Protecting your heart in Tangier: 7 prevention habits that genuinely make a difference

Nine risk factors that can be changed, from smoking to lack of physical activity, explain about 90% of the risk of heart attack, in men and women alike and on every continent. Cardiovascular prevention therefore depends above all on everyday habits, not on extreme diets. At Dr Tber's practice in Tangier, we support patients who want to act before problems appear, and also after a cardiac event. Here are the seven habits that really count, with the figures from current guidelines.

Why Cardiovascular Prevention Changes Everything

The main threats to the heart and arteries, heart attack, stroke and coronary heart disease, share the same risk factors. The INTERHEART study, carried out in 52 countries, identified nine of them, including smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, abdominal obesity, stress and lack of physical activity. Most of them can be corrected.

The American Heart Association has summed up this approach in eight levers, called Life's Essential 8 : diet, physical activity, quitting smoking, sleep, weight, blood sugar, cholesterol and blood pressure. The seven habits below cover the essentials.

In Morocco, the Ministry of Health's national STEPS survey shows the scale of the task: 10.6% of adults have diabetes, 20% are obese, 21.1% are not active enough and 23.4% of men smoke. Nearly four adults in ten had never had their blood pressure measured.

1. A diet that protects the arteries

Eating well remains one of the most powerful pillars of heart health. It is not about banning everything, but about favouring what feeds the heart:

• Lots of vegetables, fruits, legumes and whole grains.
• Sources of good fats: olive oil, fish, nuts.
• Less salt, added sugars and ultra-processed foods.
• Reduced or no alcohol consumption.

Salt deserves particular attention. The WHO recommends less than 5 g a day, about one teaspoon. In Morocco, average intake reaches 10.6 g a day, more than double. It hides mainly in bread, olives, cheese, cured meats and stock cubes: tasting before adding more salt and cooking with spices, lemon and herbs already makes a real difference.

This type of diet, close to the Mediterranean model, helps to control blood pressure, cholesterol and weight at the same time. It is a valuable asset in Tangier, where fresh products and fish are easily accessible.

2. Move every day, even a little bit

A sedentary life is one of the main enemies of the heart. Physical activity, in turn, strengthens the heart muscle, improves circulation and helps to control blood pressure and cholesterol. Current recommendations suggest:

• 150 to 300 minutes a week of moderate activity (brisk walking, cycling, swimming), or 75 to 150 minutes of more vigorous activity.
• Muscle-strengthening activity on at least two days a week.
• Ideally, exercise spread across several days rather than one big session.
• The simple fact of walking 30 minutes a day already represents a real benefit.

Worldwide, 31% of adults do not reach this level of activity, and in Morocco, 21.1% of adults remain below the recommended minimum.

If you have a cardiac history, always get medical advice before taking up sport again, so the effort can be matched to your situation.

After an operation or a heart attack, getting active again happens in stages, ideally within a cardiac rehabilitation programme. The steps are set out in our guide to recovery after coronary bypass.

3. Quitting Smoking: The Most Cost-Effective Action

Smoking directly damages the arteries and multiplies the risk of heart attack and stroke, including in young people. It is also the risk factor whose removal brings the fastest benefits: one year after the last cigarette, the risk of coronary heart disease is roughly halved, and fifteen years later, it is the same as that of a non-smoker.

Stopping is not easy, but it is never too late and no age makes the effort pointless. Help exists (nicotine replacement, medical support); do raise it at a consultation.

Smoking is also the main modifiable risk factor for abdominal aortic aneurysm, a silent disease explained in our article on aortic aneurysm.

4. Keep an eye on blood pressure and cholesterol

High blood pressure and high cholesterol are silent: you can carry them for years without a single symptom, all the while exposing your arteries to growing risk. Checking them regularly is therefore essential.

In between, from 120/70 to 139/89 mmHg, the European Society of Cardiology has since 2024 called blood pressure “elevated”: this is the right time to work on your habits, before treatment becomes necessary. In a person on treatment, the usual target is a systolic blood pressure between 120 and 129 mmHg, if it is well tolerated.

These numbers must always be read by a professional against your overall risk profile, never in isolation. Where the arteries are already affected, specialist treatment may be needed, such as a Coronary bypass or a management of the carotid surgery to reduce the risk of stroke.

5. Sleeping well and managing stress

Sleep was underestimated for a long time; it is in fact one of the recognised pillars of heart health. Good quality sleep, of around 7 to 9 hours helps regulate blood pressure, weight and blood glucose at night.

Chronic stress, on the other hand, is associated with a rise in blood pressure and a higher cardiac risk. Some habits help to calm it:

• Regular rest and disconnection times.
• Slow breathing, walking or relaxing activity.
• Keeping up social ties, and asking for help when you need it.

Psychosocial stress is in fact one of the nine risk factors in the INTERHEART study, in the same way as smoking or diabetes.

6. Maintaining healthy weight and blood glucose levels

Weight and blood sugar are closely tied to the other risk factors. Excess weight around the middle in particular often goes with high blood pressure, diabetes and disturbed cholesterol. The right approach is not drastic weight loss, but a lasting improvement in diet and activity, which in practice pulls on several levers at once.

In Morocco, 53% of adults are overweight or obese, 10.6% have diabetes and 10.4% have prediabetes, a stage where lifestyle can still change everything. A fasting blood sugar test, from a simple blood sample, is enough to take stock.

7. Do not neglect screening

Because blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes progress silently, screening is a key element of prevention. Regular check-ups allow early detection of a risk factor and action before complication. This follow-up is even more important if you have a family history of heart disease, diabetes, overweight or smoking.

Some signs call for more targeted tests. An irregular pulse or frequent palpitations deserve an electrocardiogram. A murmur heard over the neck prompts a search for narrowing of the carotid arteries, and a man over 65 who has smoked would do well to have his aorta checked with an ultrasound scan.

Cardiology consultation in Tangier: heart check-up, review of your tests and a second opinion

Read also: normal or irregular heart rhythm, when to see a doctor

Read also: preventing stroke and screening for carotid stenosis

When to consult without delay

Prevention never replaces reacting in an emergency. With chest pain that will not go away, sudden difficulty breathing, feeling faint, sudden weakness on one side of the body or trouble speaking, you must call immediately for help These signs can translate a heart attack or stroke, where every minute counts.

In Morocco, dial 141 (SAMU) or 15 (Civil Protection).

Read also: the signs of a cardiac emergency

For the rest, protecting your heart is patient work, made of small daily decisions. Would you like a check-up, an opinion on your risk factors, or follow-up suited to your situation? Dr Tber's practice in Tangier is with you step by step, and you can right now make an appointment.

Frequently asked questions