"The reality is for most people on this webinar, Cardiovascular Disease will be the likely cause of your death" - Oliver Patrick

Oli Patrick did not hold back when he delivered his eye-opening presentation during our September live webinar discussing Knowing Your Numbers and Keys to Living a Healthier Life.

A pre-webinar poll found that a significant majority of attendees (82%) had never undergone a health screening. The primary reasons cited were a lack of knowledge about where to access these services (50%) and uncertainty regarding screening frequency (62%).

However, following the webinar, a remarkable 96% of participants expressed a newfound motivation to seek out a health check.

Latus Group's Director of Wellbeing Oli Patrick has 25 years' experience as a Physiologist, working in the study of human health. His job is to understand how individuals work and what the data points are that enable better decision-making to improve someone's health.

Much of Oli's work has been via health screening, using data as a way to inform his decisions and develop his knowledge further, which is some of what he discusses in his webinar.

"Because I'm a Physiologist and not a Physician, I'm not a doctor so there'll be a point where as a lifestyle specialist we need to pass into the medical system but what we're really interested in is how we can democratise these numbers and how we can put them in the hands of individuals to understand what they mean and then be able to make choices whether they should access their GP or access specialist support or manage their lifestyle better."

It's not enough to just test people, it's what you do with that information afterwards, where do these results come from, what are the factors that influence them and how does the average person understand that and move it into their quality of life.

The numbers that Oli talks about in his webinar and the parameters of those all have some correlation with the way in which you lead your life and the choices you might be making consciously and unconsciously, and hopefully at the end of the webinar you are able to make more informed choices.

He also wants to explain what the logic of these parameters are, why we use them and how you might be able to use them to inform the decisions you make day in day out.

Understanding Health

Understanding health sits at the heart of understanding things like blood pressure and cholesterol, but also things like weight and body composition.

Below is the Illness Wellness Continuum which was originally constructed by Dr John Travis in the 70's and the idea of this graph is to try and help people understand whether they are working well or not so well.

Human physiology particularly in aging is more likely to deteriorate at the point where it's starting to show signs or symptoms of deterioration. But if we're waiting for signs and symptoms of dysfunction we might be waiting a little bit too late! Human physiology normally tells us when it doesn't like something we're doing but it might not tell us as early as we would like, and that's why health screening is so important because it might pick something up early that our bodies aren't telling us yet.

Good health is a complete state of physical mental and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease, so for you to be well or to be in good health, you need to have complete physical mental and social well-being - World Health Organisation

Cardiovascular disease

The key parameters we're talking about all connect to something called Cardiovascular Disease. This is any disease that affects the heart, cardio or blood vessels, so cardiovascular is not a disease but instead an umbrella term that unifies things we might naturally associate with cardiovascular disease like heart attack. But it would also encompass Strokes and even vascular dementia, where people develop a form of Alzheimer's that is caused by a lack of quality blood flow to the brain.

The infographic below shows the rising numbers of individuals dying from cardiovascular disease and it is predicated to rise even further. That's quite extraordinary when you think of advancements in modern medicines and how we can even clone a sheep, yet the numbers of people dying from a failure to be able to keep their cardiocascular system robust is what is killing people.

Lifestyles we lead today are challenging for the cardiovascular system - from lack of movement/exercise due to sitting at a desk all day, to lack of natural foods or fresh foods. Even lack of natural light has an affect on our bodies, and your physiology just hasn't adapted to understand these changes yet.

It's really important that not only is cardiovascular the disease that is the biggest killer of humans on the planet, but it's also rising and that rise seems to be directly correlated with changes to our environment and our patterns of living.

The reality is for most people on this webinar, Cardiovascular Disease will be the likely cause of your death and that's something to be really aware of earlier in your life cycle because of how potentially preventable that is

The grisly reality

The below graph highlights the building blocks of why we go wrong and the parameters of metrics such as blood pressure, cholesterol, particularly glucose and to a large extent obesity and carrying excess body fat, these are the challenges to your physiology that make it more likely that you develop cardiovascular disease and die, and below those parameters are what causes them.

"Your physiology will essentially respond to the quality of physical activity it gets or doesn't get"

Blocked arteries, also known as atherosclerosis, occur when a buildup of plaque, consisting of cholesterol, fatty substances, cellular waste products, calcium, and fibrin, forms on the inner walls of the arteries. This plaque can gradually narrow the arteries, restricting blood flow and potentially leading to serious health complications.

When arteries become blocked, it can significantly impact your health in several ways; heart attack, stroke and kidney disease.

It's important to note that blocked arteries often develop gradually and may not cause noticeable symptoms in the early stages. However, as the condition progresses, symptoms may become more apparent. Regular health screenings, such as cholesterol checks and blood pressure monitoring, can help detect blocked arteries early on and allow for timely intervention.

Prevention is about stopping the problem before it starts, not finding the problem before it kills you, that's diagnostics, that's a different challenge.

>> Parameters to check <<

Blood pressure

This is the force exerted by blood against the walls of your arteries as it circulates throughout your body. It is measured in millimeters of mercury (mmHg), with two numbers:

• Systolic pressure: The top number, which measures the pressure exerted by your heart when it contracts.
• Diastolic pressure: The bottom number, which measures the pressure exerted by your heart between beats.

What is a Healthy Blood Pressure Reading?

A healthy blood pressure reading is considered to be below 130/80 mmHg. However, individual targets may vary depending on your age, health conditions, and other factors.

How to Maintain a Healthy Blood Pressure

• Healthy diet: Eat a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. Limit your intake of saturated and trans fats, sodium, and added sugars.
• Regular exercise: Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise most days of the week.
• Weight management: If you're overweight or obese, losing weight can help lower your blood pressure.
• Limit alcohol: If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation.
• Quit smoking: Smoking can damage your blood vessels and raise your blood pressure.
• Manage stress: Find healthy ways to manage stress, such as relaxation techniques or meditation.

If you think you have high blood pressure, it's important to visit your GP or occupational health provider to get checked.

Cholesterol

This is a waxy, fat-like substance found in all human cells. It plays a crucial role in various bodily functions, including the production of hormones, cell membranes, and vitamin D. While cholesterol is essential, too much of it can build up in your arteries and contribute to heart disease.

Types of Cholesterol

• Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol: Often referred to as "bad" cholesterol, LDL cholesterol can build up in your arteries and form plaque.
• High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol: Often referred to as "good" cholesterol, HDL cholesterol helps remove LDL cholesterol from your arteries. ?

What is a Healthy Cholesterol Level?

The ideal cholesterol level varies from person to person. However, generally, the following guidelines are recommended:

• Total cholesterol: Less than 200 mg/dL
• LDL cholesterol: Less than 100 mg/dL (or less than 70 mg/dL for people at high risk of heart disease)
• HDL cholesterol: More than 40 mg/dL for men and more than 50 mg/dL for women

How to Lower High Cholesterol

• Healthy diet: Eat a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. Limit your intake of saturated and trans fats.
• Regular exercise: Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise most days of the week.
• Weight management: If you're overweight or obese, losing weight can help lower your cholesterol.
• Quit smoking: Smoking can raise your LDL cholesterol and lower your HDL cholesterol.
• Limit alcohol: Excessive alcohol consumption can raise your cholesterol levels.

If you think you have high cholesterol, it's important to visit your GP or occupational health provider to get checked.

Body Mass Index (BMI)

This is a simple calculation that estimates body fat based on your height and weight. It is a widely used tool to assess whether you are underweight, overweight, or obese.

How to Calculate BMI

To calculate your BMI, divide your weight in kilograms by your height in meters squared. You can also use online BMI calculators.

What is a Healthy BMI?

• Underweight: Less than 18.5
• Healthy: 18.5 - 24.9
• Overweight: 25 - 29.9
• Obese: 30 or higher

Factors Affecting BMI

It's important to note that BMI is not a perfect measure of body fat, as it doesn't account for factors such as muscle mass, bone density, and body composition. For example, athletes may have a high BMI due to increased muscle mass, but they may have a low body fat percentage.

Maintaining a Healthy BMI

• Balanced diet: Eat a variety of nutritious foods, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats. ?
• Regular exercise: Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise most days of the week.
• Limit processed foods and sugary drinks: These can contribute to weight gain.
• Manage stress: Chronic stress can lead to unhealthy eating habits and weight gain.
• Get enough sleep: Lack of sleep can disrupt hormones that regulate appetite and metabolism.

If you are concerned about your BMI, it's important to visit your GP or occupational health provider to get checked.

To watch more of Oli Patricks webinar click here:

www.latusgroup.co.uk/webinars