Heart conditions develop for many different reasons, and although poor food choices are often a contributing factor, that isn't always the case. However, after a heart attack or heart surgery, it's always important to eat a heart-healthy diet to protect your heart and blood vessels from further damage.

A heart-healthy diet should be tailored to your specific risk factors for further heart disease — including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, being overweight, or other conditions such as heart failure, diabetes, or kidney disease.

If you have existing heart disease, it's highly recommended to make an appointment with a dietitian to discuss your current eating habits and receive individualised advice. Ask your doctor for a referral, or find a dietitian here.

Sex has a similar effect on the heart to exercise. Many people are scared of resuming sex after a heart attack or surgery, fearing another heart attack or chest pain.

Some people with heart conditions avoid sex unnecessarily, while others with unstable disease or severe symptoms should wait until they're more stable. The real challenge is that this is often an uncomfortable conversation neither the doctor nor the patient wants to start — yet your doctor can give you the most suitable advice for your medical condition and recovery.

Don't be shy to ask.

Being inactive is one of the causes of heart disease and strokes. Once you've recovered and are stable, exercise can help you avoid another cardiac event.

Ask your doctor when you can start and how much you can do. A biokineticist can structure a gradual reintroduction of exercise and provide supervised sessions — find a biokineticist here.

Take it easy at the start, build your activity up gradually, and stop if you start to feel unwell during exercise.