Make 2019 the year to start caring for your heart

KEEPING your heart healthy isn’t just important for elderly people, it’s important for young people too.

A simple program of Heart Health Checks to look at factors such as blood pressure and cholesterol can help reduce the risk.

OUR SAY: KEEPING your heart healthy isn't just important for elderly people, it's important for young people too.

I am one of the fortunate young people who had my heart condition diagnosed when I was quite young.

I have a perimembranous VSD, a bicuspid aortic valve, mild aortic regurgitation, a PFO or small ASD and a mildly dilated right ventricular.

In plain English, I have a wonky valve, a leak through that valve, a hole in the heart, and the right side is suspected to be slightly bigger than it should be.

None of these conditions are life threatening at the moment, but they do require regular monitoring.

Every year I have to spend a day in hospital having MRIs and then getting poked and prodded at by different people and machines.

It can be a pain at times, but knowing the alternative makes it worth it.

I have read too many stories of young people dying from heart related conditions because they didn't get it checked out.

Yeah, it takes time out of our busy lives to go and see a doctor, but it's better to be safe than sorry.

Make sure you get enough exercise for your heart too.

Make 2019 the year you start to care about your heart.

Originally published as Make 2019 the year to start caring for your heart