How to be More Heart Healthy
A Pharmacist’s Guide to a More Heart-Healthy You in 2026
Pharmacists spend a lot of time talking to people about their hearts, often when something has already gone wrong. Blood pressure is creeping up or cholesterol numbers aren’t where they used to be. But here’s the good news: Heart health in 2026 is no longer just about reacting to disease. It’s about prevention, smart choices, and using better information to stay well for longer. Whether you’re 35 or 75, there are practical steps you can take this year to protect your heart—and many of them don’t involve another pill.
1. Know your numbers (and what they actually mean)
One of the most important heart-healthy habits is simply knowing your key numbers:
Blood pressure
Cholesterol (total, LDL, HDL, triglycerides)
Blood glucose or HbA1c
Waist circumference and weight
Pharmacists often see patients who know they’re “on something for cholesterol” but don’t know their targets. In 2026, we’re much more personalised. Your ideal numbers depend on your age, family history, smoking status, diabetes risk, and whether you’ve already had a cardiovascular event.
Ask your GP or pharmacist to explain your targets—not just whether a result is “normal.” Understanding why a medication is prescribed makes people far more likely to stick with it and to make supportive lifestyle changes.
2. Medication works best when lifestyle supports it
Heart medications save lives. Statins, blood pressure medicines, and anticoagulants are some of the most effective drugs we have. But they are not magic shields. Medication lowers risk, but lifestyle determines how much risk there is to lower in the first place.
In 2026, guidelines increasingly emphasise:
Reducing ultra-processed foods
Eating more whole foods: vegetables, legumes, nuts, fish, and whole grains
Limiting salt and added sugars
Choosing healthy fats (olive oil, nuts, seeds)
You don’t need a perfect diet. You need a repeatable one. If it’s realistic Monday to Friday, it’s already doing your heart a favour.
3. Move your body—but don’t overthink it
You don’t need to run marathons to be heart healthy. In fact, some of the biggest benefits come from moderate, consistent movement.
From a cardiovascular perspective, the goals are:
150 minutes per week of moderate activity (like brisk walking or cycling)
Some strength or resistance work
Less time sitting still
Pharmacists see many people stop exercising because they think it “doesn’t count” unless it’s intense. Walking absolutely counts. Gardening counts. Riding a bike to the café counts.
If you’re on heart or blood pressure medication, movement often improves how well those medicines work—and sometimes allows doses to be reduced under medical supervision.
4. Sleep is now recognised as heart medicine
Poor sleep raises blood pressure, worsens insulin resistance, increases appetite, and drives inflammation—all bad news for the heart.
In 2026, sleep is no longer a “nice to have.” It’s a core pillar of cardiovascular health.
Aim for:
7–8 hours most nights
A regular sleep and wake time
Limiting alcohol close to bedtime
Getting checked for sleep apnoea if you snore or wake unrefreshed
5. Alcohol: less really is better
This is often a tricky conversation. For years we talked about “safe limits” and possible heart benefits. The evidence in 2026 is much clearer: the less alcohol you drink, the better for your heart.
Alcohol raises blood pressure, contributes to weight gain, and can interfere with medications—especially blood pressure drugs, statins, and anticoagulants. You don’t have to stop entirely. But cutting back, having alcohol-free days, and being honest about how much you drink can make a meaningful difference.
6. Use your pharmacist as part of your heart-care team
Pharmacists in 2026 do far more than dispense medicines. They:
Check for drug interactions
Monitor blood pressure and adherence
Help manage side effects like muscle pain or dizziness
Support smoking cessation
Explain new evidence and guideline changes
If you’re experiencing side effects, don’t just stop a medication. Talk to your pharmacist. Often there are alternatives, dose adjustments, or timing changes that can make treatment easier and safer.
7. Think long-term, not “all or nothing”
Heart health isn’t about being perfect in January and exhausted by March. It’s about small, sustainable changes that add up over years. The most successful patients aren’t the most extreme—they’re the most consistent.
In 2026, being heart healthy means:
Understanding your risk
Using medication wisely when needed
Eating well most of the time
Moving regularly
Sleeping properly
Asking questions and staying engaged
Your heart has to last a lifetime. Treating it well today is one of the best investments you can make—for your future self, and for the people who care about you.