February is Heart Awareness month, and while we may get bombarded with the idea of Valentine’s chocolate and flowers, it’s also a great time to bestow the gift of heart health – both upon loved ones and ourselves.
The statistics are chilling: Every seven minutes, someone in Canada dies of a heart condition. Why does it happen so frequently? Unfortunately, many don’t see it coming. In 30% of heart disease cases, the first symptom is the heart attack itself – a great number of which often prove fatal. Think about all the things that could go on in your body, without you ever having a clue. One of the greatest problems in encouraging heart health awareness is convincing people that the symptoms are rarely seen or felt. That’s why many refer to heart disease as a “silent killer.” Too many people make assumptions that their health is fine.
Fortunately, major strides can be made in improving your heart health by tackling three significant components: Diet, exercise and stress. Take an honest look at what you’re eating throughout the day. How much caffeine do you consume? Do you eat a lot of sugar or processed foods? Are you a snacker? Increasing your consumption of whole foods, fibre, water and lean protein will make a massive difference – not just for your heart, but for your overall being.
Exercise: Many of us make excuses to avoid it, but 30 minutes a day of moderate activity – even if it’s just a brisk walk – does wonders for your cardiovascular health. Not only that, it helps with stress, our third issue.
Stress may be a part of daily life, but it should never be allowed to dominate. Getting proper sleep, taking short breaks at work to decompress, breathing exercises, listening to music that makes you feel good … whatever works for you, do it.
If you would like to learn more about what you can do for your heart, specifically from a dietary aspect, sign up for Dr. McLaughlin’s information session. Dr. M. will go over the three major mistakes many people make in their diet, and the effects they can have, beyond an increased number on the bathroom scale.
It will take place on February 20th at 11:00 a.m., and will be hosted at Hazeldean Family Chiropractic. Registration is $10 – if you bring a guest, the investment cost is only $5 for each to attend. Fees must be paid at the clinic in cash by Thursday, February 18th in order to attend. We hope to see you there!