For poets the heart is shorthand for love, for sports people it symbolises courage, and for doctors it’s an organ we must take good care of.

For all of us, the heart is one of the most important things we have. But many of us take our heart health for granted from week to week. However, someone dies from cardiovascular (heart) disease every three minutes in the UK. This means all of us will, at some point, know somebody with a heart condition.

For Heart Month 2026, we’re reminding ourselves that simple changes in our diet, daily habits and activities can make a huge difference. And it only needs to be 15 minutes a day. Whether it’s starting to walk to the local shops, or swapping a takeaway for a more heart-friendly home cooked dish, the changes we make today will have a big impact tomorrow.

You can read more about Heart Month 2026 on the British Heart Foundation website.

Walking our way to fitness

Many of us will not think of walking as exercise, but research shows that this free, simple activity is one of the easiest ways to stay fit. We don’t need to walk for hours, the health and wellbeing benefits of a brisk (three-miles an hour) 15-minute walk can count toward the 150 minutes of activity it’s recommended we take part in each week. If you’re unsure what a ‘brisk’ walk is, you should be able to hold a conversation, but not sing the words to a song, during the activity.

Getting started

The great thing about walking is you don’t need expensive training shoes or even a special location. A pair of comfortable shoes, your normal clothing and a walk around the place you live is all you need to get started.

I find a podcast is a great way to get the steps in without having to count each one. But it could be you prefer to listen to an audio book, or your favourite music. You could also try using the free Active 10 app on your smartphone. It tells you when you’re walking fast enough and suggests ways to fit in some more brisk walking.

The British Heart Foundation is hosting Walk for Hearts – February 2026. This fundraising initiative is a perfect way to get motivated to walk 28, 50, or 100 miles in February depending on your level of fitness and availability. By walking as little as one mile per day by yourself, with friends, family, or colleagues you can support lifesaving research.

Sign up for the Walk for Hearts and be part of something meaningful this February.

Looking for more inspiration? Why not see our guides of different walks in East Sussex

Cooking for heart health

In our busy lives, we might feel there isn’t enough time to cook using fresh ingredients. But there are lots of great 15 minute recipes available, why not visit your local library and pick up a 15-minute recipe book.

Cooking heart health meals from scratch doesn’t need to be difficult. Anyone who has seen the fantastic Mortimer and Whitehouse: Gone Fishing television series will know cooking enjoyable heart healthy meals can be simple. From fish dishes to swapping ingredients for more health-conscious alternatives. You can follow their recipes on their website.

But what are heart-healthy recipes and ingredients? In general, anything which has lower saturated fat and reduced salt, and includes more fiber and unsaturated fats (like olive oil, nuts, and fish). Key ingredients include beans, lentils, whole grains (oats/barley), leafy greens, and omega-3-rich fish.

Stuck for recipe ideas, the British Heart Foundation has some great ideas on its recipe finder.

Our Yes article ‘Delicious World Vegetarian Day recipes’ has some fantastic ideas for plant-based meals.

Learn CPR in 15 minutes

Have you ever thought of learning CPR (Cardiopulmonary resuscitation)? This emergency treatment can be learnt in just 15 minutes and could save a life if someone you’re with has breathing difficulties or their heartbeat stops.

Less than 10% of the 40,000+ people who have an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in the UK survive. However, giving CPR quickly, and using a defibrillator, can more than double a person’s chance of survival.

Learning CPR is simple, all you need is a cushion and your phone or tablet. RevivR is free interactive, online CPR training course. In just 15 minutes, you can earn a CPR certificate.

Join more than 300,000 people who have already learnt CPR with RevivR. During the course, you’ll learn:

  • How to identify a cardiac arrest
  • Make a simulated 999 call
  • Perfect your CPR technique
  • Learn how to use a defibrillator

If you’d like to find your nearest defibrillator, our YES article ‘Defibrillator locations in Sussex – How to save a life’ has a useful link.