Love and Heart : Back to Basics

Valentine month is a month of expressing LOVE to  your significant others and also to your loved ones. Keeping the theme of this month, how about we go to the basics of health of our heart , the organ which is able to express that emotion?

Back to basic of heart health. Heart disease, a part of Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the major cause of death across the world.

(Be aware, some of the shocking stats are coming!)

In the UK, more than quarter men and women die from CVD diseases. Word Health Organisation predicts world-wide increase in the CVD related death; by 2030, almost 23.6 million people will die from heart disease and stroke. Economic burden of CVD is huge of the as more than 80% of CVD related death occurs in low and middle-income countries.

So why WE as a global village experiencing such a devastatingly increase in CVD related complications?

Extensive l clinical studies have identified several factors that increase the risk of heart diseases and stroke.

Non-modifiable RF’s:

Unfortunately, there are a few factors which we can’t change

1. Advanced age– being over 65 increases your risk of heart disease and risk of death from it.
2. Gender-Being male increases your risk when compared to women.
3. Genetics: They say you can select your friends but not your family. If your close relatives, that is, either your parents or siblings have heart disease below the age of 55 then you are more likely to develop it.

Some population has higher tendency to have an increase in single risk factor which in-turns increases their overall CVD risk. For example, people from African origin have more severe high blood pressure than Caucasians and hence higher risk of heart diseases. South Asians have high heart disease risk due to their higher rates of obesity and diabetes.

Good news is, studies have also identified factors which you can modify, control or treat with medication or lifestyle changes to reduce your overall CVD risk.

Let us focus more on what we can change rather than what we can’t?

Modifiable risk factors

4.Smoking: We all know smoking increases your CVD risk. In fact, smokers are up-to 2-4 times greater risk than non-smokers!!!

Smoking is also a powerful independent risk factor for sudden cardiac death in patients with coronary heart disease. Cigarette smoking also acts with other risk factors (such as blood pressure) to greatly increase the risk for coronary heart disease. Smoking increase your risk of suffering from Peripheral Artery disease [more about this in future blogs]. Understandably it’s not easy to give up the habit. But the willingness to ask for help is the first step towards success. Would you agree?

Question to you if you smoke what would be the future looks like if you quit for life?

5.High blood cholesterol

As your blood cholesterol (read: Low Density Lipoprotein and triglycerides) rises, so does the risk of heart disease. When other risk factors (such as high blood pressure and tobacco smoke) are present, this risk increases even more. Your cholesterol level is also affected by age, sex, heredity, and diet.

Joint British society recommends following guideline targets for cholesterol:

Key Lipid Target for High-Risk people 

• Total Cholesterol <4mmol/ L or <155mg/dL
• LDL (bad)<2mmol/L or < 80 mg/dL

High cholesterol is modifiable with medication or Lifestyle changes depending on its severity.

Studies have shown that very high triglyceride levels are linked with cardiovascular diseases and it may also place you at risk of having pancreatitis, a life-threatening condition that occurs when the pancreas becomes inflamed Current guidelines recommend that your triglyceride levels should be below 150 mg/dL.

Question to you: Are you or closed family members have to deal with high cholesterol?

6. High blood pressure (BP)

This image could help you understand the dangerous effect of hypertension. Combine with other risk factors such as smoking, high cholesterol, diabetes then your risk of risk of heart attack or stroke increases several times.

Question to you: Are you or closed family members have to deal with high blood pressure?

7.?Physical inactivity

Sedentary lifestyles are one of the fourth largest causes of preventable death. A variety of studies warn that sedentary lifestyles are likely to be causing as many deaths as smoking. Are you watching TV for more than 2 hours per day? research shows that you at a 13% increased risk of CVD and metabolic conditions. Simply put, leading an inactive lifestyle increases you're a risk of coronary heart disease. So why not enjoy regular, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity or exercise to keep your heart and blood vessel to be in top form?

Question to you: which physical activity you find it the most enjoyable?

8.Obesity and overweight

This is really a no-brainer. People who carry extra insulation (read: fat) around their body especially around belly are more likely to develop heart disease and stroke even if they have no other risk factors.

Overweight increases load on your heart affects your BP and other health factors which we discussed above. But wait a minute! Good news is even losing 10% of your current weight, you can lower your heart disease risk.

Question to you: Are you at your healthy weight?

9.Diabetes mellitus:  Diabetes has an adverse effect on your risk of developing CVD. The risk increases, even more, when your blood sugar is not controlled.

If you have been diagnosed as pre-diabetes or are from the South-Asian origin (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh) take steps to prevent developing diabetes in the first place to avoid future complications.

Question to you: if you are dealing with diabetes, how well it is controlled and is there any room for improvement?

10. Stress: In my experience Stress is a big topic to be able to educate and to give  support for! More research is needed to show a direct association between stress and heart attack. However, stress both acute and chronic can interfere with your sleep and appetite. When you perceive a situation to be stressful your body releases hormone cortisol and epinephrine (adrenaline), which prepares your body for flight or fight response. In turn, these hormones release more sugar and fat. Over a period of time your immunity is affected.

Question to you: How effective are your stress management techniques?

Other factors that contribute to heart disease risk are 11.Alcohol & 12.Poor Diet 

Dr Deepak Chopra shares the ancient principle of AWARENESS. Awareness is often the first step to make positive changes. I hope this article has created some awareness within your mind about your health.

If you have any questions or would like support to improve your health and wellbeing, feel free to connect with me.

Live well Live with Vitality!

Pranita Salunke

My vision is irrespective of economic status and country a person is living he is able to adopt a healthy lifestyle of healthy nutrition, improved physical activity and avoid habits such as excessive alcohol and No smoking.

If you have any questions get in touch at [email protected].

Let us know on World Heart Day, how you plan to strengthen your Heart and importantly empower others to be Heart Healthy?

Best wishes,

Pranita Salunke

Vitality Health Clinic

www.vitalityhealthclinic.co.uk

Reference

1. US Department of Health and Human Services. The Health Consequences of Smoking: A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health, 2004
2. https://ash.org.uk/

3.Willigendael EM, Teijink JA, Bartelink ML, et al. Influence of smoking on incidence and prevalence of

peripheral arterial disease. J Vasc Surg 2004;40:1158–65.

1. JBS 2: Joint British Societies’ guidelines on prevention of cardiovascular disease in clinical practice
2. Preventive Cardiology. A practical manual. Jennings and colleagues, 2009.
3. https://www.heart.org
4. Wilmot EG, Edwardson CL, Achana FA, et al. Sedentary time in adults and the association with diabetes, cardiovascular disease and death: systematic review and meta-analysis. Diabetologia 2012;55(11):2895-905.
5. Grontved A, Hu FB. Television viewing and risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and all-cause mortality: a meta-analysis. Jama 2011;305(23):2448-55.
6. Harvard Health Publication, 2015. https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/5-ways-to-de-stress-and-help-your-heart
7. World Health Organisation fact sheet CVD, https://www.who.int/cardiovascular_diseases/about_cvd/en/