the HAE series: the Cardiovascular system part III
In part III of the Cardiovascular system series, I want to look at the ways we can prevent or manage cardiovascular disease. But first, a few facts and figures:
Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women, and across most ethnic and racial groups in the United States; 1 in 4 deaths is attributed to heart disease in America. Coronary Artery Disease is the most common type of cardiovascular disease and nearly 7% of adults over 20 are living with CAD.
The greatest risk factors for developing heart disease are high blood pressure, high cholesterol and smoking.
Other lifestyle factors that increase risk of developing heart disease include being overweight and obese, eating an unhealthy diet, being physically inactive and drinking excessive amounts of alcohol. Diabetes is another risk factor, and while not technically a lifestyle choice, risk of diabetes is modifiable through lifestyle modification.
I hope in reading these facts, you can quickly see not only why it’s so important to address any risk factors you may have, but also that it is in your power to make the choices that support cardiovascular health. The way you eat, live and move has the power to increase or decrease your chance of developing heart disease. Making changes in these same areas is also key in managing this disease if you are already living with it. Let’s look at each a little more closely.
The Way You Eat
Both what you eat and how much you eat can play a role in managing your risk of developing heart disease and/or managing it once you develop it. Try to balance your intake with your output; if you eat more calories then you burn during the day, the result is weight gain and this puts added strain on your heart. If you balance what you consume with energy expended, you should maintain your current weight and if you expend more than you take in, weight loss should occur.
Eating a diet full fruits and vegetables not only provides critical vitamins and minerals, but these foods are full of healthy fiber and low in calories. Try to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables, around 4-5 servings a day.
Avoiding added sugar and refined carbohydrates (white bread, pasta, cookies, cakes) is also key to managing heart disease. These foods increase systemic inflammation and lead to impaired insulin response, resulting in weight gain, slowed metabolism and increase risk of many diseases and disorders. Choose, instead, healthy whole grains and high-fiber starchy vegetables for your carbohydrates like 100% whole wheat bread, brown rice and sweet potatoes.
Make fish your friend. Fish, especially salmon and tuna, is full of omega-3 fatty acids, and you can only get omega-3 fatty acids from what you eat. They can also be found in flax seed, chia seeds and walnuts and along with their anti-inflammatory effects that help decrease cardiac risk, they are also essential for brain and eye health and function.
Lastly, choose heart-healthy fats. Fats can either be unsaturated (mono or polyunsaturated) or saturated (or trans fats). Unsaturated fats are typically liquid at room temperature and are essential for your body to run. They help with muscle function and make the messages move more quickly from your brain to the body. Research has shown consumption of plant-based monounsaturated fats in particular can lower your risk of cardiovascular disease and overall mortality. These fats include olive oil, avocados and avocado oil, and most seeds and nuts. Polyunsaturated fats are those that include omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids and best choices for these include fish, flax seed, chia seeds, sunflower seeds and walnuts.
The Way You Move
Very simply, move more. The most basic recommendation from the American Heart Association is to perform at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity on most days of the week. It is okay to break this activity into multiple bouts and it is great to get it done doing things you enjoy like walking, gardening and by participating in other active hobbies.
There are benefits of both aerobic exercise and strengthening activities. Participation in regular aerobic exercise improves cardiac circulation and decreases blood pressure, lowering the workload on the heart. It also improves the strength and tone of the cardiac muscle, allowing the heart to be more efficient, and able to pump the same amount of blood with at a lower heart rate. Aerobic exercise reduces cortisol levels in your blood stream; this lowers stress, reduces inflammation and better manages your mood and sleep patterns. It also raises the level of healthy, High Density Lipoproteins (HDL) and lowers the level of unhealthy Low Density Lipoproteins (LDL), improving cholesterol ratios and decreasing the risk of developing atherosclerosis. Lastly, regular exercise, and strengthening in particular, helps regulate insulin sensitivity and aides with weight loss and weight management. Maintaining a healthy weight lowers the strain in the heart and makes every day activities easier to perform with less effort.
HAE/PT can help you develop a fitness plan you can follow to become and stay physically active in ways that will have meaningful impact on your life - and reduce your risk of developing cardiovascular disease. If you are already living with heart disease, HAE/PT will work with you to create a program that will meet you where you are, that you can participate in safely, and that you can follow ongoing to mange your disease and prevent further complication. Click here to discuss your needs and set up a consultation.
The Way You Live
The greatest lifestyle factors you can change, after making healthy food choices and participating in regular exercise, come from avoiding the bad stuff. Smoking and excessive alcohol intake not only increase your risk of developing heart disease, but also of developing many other pathologies like COPD, liver failure and cancer. Cessation of smoking and moderation of alcohol intake is critical not only for heart health, but on your overall wellness. For more resources to support you in making these changes, check out SmokeFree.gov and Alcohol.org.
Lastly, if you are already living with cardiovascular disease, managing your health through adherence to your medication regimen, by regular communication with your medical team and awareness of the signs and symptoms that indicate you need emergent help are all key to staying healthy with CAD. Take any prescribed medications at the same time each day, and promptly if you realize you’ve forgotten. Be aware of side effects, interactions and always keep an updated list of your medications. Signs and symptoms that may indicate you need to visit the hospital for further assessment include anginal pain that does not resolve with nitroglycerin (3 doses or 15 minutes), sudden change in your heart rate or rhythm, shortness of breath or wheezing, feeling lightheaded or fainting or sudden and severe chest pain, left arm pain or nausea or vomiting. Be education also of signs of stroke, as this is also associated with cardiovascular disease. Use the acronym ‘FAST’ to help you remember; F is for facial drooping, A is for arm weakness, S is for speech difficulty and T is for time - always call 911 if you think you may be experiencing a heart attack or stroke as getting help quickly may be the difference between life or death.
Think you may be at risk of developing heart disease? You can use this calculator from the Mayo Clinic to find out. If you find that you are, I hope that you can use this guide to help you manage your risk, and contact HAE/PT to help you develop an individualized Wellness program to help you get on a path to better health today.
