Life-style changes are an important part of any treatment regimen for the prevention of heart disease. These changes may be useful in reducing the frequency of attacks by identifying and modifying the activities and situations that precipitate these attacks.
Smoking
One of the most important things you can do to reduce your risk of heart disease is to stop smoking. Smokers younger than 50 years are five times more likely than non-smokers to die of coronary heart disease.
By stopping, you not only lower your risk of heart disease but also help reduce your risk of lung diseases such as cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
The key to successful quitting is to pick a method that’s right for you. It can be a support group, or your physician can prescribe aids such as nicotine replacement therapy.
Drinking
Know your limits: To reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, don’t exceed 1-2 units of alcohol a day. A unit is equal to half a pint of beer, one small glass of wine or a small measure of rum, whisky or vodka.
Diet control
The good news is that, unlike in the past when the emphasis was on avoiding certain foods, nowadays the emphasis is very firmly on choosing foods you can eat to improve the health of your heart and blood vessels.
Good fats and bad fats
The fats you consume are important factors in helping promote a healthy heart. You should cut your consumption of ‘bad fats.’ These are saturated fats, that is, hard fats found mainly in animal products such as red meat, butter and hard or full-fat cheeses; and ‘trans-fats’ (fats that have been solidified by the process of hydrogenation) found in processed foods such as many margarines, biscuits, cakes and pies. Both these types of fats can contribute to raising cholesterol levels.
At the same time as cutting ‘bad fats,’ you should increase your intake of ‘good fats.’ These are fats that actively protect the arteries against atherosclerosis, raising levels of ‘good’ HDL cholesterol, and having other beneficial effects on the arteries
Good fats comprise omega-3 fatty acids, found particularly in oily fish and omega-6 fats found in olives, nuts, seeds and seed oils, and many vegetables and grains.
Fibre
A high intake of fibre helps lower cholesterol levels. The fibre thought to be the most helpful is ‘soluble’ fibre, a gluey substance found in lentils, kidney beans and other pulses and cereals such as rice and oats, whole grain bread and pasta.
Starchy vegetables such as potatoes, peas, squash, corn, yams and sweet potatoes are other good sources.
Fresh fruit and vegetables
Fresh fruit and vegetables are rich sources of antioxidants, nutrients that help to prevent the oxidation of LDL cholesterol, one of the main triggers of atherosclerosis. Upping your intake of antioxidants can significantly decrease the build-up of plaques in the arteries.
Three important antioxidants are vitamins C, E, and beta carotene – often referred to as the ACE vitamins because beta carotene is converted into vitamin A in the body.
Beta carotene is found in yellow, orange and green fruit and vegetables, such as carrots, red peppers, sweet potatoes and spinach (callaloo).
Vitamin C is found in most fruit and vegetables, especially green leafy vegetables and citrus fruits.
Vitamin E is found in nuts and seeds.
Other antioxidants include a group of nutrients called bioflavonoids, found in tea, red wine and oranges, among many other foods.
Salt restriction
Although you need some salt to maintain your body’s sodium balance, a high intake is linked to high blood pressure, one of the main risk factors for coronary heart disease.
Five a day
To make sure you get your day’s supply of fruit and vegetables, aim to eat three fresh fruits either at mealtimes or as snacks, plus a substantial portion of vegetables and/or salad with at least two of your main meals a day.
Eating a healthier diet
Take it slowly: Changes in eating habits are more sustainable if you make them gradually and if they are realistic.
Read labels: help yourself to make healthier food choices by studying food labels and avoid those that are high in fat, sugar or salt.
Eat more fresh foods: Processed foods are more likely to be high in fatty and sugary elements, while fresh foods are low in these and high in beneficial vitamins, minerals and other nutrients.
Being active
Being active is absolutely essential for a healthy heart – for the simple reason that your heart is a muscle.
Exercise need not be strenuous, but it is important that it be energetic enough to gradually raise the heart rate and that it be performed regularly (a minimum of three to five days a week). Brisk walking for 30 to 45 minutes is inexpensive, requires no skill, and puts little burden on knees, back or hips. Exercises that produce a sudden strain, such as lifting heavy weights, should be avoided or conducted under a physician’s guidance. They have relatively little cardiovascular benefit and the sudden increase of blood pressure that such activities produce may precipitate an attack of angina.
Rest and relaxation
While exercise can help lower blood pressure and strengthen your heart, rest and relaxation can reduce your levels of anxiety and improve your reactions to stress – both of which can affect the blood vessels and heart.
Regular aerobic exercise has many possible beneficial effects, controlling weight, lowering blood cholesterol, improving cardiovascular tone, reducing stress and providing a general feeling of well-being. The conditioning effects of exercise also increase a person’s ability to perform a greater amount of work with the use of less oxygen.
Regularly setting aside time to pursue an enjoyable activity (such as listening to music), meditation and in some cases, psychological counselling, can all help in reducing stress.
The bottom line?
Heart attacks are really a lifestyle disease. My advice: Take stock of your risk profile with your doctor to identify areas of concern. Then, do what you can to remedy them, whether by faithfully taking the appropriate medications or through diet, exercise or stress management.
