If I told you that four Tasmanians were dying every day in car crashes, you would be shocked. There would be immediate calls for action and improved safety measures.

But what if I told you four Tasmanians die, on average, every day as the result cardiovascular diseases. Would you be just as shocked, or sit on your hands?

What about the fact that 90 per cent of these deaths were preventable? Surely this would garner some action ...

The evidence suggests not, as heart disease remains the number one killer of Tasmanians. In fact, 1300 Tasmanians die from cardiovascular disease each year.

This has been the reality for some time, and sadly as our population ages, it’s not getting any better.

This is particularly true for Tasmania’s North and North-West, where our prevalence of heart disease (9.5 per cent) is almost 3 per cent higher than the national average (6.6 per cent).

Put frankly, this is not a race we want to be winning.

As the CEO of the health promotion charity supporting the Launceston General Hospital – the acute referral hospital for the state’s North and North-West – I see firsthand the impact heart disease has on our health system.

While there have been significant improvements in medical technology, emergency management and treatments in recent decades, heart disease is still the leading cause of death in our state.

But there are things we can all do to reduce our risk.

Keeping your heart healthy is something you can work on every day, but throughout September we are urging you, our community, to commit to leading a healthier lifestyle.

Ultimately, your heart health is in your hands, and there are small steps we can all take to reduce our risk. This includes:

Increasing your physical activity from as little as 10 minutes a day, to the recommended 45 minutes a day.
Eating a healthy diet and avoiding sugar and processed foods
Getting a check-up to help identify any early warning signs of disease, including high blood pressure and cholesterol
Supporting a friend or loved on to take the next step in improving their health. Plus, exercise is way more fun when we do it together!

The weather is getting warmer and the days longer. There has never been a better or more urgent time to take action. We can’t afford not to.

- Peter Milne, CEO Clifford Craig Foundation

We all have a heart. Are you taking care of yours?