Small Changes in Habits Will Go A Long Way
I was shocked to learn that heart disease and other cardiovascular diseases are the number one cause of death in Canada and responsible for half the deaths in most developed countries. In addition to being the highest mortality factor cardiovascular disease is also the largest burden on our health care system. The Canadian Institute of Health Research disclosed that cardiovascular disease related illness cost 18.5 billion dollars in 1998, 11.6% of the total cost of all illnesses in Canada that year. Alarming statistics like this that are continuing to rise should be motivation for us all to find ways to maintain better health. Of course this means I’m trying to motivate you further to continue to implement and refine your regular exercise program and to become more aware of your nutritional habits.Many things have been linked to cardiovascular disease, some that you have the option to control such as: smoking, high blood pressure and cholesterol, obesity, and inactivity. Other factors that may also contribute are: long periods of increased stress, birth control pills, and alcohol. Beyond our control is the hereditary disposition to these types of illness as well as our gender, sex hormones and age. On average men are at greater risk then women until age 65 then the average becomes closer.
In our society of long work hours, instant quick-n-easy solutions it’s not hard to let your habits deteriorate, even I’m guilty of this. Miss a few workouts because you’re working longer hours and by the end of the week the soft comfy couch and the thumb pressing repetition on the remote seems awfully inviting. The treadmill, the bicycle and the dog leash seem to become associated with stress and more work then what they truly are; a means to relax, de-stress, unwind and promote better health.
If you’re one of those people that hates exercise or works 50-60 or more hours a week then this is for you. If you’re one of those people that frequents a drive-thru more than once a week then this is also for you. Whether you realize it or not you are hurting yourself everyday. You might scoff at this because you are someone that “never gets sick.” Yet! Our failing health care system is a significant sign that people are ignoring their body’s signs until illness strikes, but it is within your power to change and win this battle.
Get started now. If you smoke, stop. Find any help you need whether it’s laser, hypnosis, support from family and friends do what it takes. Red Deer is now smoke free, I suspect Sylvan will soon be and look to see other cities and towns follow suit. If you stop you will be happier, healthier, and more productive, live longer and as a bonus you’ll remove the financial burden leading to less stress. If you were going to make one change to work toward better health this should be your choice if it applies.
Looking at the factors for cardiovascular disease I described above there is a lot of things we can do to greatly lower our risk. University of Berkley, the Foundation of wellness suggested that when sedentary people begin a regular exercise program a few days a week they can lower their risk of heart attack by 35-55%. Simple things like a walk with the dog or soon shoveling the side walk for 20-30 min is all it takes. To go a step further and add some light resistance training for 30-40 min can not only assist in the reduction of risk of cardiovascular disease but also improve posture, assist in weight loss, and even increase bone density helping to prevent osteoporosis, another serious age related condition.
Nutritionally its time to eliminate processed foods particularly those from the mighty drive-thru, the king of saturated fat. Solid nutritional habits will help lose unwanted body weight and lower blood pressure and cholesterol which in turn decrease our risk of cardiovascular disease further. Try to eat more natural foods particularly whole grains and a broad spectrum of fruits and vegetables. Having a variety of colour in our foods from fruits and vegetables provides rich sources of antioxidants and phytonutrients which are important components in our body’s immune system arsenal for disease prevention.
It’s the little changes that make the biggest difference if you start today I know you will attain a greater feeling of wellness in mere days or a few short weeks. The alternative isn’t worth letting your families fall prey to a statistic.
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