Three steps to a healthy heart
BY Fiona Baker Parenting & pregnancy expert
No illness takes more lives than heart disease, but there are ways you can significantly reduce your risk.
Follow the Heart Foundation's has this easy three-step plan for heart health.
Know your risk
According to the Heart Foundation, this is the first step towards prevention. "The good news is that heart attacks are largely preventable," says the foundation's clinical issues director, Dr Robert Grenfell. "If you know your risk, you can take steps to manage those factors that contribute to it."
Research shows that more than 90 per cent of Australian adults have at least one modifiable risk factor for heart disease, such as smoking, poor diet or being overweight, while a quarter have three or more.
Grenfell says it is also important to know the risk factors that can't be changed such as age, family history and gender. "Your doctor will calculate your risk using all your individual factors to work out what steps you should take to reduce your risk," he says.
Regular checks should start at 45 – earlier if you have risk factors such as diabetes, obesity or a family history.
Know the warning signs
While warning signs can vary from person to person there is one underlying fact, Grenfell says: "The sooner you get treatment, the less damage will be done."
He says the most common symptoms include:
- Pain, pressure, heaviness or tightness in the chest.
- Pain in your arms, particularly your left arm.
- Discomfort or pain in your jaw.
"There are also subtle symptoms like nausea and breathlessness, or feeling dizzy. The sad fact is 50 per cent of heart attack cases don't make it to hospital, so never ignore any of your symptoms," Grenfell says.
A Heart Foundation survey found that if people had dizziness or discomfort in the chest, only one in six would call an ambulance. Anyone experiencing heart attack warning signs for 10 minutes should call 000 immediately. For more information on warning signs visit www.heartattackfacts.org.au
Have a healthy lifestyle
The risk of a heart attack or heart disease can be reduced with simple lifestyle changes such as:
- Exercise. Grenfell says walking 30 minutes a day can cut heart disease risk by 50 per cent. "It doesn't need to be all at once – break it up over the day."
- Quit smoking. About 40 per cent of the 15,000 smoking-related deaths a year stem from cardiovascular disease. "All the healthy steps you take to prevent a heart attack are basically negated if you smoke," Grenfell says.
- Eat a healthy, balanced diet. Replace saturated fats with mono or polyunsaturated fats and reduce salt intake to ensure blood pressure and cholesterol levels remain in healthy ranges. High blood pressure (anything with numbers of 140/90 or higher) and high cholesterol (over 6.5) are major risk factors for heart attacks, so take action now.
"I'm alive because I listened to my body"
Jo-lene Ellat, 28, was rushed to hospital with a heart attack six years ago.
"At 22 I was fit and I didn't drink or take drugs. We have no family history of heart attack and tests for genetic heart disorders came back clear.
"I woke up one night with a feeling of pressure on my chest, which got heavier and heavier.
I became short of breath and knew my body was desperately telling me something was wrong.
"Having a heart attack has changed my life. I've entered the Healthy Heart Challenge and have not looked back. I still exercise regularly and make healthy diet choices for me and my family."
To follow Jo-Lene's lead, visit healthyheartchallenge.goredforwomen.org.au
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