Health knowledge made personal
Valentine’s Day. Perhaps you received one
hundred red roses; perhaps you cried your eyes out into one hundred tissues.
Either way, around Valentine’s Day is a
time when women think of matters of the heart. As a nurse I often find this
“romantic” holiday, a PERFECT time to get women thinking about matters of the
physical heart.
So, pull in your seat and let’s talk about
the biggest heart breaker out there: Coronary Heart Disease (CHD).
This disease breaks more female hearts than
Casanova himself.
Coronary Heart Disease is the leading case
of morality (i.e. death) in the western world. The WHO claimed, by the year
2020, CHD will be the greatest cause
of death and disability in the world.
CHD occurs when plaque forms in the coronary arteries, reducing blood
supply to the heart. At rest, the blood supply is adequate, however, when the
heart requires more blood during exercise or emotional stress, the vessels (due
to plaque obstruction) cannot deliver. This can causes chest discomfort and
pain. If the plaque completely blocks the coronary arteries, it results in a
heart attack.
Unlike many gender inequalities existing in
our society, CHD does not
discriminate. CHD development doesn’t depend on age, ethic group or sex. Yet in
society, we treat CHD like it is a male-specific disease. This causes a few
problems and misconceptions:
A big part of reducing the incidence of CHD
is reducing the risk factors. These apply EQUALLY to men and women!
Risk Factor #1: Being Overweight
Do you know that you are two times more
likely to suffer from CHD if you are overweight? Being overweight also increase
the likely hood of developing other risk factors that contribute to CHD such
as: hypertension (high blood pressure), diabetes and high cholesterol. Body
mass index (BMI) and waist circumference are two indicators of whether or not a
person is overweight. So grab your measuring tape! Ladies, if your waist circumference
is above 35 inches (40 inches for the men), you are at risk of developing CHD.
There are two main ways to tackle your
weight:
Diet:
Eat less processed foods, which are FULL of sugar,
salt and preservatives. Eat less fatty fried foods and fatty meats. Eat more
vegetables, fruit, wholegrains, fish and rice. Grill your food. If you have to
fry, use heart friendly oil such as olive oil.
Physical
activity: This will not only lower your weight, but
also decrease your blood pressure, help you relax and release endorphins to
keep you happy! Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate activity per day such
as walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, or dancing. Incorporating these
activities into your routine makes you more likely to do them. So walk to work,
cycle to the kids soccer game or dance to the supermarket (just kidding-but you
get the idea!).
Risk Factor #2: Smoking
Smoking is the number one cause of
preventable death and significantly contributes to your risk for heart disease.
The good news is it is never too late to stop. The short term benefits are: in
8 hours of quitting smoking you have ½ the amount of nicotine in your body.
After 48 hours your carbon monoxide levels are that of a non-smoker. Long term
benefits are equally rewarding. After
one year you have halved the chance of developing CHD. After 5 years you have
the same risk factor as a non-smoker.
Risk Factor #3:
Alcohol
In moderation, alcohol can be good for your
heart. 1-2 glasses a day for women and
2-3 glasses per day for men, is considered safe. However, excess and binge
drinking of alcohol damages the heart, causing damage to cardiac muscle, arrthymias,
stroke, obesity and hypertension.
Risk Factor #4: Stress
Stress is a mechanism our bodies use to
keep us alert and motivated. Just like alcohol, it is extremely bad for our
bodies in excess and when it is prolonged. It can cause hypertension, poor
eating habits and increased alcohol consumption. Focus on identifying stressors
in your life, and take measures to manage them (remember even “good stress” is still
stress!).
Knowing what the risk factors are for CHD,
is the first step towards in reducing your risk. And don’t forget ladies, CHD
is not just a man’s disease.
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