There are an estimated 70,000 heart attacks each year in Canada. That’s one heart attack every 7 minutes.
Do you experience the following symptoms regularly?
• Shortness of breath.
• Angina (discomfort, heaviness, pressure, aching, burning, squeezing, or painful feeling in your chest)
• Chest pain
• Persistent coughing or wheezing
• Pain that spreads to shoulders, arms, elbows, back, neck, jaw, or abdomen
• Palpitations (irregular heart beats, or a “flip-flop” feeling in your chest).
• A faster heartbeat.
• Weakness or dizziness.
• Nausea.
• Sweating.
• Swelling
If so, your heart may be in danger….
What Does Your Heart Do?
Located a little to the left of the middle of your chest, the heart is the most important muscle in your body. Its role is to send blood around your body. In doing so, the heart is able to provide us with the oxygen and nutrients we need to survive. Your heart is similar to a pump. The right side of your heart receives blood from the body and pumps it to the lungs. While the left side of the heart does the exact opposite: It receives blood from the lungs and pumps it out to the body. If the heart does not pump blood properly, our brain and other organs will not get the oxygen and nutrients they need to function. To stay alive and well, a person needs healthy, living cells. Without oxygen, our cells would die. Therefore, if oxygen-rich blood doesn’t circulate, as it should, a person could die. In order to live a long and healthy life we need to take care of our hearts.
Heart Disease: The Alarming Facts
The Heart and Stroke Foundation have the following statistics on their website, and I thought I’d share them with you. They demonstrate why it is so important to lead a healthy life, with minimum risk factors.
• Heart disease and stroke are two of the three leading causes of death in Canada. These statistics are based on 2008 data (the latest year available from Statistics Canada).
• In 2008 cardiovascular disease accounted for (Statistics Canada, 2011c):
29% of all deaths in Canada (69,703 deaths – or more than 69,500)
28% of all male deaths
29.7% of all female deaths
• In 2008, of all cardiovascular deaths (Statistics Canada, 2011c):
54% were due to ischemic heart disease
20% to stroke
23% to heart attack
• In 2007, 1.3 million Canadians (4.8% of Canadians – 4.2% of girls and women and 5.3% of boys and men 12 years of age and older) reported having heart disease (PHAC, 2009).
• Nine in 10 Canadians (90%) have at least one risk factor for heart disease or stroke (smoking, alcohol, physical inactivity, obesity, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, diabetes) (PHAC, 2009).
7 Things To Do To Keep Your Heart Healthy
1) See a chiropractor. According to a study in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, chiropractic treatment may have a significant effect on blood pressure and anxiety levels. The study showed, in all cases, those who received active treatment saw a distinct drop in their anxiety levels and in their blood pressure. The results of this study show evidence that chiropractic treatment can offer support to help the cardiovascular system.The role of a chiropractor is to bring the musculoskeletal structure into proper alignment. In order to do this chiropractors will change the position of your body and then apply some pressure to points along the spine that are out of place. Sometimes there can be a popping sound that can happen when there is a change in pressure in your joints and gas bubbles are released. By realigning your spine, chiropractors unblock nerve energy to allow it to flow better down your spine and throughout your body. When committed to a wellness program the benefits overtime can provide you with overall optimal health, including a healthier heart.
2) Get active. Aerobic exercise is a crucial factor in managing your cardiovascular risk. It aids in lowering blood pressure, improves cholesterol levels, assists in weight management and lowers inflammation in the body. Countless studies have proven that people who do not exercise are at a greater risk for heart disease.
3) Control Your Cholesterol. Having too much “bad” cholesterol (LDL) in your body can cause build up in your arteries and cause heart disease. Some recommend that everyone over age 20 should get their cholesterol levels measured at least once every 5 years. The test that is performed is a blood test called a lipoprotein profile. Your cholesterol levels should be less than 200, 200-239 is considerd borderline high, while 240 is considered high. Control your cholesterol levels by eating healthy, non-processed foods. Also try to stick to lean meats and healthy oils.
4) Manage Your Blood Pressure. Over time, high blood pressure can lead to heart attacks, strokes, or a thick heart muscle (hypertrophy), which can eventually lead to heart failure, a form of heart disease. Eat healthy, exercise regularly, reduce sodium, avoid alcohol and cigarettes, cut back on caffeine, and reduce stress in order to improve your blood pressure.
5) Stay At a Healthy Weight. Being overweight can exacerbate several other health problems that lead to cardiovascular disease, such as hypertension, diabetes and high cholesterol.
6) Maintain your blood sugar levels. Diabetes puts people at a higher risk for heart disease, especially if blood sugar levels are not properly controlled. Diet and exercise can be very effective at maintaining blood sugar levels.
7) Quit Smoking. Smoking increases blood pressure, making you more susceptible to heart disease. Quit, your heart will love you for it.
The Es-Teck Full Body Analysis and Heart Health
Interested in finding out if you are at a risk for heart disease? Santé Chiropractic and Wellness Centre offers the Es-Teck Full Body Analysis. The ES- Teck System is advanced technology and is a Health Canada registered Class III Medical Device. Using a finger “Oximeter” it allows for observation of heart rate, tissue oxygen uptake, arterial stiffness, hemodynamic indicators and autonomic nervous system (ANS) levels of activity. It is able to detect whether your heart is working properly. It can also provide us with an estimate of your cholesterol levels and blood pressure.Book your very own Es-Teck Full Body Analysis by calling the clinic at (613) 837-2883.
Thank you for reading! If you found the information in this blog useful, please pass it along to your family and friends! You never know…it could save their life! Oh, and be sure to leave any questions, comments, or feedback below! We’d love to hear from you.
References
http://www.heartandstroke.com/site/c.ikIQLcMWJtE/b.3483991/
http://healthycanadians.gc.ca/health-sante/disease-maladie/heart-disease-eng.php