So what can you do to reduce your risk of heart disease? Following are some of the main recommendations from health care experts
1. Visit your family doctor.
It's important to get tested for high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol levels on a regular basis. If levels are high, your doctor may suggest lifestyle changes to help reduce blood pressure and cholesterol levels. In addition, he or she may need to prescribe medications to control these conditions. You may also need to be tested for diabetes. Often caused by obesity and poor diet, diabetes is linked with increased risk of heart disease.
2. Eat healthy.
Limit your intake of fats, salt and sugar. High consumption of saturated fats contributes to a buildup of blood cholesterol levels, which can lead to heart disease. Too much salt in the diet can lead to high blood pressure, while too much sugar can cause diabetes. Too much fat and sugar, of course, can also be factors that lead to excessive weight. Eating foods high in antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids may help to protect against heart disease.
3. Maintain a healthy weight.
Being overweight is one of the highest risk factors for developing heart disease. Rising rates of obesity in Canada are a major concern for the health care community and society as a whole, says Dr. William Dafoe, regional director of Cardiac Rehabilitation at the University of Alberta Hospital. Not only does obesity increase the risk of heart disease but it also increases the risk of developing diabetes. "If the rate of diabetes keeps rising, then all the gains we have made in heart disease prevention will be reversed," he says. Obesity is the main culprit in the alarming trend to higher rates of diabetes.
4. Watch for signs of depression or loneliness.
People who are depressed or lack a good social support network tend to have a higher risk for heart disease, says Helen Stokes, regional program manager for the Northern Alberta Cardiac Rehabilitation Program. Seek medical attention for depression. Try to develop or strengthen ties with friends or family. Join clubs, associations or religious institutions to find new friends.
5. Get active.
While spending some time at the gym is ideal, finding the time to do so can be difficult. Instead, 10 minutes of walking, 15 minutes of gardening or 20 minutes of puttering around the house can provide health benefits, Stokes says. If you've been active doing those kinds of things for a total of 30 to 60 minutes a day, then you are helping to reduce your risk of heart disease. Your body is like a high-performance car, she says. "If you only drive it once a week around the block, it starts to clog up. It seizes up. You need to give it a good highway drive."
6. Quit or reduce smoking.
"There is no safe level of smoking," Stokes says, so the aim should be quitting the habit altogether. She ranks smoking as the top danger for heart disease. Cardiac specialist Dr. Dafoe believes even some reduction in smoking is a step in the right direction. "Sometimes people are told it's all or nothing. Quit smoking or you're a failure."
7. Limit your alcohol consumption.
Limit your intake of alcohol in any given day, and there should be several days every week without it. "If you go home every day and have a glass of wine, you might be going over the limit," Stokes says. "If you're relying on this to relax, then that's not the best way. You might be better off going for a walk."
8. Take steps to manage stress.
If stressful events cause you to be angry or hostile, you could be building up blood pressure and increasing your heart disease risk. However, a stressful job or boss won't necessarily cause a heart attack, particularly if you find ways to cope with the circumstance. A number of different resources are available, depending on the cause of the stress, says Marilyn Jeske, a social worker in the cardiac rehabilitation program at the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital in Edmonton.
Your Health Magazine - July - August, 2005 Issue
Disclaimer
Reviewed by Alberta clinical experts. Brought to you by HealthLink Alberta. Copyright.
This material is designed for information purposes only. It should not be used in place of medical advice, instruction and/or treatment. For more health advice call Capital Health Link at 780-408-LINK (5465) 24 hours a day, seven days a week. In Alberta, call Toll-free: 1-866-408-LINK (5465)
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