The buzz of spring is around the corner and, just as the birds get ready for a new season of activity, are you looking forward to longer days and an end to hibernation? Spring is a great opportunity to reward your heart for its hard work. Every day, your heart beats 100,000 times on average; by the time you are 70, that's 2500 million beats.

Time to speed up...

Keep your heart and arteries fit and healthy by including bouts of activity that add to 30 mins each day. Whether you are walking the dog, walking to the bus stop or work, taking the stairs or doing the housework and gardening, if you put your heart into it and make that heart muscle beat faster, your heart will benefit.

Time to slow down...

There are areas of our lives where we need to rearrange our priorities so that we allow time to prepare and enjoy the things that make a difference to our health. A healthy balanced diet, that all important exercise and keeping our stress levels nice and low.

For more information and advice about healthy living, contact Heart Research UK on 0113 297 6206 or email lifestyle@heartresearch.org.uk.