely within our control.

Small, consistent changes:
moving more, eating better, prioritising sleeping and managing stress can significantly reduce your risk.

What you do now shapes your future health more than you think.

Follow for simple, evidence based heart health advice





30/03/2026

Here are 5 powerful superfoods to boost your heart health:
🥜 Walnuts – High in healthy fats
🫐 Blueberries – Packed with antioxidants that support blood vessel health
🥬 Spinach – High in nitrates to help improve blood pressure
🐟 Salmon – Loaded with omega-3 that reduce inflammation and support heart function
🌾 Oats – Full of fibre to help regulate cholesterol levels

Small changes with big impact—your heart will thank you.

How many of these are in your weekly shopping basket?





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