Heart disease is the biggest killer in the UK. In fact more than 600 people will die of the condition today. But why is heart disease now so prevalent a killer, when a little over 150 years ago, along with cancer and dementia, it was extremely rare?

Modern day Britain is obsessed with cleanliness and hygiene and thousands of column-inches have been written about super bugs and flu pandemics. But a comparison of Victorian and modern-day life makes what we now think of as an infection and disease-filled era positively sparkle with good health. In Victorian Britain, three out of every twenty babies died before their first birthday and the average lifespan was only around forty years old, as infections such as cholera and typhoid sent many to an early grave. Women also died in childbirth and domestic fires, as their crinoline dresses caught alight whilst cooking, and many lives were lost in industrial accidents. The Victorians did die young of heart failure but not from clogged-up arteries and morbid obesity but due to infection from rheumatic fever, something that we simply don’t see in Britain today.

Few would disagree that we have come a long way in improving hygiene and controlling

infection and whilst some may find the Health and Safety’ regulations restrictive, it is fair to say that a death in the workplace or whilst cooking supper is now so vanishingly rare that it would make headline news. Diabetes, heart disease and obesity are the curse of modern day Britain. Cynics would argue that the Victorians simply didn’t live long enough to develop these conditions and this is partly true, but I believe there is more to it than that. A quick look at the lifestyles and diets of Victorian Britain compared to today is enlightening.

In Victorian days you didn’t drive your kids to school. There were no washing machines, vacuum cleaners or supermarket deliveries on the internet. The average adult used around 4,000 calories a day simply doing the chores. They didn’t need a gym membership or a personal trainer. Compare that to the average British adult today, who uses little over half those daily calories, and the cause of the 21st-century obesity epidemic becomes obvious.

If that’s not frightening enough, compare your childhood to that of your children or grandchildren. I encourage my kids to get out and about as much as possible but even so, they spend significantly more time in front of some form of screen than I ever did. For the first time in over a century we are looking at a situation where our children may not outlive us and it won’t be cholera or typhoid that is to blame.

The Victorian diet was also very different. Victorians were more likely to be under-weight than overweight. The reverse is true today but many will be surprised to learn that despite being fat, many of us are actually malnourished. We are getting enough (in many cases too much) food but not enough nutrients.  In Victorian times, there were no fast-food burger joints or pre-packaged foods. They had a low intake of salt, alcohol and tobacco. The five portions of fruit and veg a day’ message hadn’t been thought of but it wasn’t needed ­ the average Victorian ate more than 10 a day.

The diet was also rich in whole grains, prebiotic fibre and omega 3s, which are now so sadly lacking. In fact statistics suggest that our dietary intake of selenium, prebiotic fibre and sterols is half of what it was just 150 years ago.

So what can we learn from the Victorians? Don’t panic, I’m not about to suggest that we wash everything by hand and throw away all domestic appliances, but we do need to increase our exercise levels. With a little fine-tuning we could significantly reduce the risks of those diseases that were virtually unheard of 150 years ago.

Here are my top tips for a more Victorian attitude to heart disease, dementia and diabetes;

• Do more exercise. It doesn’t have to be training for a marathon, just walking half a mile a day will use up 36,500 calories in a year and that equates to 10lbs in weight.
• Keep alcohol intake to recommended limits.
• Stop smoking.
• Cut salt intake start by trying not to add salt to food. At first it will taste bland but it is amazing how quickly your taste buds will acclimatise.
• Eat more omega 3s ­ at least two portions of oily fish a week and if you don’t like fish or are worried about environmental pollutants, consider taking a pure, concentrated omega 3 supplement.
• Increase prebiotic fibre ­ prebiotics provide food for the good bacteria in your gut and help balance cholesterol metabolism. Grapefruit is a great source of prebiotic fibre.
• Boost your selenium intake ­ foods such as brazil nuts, seafood, eggs and wholemeal bread are all selenium-rich and supplements are a convenient, reliable way of boosting low selenium levels.
• Eat at least five portions of fruit and veg daily.
   

Oh, and don’t wear a crinoline dress in front of an open fire!

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