Ten Steps for Heart Health
Paul Oh, MD MSc FRCPC FACP
Medical Director,
UHN - TRI Cardiac Rehab
Ten Steps For Heart Health
① Healthy weight
② Cholesterol
③ Daily fruits and vegetables
④ Normal blood sugar
⑤ Normal blood pressure
⑥ Regular alcohol consumption
⑦ Smoking
⑧ Stress and Psychosocial Factors
⑨ Sleep
⑩ Physical activity
1. Healthy Body Composition
1. Healthy Weight
• Process vs. Outcome
– Be patient as changes in body composition take time
• Waist vs. Weight
– Focus on losing fat and gaining muscle
– Do not focus on your weight as muscle weighs more than fat
2. Cholesterol Targets
2. Cholesterol
• Maintain a healthy cholesterol level by limiting
the following in your diet:
–
–
–
–
–
Saturated and Trans fats
Sodium
Sugar
Choose lower-fat dairy products or alternatives
Avoid deep fried foods
• Increase the following foods in your diet:
– Eat vegetables and fruit with every meal
– Good Fats
• Omega-3s
• Fibre (whole grains and plant foods)
3.
3. Daily Fruits & Vegetables
• It is recommended that Women have 7 to 8
servings of fruits and vegetables a day
– That is only 7 to 8 pieces of fruit or vegetables
• I.e.1 Banana + 1 Green Pepper = 2 Servings
• It is recommended that Men have 7 to 10
servings of fruits and vegetables a day
– Fore more information about the size of a serving visit the
Canadian Food Guide
4. Glucose and CV Events
4. Normal Blood Sugar
• High levels of blood sugar can increase your risk of getting diabetes
and heart disease
• The World Health Organization, The Canadian Diabetes Association
and The American Heart Association recommend adults consume
less than 10% of total calories from added or free sugars.
– Free sugars include all added sugars plus sugars naturally present in
honey, fruit juices and syrups.
• For women, this means having less than 24 grams (6 teaspoons or
100 calories) of added sugars each day
• For men, this means having less than 36 grams (9 teaspoons or 150
calories) of added sugars each day
5. Normal Blood Pressure
5. Normal Blood Pressure
•
•
•
Over time, high blood pressure can damage the walls of the arteries of the
heart, which is why it’s critical to maintain a normal blood pressure.
To reduce your blood pressure a DASH Diet is recommended. DASH
stands for “Dietary Approaches to Stopping Hypertension”.
DASH Diet Breakdown:
Food Group
Daily Servings ( Based on
Canada’s Food Guide)
Grains and grain products
7-8
Vegetables
4-5
Fruits
4-5
Low Fat Dairy
2-3
Meats, Poultry, and Dish
2 or less
Fast and Oils
2-3
Nuts, Seeds, Legumes
4-5 per week
5. Normal Blood Pressure
6. Regular Alcohol Consumption
• If you consume alcohol beverages do so in
moderation:
– For Men: no more than 1-2 drinks per day or less than 14
drinks per week
– For Women: no more than 1 drink per day or less than 9
drinks per week
5. Normal Blood Pressure
7. Smoking
• Talk to your doctor about quitting smoking and identify
your triggers to smoke
• Cravings to smoke can be trigged by three things:
– Nicotine withdrawal
– Habits
– Memories
• To avoid giving in to your cravings do the following:
– Remind yourself it will pass
– Do another activity, like exercise
– Take deep breaths
– Avoid activities that you associate with smoking
5. Normal Blood Pressure
8. Stress and Psychosocial Factors
• Learn relaxation techniques to reduce stress,
including:
–
–
–
–
Deep Breathing
Progressive Muscle relaxation
Visualization
Mediation
• As well, distract yourself by doing things you enjoy
such as:
–
–
–
–
Playing or listening to music
Reading
Watching TV
Hobbies
9. Sleep
9. Sleep
•
Your cardiovascular system needs a regular routine of rest each
night
•
Ensure you get 7.5 hours of sleep every night
•
When you have disruptions in your sleep, there is a breakdown
in the “rest and restore” period, which leaves your heart and
other body systems in “over-drive”.
–
•
Lights, computers and T.Vs contribute to keeping you alert well
into the night
Disruptions in your sleep put you at a greater risk of weight
gain, high cholesterol levels, high blood pressure and greater
risk of making a heart disease worse
9. Sleep
10. Physical Activity
• Are you active for at least 30mintes per day?
• Tips to becoming more active:
– Include aerobic and resistance training ( weights or
exercise bands) in your exercise program. This will
help with:
•
•
•
•
Decreasing body fat
Increasing lean muscle
Improving blood glucose levels
Improving your fitness level
– Avoid sitting for long periods of time
• Get up every hour and move or stretch
Ten Steps
For More Information Visit
www.cardiaccollege.ca