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HEART UK’s website information is my bible, and it has helped me to change my life.
Having kidney disease and an underactive thyroid, I was having my yearly blood test which picked up that I had high cholesterol – a total score of 7.9. I was told over the phone by a trainee GP. I was terrified I was heading for a heart attack or stroke, especially as my mum had high cholesterol during her menopause and then much later in life. He advised that I should start taking statins immediately which I did having read up about them first. It turns out I am one of the rare people who is allergic to a certain statin, so I moved to a different statin which is better. It was during this time that I became determined to take the full approach of also lowering my cholesterol via lifestyle changes as well.
After carefully reading everything on HEART UK’s website, I made all the necessary changes I could to my diet. It was a learning curve about what to eat and how to cook differently, but HEART UK’s recipes and nutrition advice helped so much. I cut out dairy, red meat, and processed food and reduced my sugar intake. I ate salads, pulses, beans, wholemeal products, vegetables, porridge, seeds fruit, chicken, turkey, and foods fortified with plant sterols.
At the same time, I increased my physical activity to improve my heart and lung health. I took up running again a year ago, returned to park run, and gradually built up to do a 5K run which I found difficult, but steadily it became a habit and I progressed to 10K. I also took up boxing which is a full-body workout. My instructor is so inspiring, and I love the social element of the classes. When I hit the punch bag, I imagine it to be my bad cholesterol clogging up my arteries!
I calculated my calories to be in deficit and kept a food diary. After three months I had lost a stone in weight, going from a size 10-12 to a size 8-10, and my cholesterol level had come down to 5.2.
My husband and the whole family got behind me in making this possible. We figured that if I had a stroke, it would impact the whole family, so why not join in and help me?
I would say that as a busy woman all my life, this is the first time when I have really put myself first and it radically changed my life. It certainly hasn’t been easy, but I have quite surprised myself!
I am so thankful to HEART UK for providing the reliable information I needed and helping me to make the appropriate lifestyle changes to manage my cholesterol.
Susie Watson | 2022
Finally, Spring!
The weather allows us to show who we really are. It’s time to let gorgeousness out and the perfect time to change the whole style. We don’t want to see coats, heavy sweaters, and long woollen socks at the eye level of our wardrobes anymore!
Here are some tips for which clothes to say goodbye to without hesitation:
Stained, damaged, misshapen garments
Those are instant bye byes
‘Someday’ clothes
Because seriously, the day for the bright orange vest might never even come.
One-year rule
If you haven’t worn it last spring, will you wear it now?
It belongs to old you
These are the clothes that bring unpleasant memories, don’t represent you anymore, or simply went out of fashion. Unless you are ready to wait 20 years for skinny low-rise jeans to make a comeback.
Are you also doing a spring wardrobe clearout? Book a charity clothing pickup and watch your old clothes disappear.
iCollectClothes| March 30, 2023
We invite you to take a closer look at iCollectClothes company and get to know our members.
Meet Justinas - our team leader.
He shares what he loves the most about iCollectClothes: ‘An ability to help our partner charities to fight their causes.’ Says Justinas, ’The charity sector in the UK is overwhelmed and under-budgeted and has been for some time now. In the case of crisis, when no one can help, we always have a last resort, a charity with knowledge in the field, a friendly voice on another side of the phone line, or a smiley face to greet at the door.’
Most of us sometimes face a tough decision while tidying up our closets. Items might be no longer in use, but yet it’s hard to throw them away. Justinas encourages people to take a different perspective:
‘Donating something pre-loved that you no longer use can be heart-breaking, as it could feel like giving a happy memory away, but in fact, you are giving a chance someone to have theirs.’
Thank you, Justinas, now wardrobe checks will be easier with this thought.
Above all, Justinas prioritizes convenience. So when it comes to getting rid of old clothes, as in every other aspect of life, he reminds us that it is important to do what makes us happy:
‘Use a service that is the most appealing to you as long as it helps the charity of your choice. Living in a fast-paced world, we all look for a fast, reliable, hassle-free way to solve the issue, no one likes to wait in lines, be left on hold, or be transferred from one customer service member to another, do whatever makes you happy.’ Says Justinas, the team leader of iCollectClothes.
