Many of us will focus on Valentine’s Day this week, and many of us will start thinking of affairs of the heart. This is a good time to focus on our physical heart and do things that can help prevent heart disease. According to recent studies, more than half of heart disease is preventable and 90% of heart attacks in women can be prevented.
Heart disease
Heart disease is a leading cause of death and disability in many countries, including Anguilla. The term “heart disease” refers to several types of heart conditions. The most common type in Anguilla is coronary artery disease which can cause heart attack, angina, heart failure, and arrhythmias.
There are several things you can do to prevent heart disease. Many of us can prevent heart disease by adopting a healthy lifestyle. Some individuals do have some risk factors that increase their chances of getting heart disease. These include a family history of heart disease, and age. The risk of heart disease increases as you age. You have a greater risk of heart disease if you are a man over age 45 or a woman over age 55.
What can you do to prevent heart disease?
There some measures you can do to decrease your chances of getting heart disease. These include the following:
Do not smoke or use tobacco
Smoking or using tobacco is one of the most significant risk factors for developing heart disease. Chemicals in tobacco can damage your heart and blood vessels, leading to narrowing of the arteries (atherosclerosis). Atherosclerosis can ultimately lead to a heart attack. When it comes to heart disease prevention, no amount of smoking is safe. Smokeless tobacco and low-tar and low-nicotine cigarettes also are risky, as is exposure to secondhand smoke.
Women who smoke and take birth control pills are at greater risk of having a heart attack or stroke than are those who do not smoke. This risk increases with age, especially in women older than 35.
The good news, though, is that when you quit smoking, your risk of heart disease drops dramatically within just one year. No matter how long or how much you smoked, you’ll start reaping rewards as soon as you quit.
Regular exercise
Individuals who get some regular exercise can reduce their risk of fatal heart disease. And when you combine physical activity with other lifestyle measures, such as maintaining a healthy weight, the benefits are tremendous.
Physical activity helps you control your weight, and can reduce your chances of developing other conditions that may put a strain on your heart, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes. It also reduces stress which may be a factor in heart disease.
Try getting at least 30 to 60 minutes of moderately intense physical activity most days of the week. However, even shorter amounts of exercise offer heart benefits. The types of activities available to individuals in Anguilla are numerous. Simple things, like gardening in the backyard, walking the dog, swimming climbing the stairs, all help to keep you fit.
Eat a heart-healthy diet
Eating a special diet called the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) can also help protect your heart. Following the DASH diet means eating foods that are low in fat, cholesterol and salt. The diet is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy products, which can help protect your heart. Beans, other low-fat sources of protein and certain types of fish also can reduce your risk of heart disease.
Limiting certain fats you eat also is important. Of the types of fat — saturated, polyunsaturated, monounsaturated and trans fat — saturated fat and trans fat increase the risk of coronary artery disease by raising blood cholesterol levels.
What are some sources of saturated fats and trans fats?
There are many sources of saturated fats in Anguilla. Major sources include:
• Red meat
• Dairy products
Sources of trans fat include:
• Deep-fried fast foods
• Bakery products
• Packaged snack foods
• Margarines
• Crackers
Try to limit the amount of foods with the term partially hydrogenated fats as much as possible. Look at the label for the term “partially hydrogenated” to avoid trans fat.
Omega-3 fatty acids, a type of polyunsaturated fat, may decrease your risk of heart attack, protect against irregular heartbeats and lower blood pressure. Some fish, such as salmon and mackerel, are a good natural source of omega-3s. Omega-3s are present in smaller amounts in flaxseed oil, walnut oil, soybean oil and canola oil, and they can also be found in supplements.
Alcohol and the heart
Following a heart-healthy diet also means drinking alcohol only in moderation — no more than two drinks a day for men, and one a day for women. At that moderate level, alcohol can have a protective effect on your heart. More than that becomes a health hazard.
Maintain a healthy weight
As you put on weight in adulthood, your weight gain is mostly fat rather than muscle. This excess weight can lead to conditions that increase your chances of heart disease — high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.
One way to see if your weight is healthy is to calculate your body mass index (BMI) which considers your height and weight in determining whether you have a healthy or unhealthy percentage of body fat. BMI numbers 25 and higher are associated with higher blood fats, higher blood pressure, and an increased risk of heart disease and stroke.
The BMI is a good, but imperfect guide. Muscle weighs more than fat, for instance, and women and men who are very muscular and physically fit can have high BMIs without added health risks. As a result waist circumference is also a useful tool to measure how much abdominal fat you have:
• Men are considered overweight if their waist measurement is greater than 40 inches (101.6 centimeters, or cm)
• Women are overweight if their waist measurement is greater than 35 inches (88.9 cm)
Even a small weight loss can be beneficial. Reducing your weight by just 10 percent can decrease your blood pressure, lower your blood cholesterol level and reduce your risk of diabetes.
Get regular health screenings
Individuals are encouraged to have regular medical check-ups even if they do not have any symptoms. High blood pressure might be present for many years without any symptoms while causing tremendous damage to your heart and blood vessels. Regular screening can tell you what your numbers are and whether you need to take action. Optimal blood pressure is less than 120/80 millimeters of mercury.
Diabetes is closely associated with heart disease so you should get tested for diabetes and, if you have it, keep it under control.
All adults and adolescents should know their cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
Conclusion
Keeping your heart healthy, whatever your age, is the most important thing you can do to help prevent and manage heart disease. Eating a healthy diet, getting regular exercise, and being aware of dangers such as smoking, drinking, high blood pressure and stress, are all important for your long-term heart health, whether you currently have heart disease or not. You can help prevent heart disease by making healthy choices and managing any medical conditions you may have. Start today!
Ask Your Doctor is a health education column and is not a substitute for medical advice from your physician. The reader should consult his or her physician for specific information concerning specific medical conditions. While all reasonable efforts have been made to ensure that all information presented is accurate, as research and development in the medical field is ongoing, it is possible that new findings may supersede some data presented.
Dr Brett Hodge is an Obstetrician/Gynaecologist and Family Doctor who has over thirty years in clinical practice. Dr Hodge has a medical practice in The Johnson Building in The Valley (Tel: 264 4975828).
