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How to keep your heart strong

Your heart

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How to keep your heart strong

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples: Lower your risk of heart disease

Support and resources to help you stay healthy and reduce risk of heart disease.

Key takeaways
  • Learn more about a healthy lifestyle to lower risk of heart disease.
  • Get support for health conditions that increase  risk of heart disease.
  • Call the Heart Foundation Helpline for support or information about  heart health.
  • To know your risk of heart disease, it's important to get a regular health check with your doctor or health service.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have higher rates of heart disease.  

The Heart Foundation is committed to improve the heart health of all Australians by providing information and resources to reduce risk of heart disease.

The Heart Foundation has information and resources to reduce risk of heart disease. 

Reduce your risk of heart disease  

Certain risk factors make some people more likely to have heart disease. You can protect your heart by taking care of the following:

Follow a heart healthy eating pattern

​Learn more: Healthy eating to protect your heart 

Take action:

Be physically active (move more)

Learn more:  Physical activity and your heart health 

Take action:

Stop smoking tobacco/cigarettes

Learn more:

Take action: Don’t smoke close to the home 

Limit alcohol intake

Learn more:

Maintain a healthy body weight

Learn more: Healthy body weight  

Take care of your mental health 

Learn more:

A doctor (your GP) is a recommended first step to discuss your concerns.  

Additional resources

The Heart Foundation has worked with St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney to develop a range of heart health resources for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

This partnership has built a nationally significant online resource to reach and inform communities across a range of heart health information.

Visit the St Vincent’s Hospital NSW and Heart Foundation Aboriginal heart health website for more information.

Have you recently been in hospital for a heart attack or angina (chest pain caused by a blocked artery)? You can register for our free My Heart, My Life program. Your friends and family can also register.

The program includes free resources, emails and text messages about your heart health.

See your  doctor, nurse or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander  health professional regularly:  To know your risk of heart disease, it's important to get a regular health check with your doctor or health service.  

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What is heart disease?

Heart disease can occur 10 to 20 years earlier among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and can lead to long-term health problems.

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Are you at risk of heart disease? 

Preventing heart disease starts with knowing your risk factors and making changes to live a healthier life.

A young man wearing headphones, sitting on a bench and smiling.
How to keep your heart strong

Support and resources to help you stay healthy and reduce risk of heart disease.

Last updated02 July 2021