HEALTHWATCH
WAYS TO REDUCE YOUR RISK OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE
Heart advice to save your life
Here’s a scary piece of information – every 90 minutes, a New Zealander dies from heart disease, making it the biggest killer in this country.
One in 20 adults is diagnosed with the condition, which is more than 165,000 Kiwis. It doesn’t matter how old you are or the state of your general health, it is really important to look after your ticker. Here’s how:
AIM FOR 7-8 HOURS
SLEEP A NIGHT
A good amount of sleep is important for your health, and not getting enough – or too much – can be bad for your heart. One study has found that adults who sleep for seven hours a night have less calcium in their arteries (an early sign of heart disease) than those who sleep for five hours or less, or those who get more than nine hours a night.
HAVE YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE CHECKED
High blood pressure can lead to heart problems. It can damage artery walls and create scar tissue, making it harder for blood to get to and from your heart. This means the heart has to work harder and gets
worn out faster, plus if not enough oxygen is getting through via your blood, part of it can begin to die. The trouble is, there are no symptoms of high blood pressure – you can have it without knowing. That’s why it is vital to have it checked regularly, especially if you’re over 40.
GET OFF YOUR BACKSIDE Being sedentary is extremely bad for your heart. The more time you spend sitting, the higher your risk of heart disease. It’s also important to remember that if you do follow guidelines and do 30 minutes of moderate exercise a day, you still need to find ways of being less sedentary for the rest of the day. If you have a desk job, you should get up regularly and move around at least once every hour, even if you’ve
already done your 30 minutes of exercise. If you sit for several hours a night watching TV, get up in the ad breaks or between shows and move about.
CUT DOWN ON
SATURATED FATS
If meat and full-fat dairy products play a big part in your diet you could be in trouble. Choose leaner cuts of meat and maybe even try going meat free a couple of days a week. Also opt for reduced-fat cheese and milk and steer clear of products containing trans fats altogether – they increase your bad LDL cholesterol. They are found in processed foods such as some crackers, biscuits and snack foods – check the ingredients for hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated fats. These are trans fats.
GET TESTED FOR DIABETES
This is another condition you may have and not realise it, as the symptoms can be minor to start with so you might put them down to other causes. But it’s important to know if you do have it so you can take steps to mitigate the damage it can cause, including to your heart. Over time, high blood sugar damages arteries and makes heart problems more likely.
EAT HEART HEALTHY FOODS
There are certain foods that are not just good for your health in general, but for your heart in particular. They include seeds (such as chia, flax and pumpkin) which contain fibre that can bind to cholesterol, removing it from your system; and fatty fish such as salmon, which is rich in omega-3 fatty acids that decrease the build-up of plaque in your arteries. Other great foods for your health include green tea, kale, turmeric, hummus, oats and olive oil.
GO EASY ON SALT
According to one study, reducing salt intake among the general population by half a teaspoon a day each would significantly reduce the number of cases of heart disease and save our health system millions of dollars a year. Don’t forget, your salt intake is not just about how much you sprinkle over food, but the amounts contained in the food you eat, such as packaged and processed foods.
GET ENOUGH VITAMIN D
Widely recognised as important for bone health, vitamin D is also required for good heart health. A Brazilian study found women who were deficient in vitamin D were more likely to have metabolic syndrome, which is a group of factors that doubles your risk of heart disease. Meanwhile, other studies have concluded that women with higher vitamin D levels have a third less chance of getting this disease. The best source of vitamin D is sunlight, but you can also get it from foods such as canned tuna, eggs and fortified foods. ADD GINGER TO YOUR DIET Ginger has lots of health-giving properties, including treating nausea, colds and flu. Now, research shows it can lower cholesterol levels.
‘Every 90 minutes a New Zealander dies from heart disease’