Wolverhampton Coronary Aftercare Support Group - WCASG

13/10/2026

❤️ EXERCISE AFTER YOUR FLU JAB: LOOK AFTER YOUR HEART

Have a heart condition? Here are a few simple reminders after your seasonal flu vaccination:

🚶 Keep moving gently: If you feel well, you can usually continue your normal daily activities.

💪 Take it easy if needed: If you feel tired, achy or feverish, reduce your exercise intensity and rest until you feel better.

🫀 Know your limits: Follow your individual exercise plan if you attend cardiac rehabilitation or have been given specific advice by your heart specialist.

⚠️ Never ignore warning signs: Stop exercising if you develop chest pain, unusual breathlessness, dizziness or concerning palpitations. Seek urgent medical advice, and call 999 for severe or persistent symptoms.

Every heart condition is different. If you’re unsure what is safe for you, speak to your GP or cardiac rehabilitation team Have a Heart Wolverhampton

❤️ Protect your heart. Get your seasonal flu vaccination.

Read more here:

Learn about flu (influenza), flu symptoms, the flu vaccine, how long the flu lasts and how to treat it.

13/10/2026

❤️ LOOK AFTER YOUR HEART THIS FLU SEASON! ❤️

As the colder months approach, WCASG is encouraging everyone living with a heart condition - and their families and carers - to think about their seasonal flu vaccination.

🫀 Why is it important?

If you have a heart condition, flu can be more serious and may put extra strain on your heart. Having your seasonal flu vaccination can help reduce your risk of becoming seriously ill. You can get the flu vaccine for free if you have certain long-term health conditions, including heart disease and heart failure.

❤️ Protect yourself. Protect your loved ones.

✅ Check whether you’re eligible for your seasonal flu vaccine.

✅ Speak to your GP or local pharmacist about getting vaccinated.

✅ Encourage family members and carers to check their own eligibility, too.

📣 Don’t wait until flu is circulating in your community. Take a positive step to protect your health.

From all of us at WCASG, stay safe, stay well, and take care of your heart.

❤️🫀 Your heart matters - every season!

12/10/2026

🚭Stoptober - What happens when you quit smoking?

🫁When you quit smoking, you'll begin to see almost immediate improvements to your health.

It's never too late to quit and it's easier to stop smoking with the right support.

From feeling healthier to saving money, there are so many reasons to quit!

Share one tip that helped you stay smoke-free in the comments 👇

10/10/2026

💚WORLD MENTAL HEATH DAY AWARENESS POST💚

❤️ Your Heart Needs Care — And So Does Your Mind 🧠

Recovering from a heart condition isn’t just about getting physically stronger. It can also be an emotional journey 😢

Fear, anxiety, low mood and loss of confidence can all be part of life after a cardiac event. These feelings are real, and they deserve the same attention and support as physical recovery.

Psychological recovery is an important part of cardiac rehabilitation. 💚

Through exercise, education, support and connection with others who understand, cardiac rehabilitation can help people rebuild not only their physical strength, but also their confidence, independence and belief in what they can achieve.

At Have a Heart Wolverhampton, we believe recovery is about the whole person — heart, body and mind.

Because getting stronger isn’t just about how far you can walk or how much you can lift.

Sometimes, it’s about finding the confidence to believe in yourself again. ❤️

Below is a testimonial from one of our members Judi, who herself found it harder mentally than physically to recover from her cardiac event. But with the right guidance, support and belief she has managed to overcome her event and she puts a lot of that down to joining Have a Heart as a member and being part of our community ❤️

This Mental Health Awareness Day, let’s remember: looking after your mental wellbeing is also an important part of looking after your heart.❤️

10/10/2026

💚 World Mental Health Day - Your Heart and Your Mind Matter ❤️

At Wolverhampton Coronary Aftercare Support Group, we recognise that heart problems don’t just affect your physical health - they can have a real impact on your mental wellbeing, too.

Following a heart attack, heart surgery, or a diagnosis of a heart condition, it’s completely understandable to experience anxiety, low mood, fear, or a loss of confidence. You might worry about your future, feel nervous about exercising, or find it difficult to return to everyday activities. These feelings are more common than you might think, and you are not alone. 💚

How can cardiac rehabilitation help?

Cardiac rehab is about so much more than physical exercise. It can help you:
❤️ Build confidence and feel safer being active again.
💚 Understand your heart condition and learn how to manage it.
🤝 Connect with others who understand what you’re going through.
🧠 Improve your emotional wellbeing and develop coping strategies.
🌱 Take positive steps towards a healthier, more confident future.

Remember, recovery is not just about healing your heart - it’s about looking after your mind, too. There is no shame in asking for help, talking about how you feel, or taking things one step at a time.

At Wolverhampton Coronary Aftercare Support Group, we believe that support, understanding and connection can make a real difference on the journey to recovery.

This World Mental Health Day, let’s start the conversation, break down the stigma, and remind everyone living with heart disease that their mental health matters just as much as their physical health.

💚 Be kind to yourself. Talk to someone. Reach out for support. You don’t have to face recovery alone.

08/10/2026

WCASG and Have a Heart Wolverhampton are extremely grateful to Patricia for her very generous donation in memory of her beloved husband, Alan ❤️

Memorial golf day held for former Scotland Yard chief superintendent at South Staffordshire Golf Club

07/10/2026

📣 Stoptober - are you ready to quit smoking?

Quitting smoking is easier when you have a plan and the right support!

Many people try to quit with willpower alone, but going cold turkey can be tough.

By preparing ahead and using stop-smoking products or getting expert help, you can really boost your chances of quitting for good!

Products include:
⭐️Nicotine-free medicines
⭐️Nicotine-replacement therapies
⭐️Nicotine vapes

And with professional or expert help, you're 3 times more likely to quit for good! Your local Stop Smoking Service is one example of this type of support, and best of all, it's free!

Read more about local services here:

https://www.nhs.uk/services/service-directory/live-well-wolverhampton/N11059940?gsdServiceId=1837

What’s your reason for quitting this Stoptober? Tell us in the comments below! 👇

Stop smoking support services - Official information from NHS about Live Well Wolverhampton including contact, directions and service details

05/10/2026

❤️ LOOK AFTER YOUR HEART: LET’S TALK SOME MORE ABOUT CHOLESTEROL Part 2! ❤️

📣 Here are some more practical steps we can take to help manage cholesterol!

💊 3. TAKE YOUR MEDICATION - IT REALLY MATTERS!

For many people, especially those who already have heart disease, lifestyle changes alone may not be enough to bring cholesterol down to the recommended level.

Medicines such as statins help lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes. If you’ve already had a heart attack or have heart disease, controlling cholesterol is an important part of reducing the risk of further problems.

✔️ Take your medication as prescribed.

✔️ Don’t stop taking it or change your dose without speaking to your healthcare professional.

✔️ If you experience side effects or have concerns, speak to your GP or pharmacist. There may be alternative doses or other treatments available.

Remember: medication and a healthy lifestyle work together to help protect your heart ❤️

🩺 4. KNOW YOUR NUMBERS!

High cholesterol often has no symptoms, so regular blood tests are important. Ask your GP about your cholesterol results, including your LDL or “bad” cholesterol, and what levels you should aim for.

If you have heart disease, your recommended cholesterol target may be lower than that of someone without existing heart disease. Make sure you know your individual target and attend your follow-up appointments.

🌟 A LITTLE CHALLENGE FOR YOU!

What is one small change you could make this month to help look after your heart?

💬 Perhaps it’s taking a short walk, trying a new heart-healthy recipe, remembering your medication or arranging a cholesterol check.

Share your ideas and encouragement in the comments. We can learn from one another, celebrate small victories and support each other along the way!

Let’s keep working together to protect our hearts, because every step towards better heart health matters❤️

04/10/2026

❤️ LOOK AFTER YOUR HEART: LET’S TALK SOME MORE ABOUT CHOLESTEROL Part 1! ❤️

📣 Did you know that you can have high cholesterol without experiencing any symptoms? That’s why it’s so important to know your numbers and take steps to protect your heart, especially if you’re already living with heart disease or have had a heart attack.

High cholesterol can lead to fatty deposits building up in your arteries, increasing the risk of heart attacks and strokes. The good news is that there are practical steps we can take to help manage it! 💪❤️

Here are 3 important ways to look after your cholesterol and your heart:

🥗 1. EAT WELL - SMALL CHANGES CAN MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE!

A heart-healthy diet can help lower cholesterol. Try to:

✅ Cut down on saturated fats found in butter, fatty and processed meats, pastries, cakes and biscuits 🍪

✅ Choose healthier unsaturated fats, such as olive oil and olive-based spreads 🫒

✅ Eat more vegetables, fruit, wholegrains, beans, lentils, nuts and seeds 🥦

✅ Include fish as part of a balanced diet 🐟

You don’t need to change everything overnight. Start with one simple swap - perhaps porridge instead of a sugary breakfast, beans in a meal, or fruit instead of biscuits. Every positive step counts! 🍎

🚶 2. KEEP MOVING - EVERY LITTLE BIT HELPS!

Regular physical activity supports your heart health and can help improve your cholesterol levels.

💚 Take a walk at a pace that feels comfortable (so you can walk and still talk) 🚶🏻‍♀️

💚 Try gentle gardening, dancing or another activity you enjoy 🕺🏾

💚 Build activity gradually and celebrate your progress 🎉

If you’re living with heart disease, recovering from a heart attack or have concerns about exercise, speak to your GP or cardiac rehabilitation specialists at Have a Heart Wolverhampton about what’s safe and suitable for you. There’s no need to compete with anyone - your own progress matters!

03/10/2026

❤️October is National Cholesterol Month❤️

Cholesterol is a fatty substance in your blood that’s produced naturally in your liver. Having some cholesterol is important because the cells in your body use cholesterol to keep them healthy.

⚠️But if you have too much cholesterol in your blood, it’s called high cholesterol. Having too much cholesterol in your blood can narrow your arteries and cause fatty deposits to build up (called atherosclerosis).

There are different types of cholesterol - LDL cholesterol and HDL cholesterol are the two main types.

❌LDL cholesterol is often called ‘bad cholesterol’ because too much of it can clog up your arteries and lead to health problems later on, such as heart disease. We do need some LDL cholesterol in our blood. - it’s when there’s too much that it becomes a problem.

✅HDL cholesterol is often called ‘good cholesterol’ because it carries cholesterol away from our cells, back to the liver to be broken down. So, it helps prevent disease.

Some foods naturally contain cholesterol, such as eggs, liver, kidney and shellfish, like prawns. This is called dietary cholesterol.
For most people, dietary cholesterol does not have much effect on your cholesterol levels.

By making healthy lifestyle changes, most people can keep their cholesterol levels healthy:
🧀Reduce saturated fats
🚶Stay active
🚭Stop smoking
⚖️Try to maintain a healthy weight, especially round your middle

Come back tomorrow for more advice and information!