Will you be my healthy Valentine?

BY DR. VIKAS PURI

Did you know that about 1 in 12 (or 2.4 million) Canadian adults age 20 and over live with diagnosed heart disease? Approximately every hour, about 12 Canadian adults age 20 and over are diagnosed with heart disease. Heart disease refers to the buildup of plaque in the heart’s arteries that could lead to heart attack, heart failure, or death.

As per the Government of Canada, the death rate is 3 times higher among adults age 20 and over with diagnosed heart disease compared to those without; 4 times higher among adults age 20 and over who have had a heart attack compared to those who have not; 6 times higher among adults age 40 and over with diagnosed heart failure compared to those without.  Men have higher hospitalization and death rates related to heart disease than women in all age groups. But the difference lessens with age. However, because women live longer than men, there were a similar number of deaths for women and men from heart disease.

Government of Canada also states that the simple action of shoveling snow has negative impacts on the human heart, “Risk factors include both strenuous exercise and cold weather because they can increase blood pressure and heart rate. When strenuous exercise and cold weather are combined, the risk of heart attack is even greater.”

February is heart health month, promoting the importance of cardiovascular health as it is the second leading causes of death in Canada for both men and women and is preventable. Below, are ten tips that may assist in preventing cardiovascular disease.

1. Smoking is one of the top controllable risk factors for heart disease. Smoking and exposure to second-hand smoke increases your risk of developing heart disease and stroke.

Quality sleep is important to heart health, as it is involved in healing and repairing your heart vessels.

Consuming fruits, vegetables, foods with high fibre and fish high in Omega 3 such as salmon, and tuna.

Eating dark chocolate consisting of healthy flavonoids help reduce inflammation and lower your risk for heart disease

Practicing mindfulness and meditation may help you manage stress and high blood pressure which maintains a healthy heart.

Getting and staying active can reduce your risk of developing heart disease.

Your heart is a muscle, and exercise helps make it stronger.

Drinking green tea is associated with a lower risk of heart disease. Green tea has powerful antioxidants which can help prevent the buildup of plaque in the arteries.

Eliminating stress, anxiety and anger sustains a healthy heart. Identifying and determining the things that are causing you to stress so you can deal with them effectively.

Drinking water instead of drinking your calories is important to the human heart.

Your heart is constantly working, pumping about 2,000 gallons of blood a day. By  staying hydrated you are assisting your heart do its job with reduced strain.

It’s important to control cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar. The early detection and management of medical conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol can help you reduce your risk of heart disease.

Beyond this, a largely unknown fact is that chiropractic care is a very important and powerful means of managing stress hormone levels in the body.  As such, research studies have shown a reduction in blood pressure and other cardiovascular diseases when the body is undergoing regular chiropractic care.  As chiropractors we do not treat blood pressure.  We treat spinal problems that increase stress hormones in the body and impair nervous system function.  By reversing this issue, problems like blood pressure are improved as a positive “side effect” of chiropractic treatment.

So visit a Chiropractor today for a wellness check-up.  Be a Healthy Valentine; improve your heart health and your life!