How to Prevent Chronic Heart Disease

How to Prevent Chronic Heart Disease

Heart disease is one of the most prevalent health conditions in Australia, with 1 in 6 Australians living with the disease. Evidence has shown that healthy-lifestyle behaviours such as exercise and healthy eating can help to keep your heart healthy and reduce your risk of having a heart attack or developing heart disease.

Benefits of Physical activity:

Being more active can lower your risk of heart attack, high blood pressure, and certain cancers.

Just 30 minutes of moderate exercise most days can improve heart health, boost mood, and reduce anxiety and depression.

Making movement a regular part of your routine can benefit you for life.

Here’s how staying active helps your body and mind:

• Increases energy

• Improves blood flow

• Strengthens bones, muscles, and joints

• Helps manage weight, blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar

• Supports a positive mindset and self-image

Types of physical activity can include:

• Brisk walking

• Lifting light weights

• Cycling

• Swimming

• Group fitness classes

• Dancing

• Organised sports (e.g. football, tennis and netball)

• Golf

Being more active helps to feel and think better and to find the best activities for you, do what you enjoy, do a variety of activities and do them regularly. If you have pre-existing health issues speak to your doctor before starting any new physical activity.

For more information on physical activity and heart health, follow this link: https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/healthy-living/physical-activity

Benefits of Healthy Eating:

Small changes in your diet can help to improve heart health and lower your risk of developing heart disease by reducing risks like high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Making small changes helps maintain healthy eating patterns in the long run. These changes include:

• Eating plenty of vegetables, fruit and wholegrains

• Include a variety of health protein-rich foods

• Choose unflavoured milk, yogurt and cheese

• Include healthy fats and oils

• Use herbs and spices to flavour foods instead of salt

For more information on healthy eating patterns, follow this link: https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/healthy-living/healthy-eating/heart-healthy-eating-pattern

Getting Checked for Heart Disease:

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in Australia. Often the risk factors including high blood pressure and cholesterol cannot be felt, so many people may not know their risk of developing heart disease. Getting a heart check from your GP is an important first step to protecting your heart.

Who needs a heart health check:

• All people aged 45-79 years

• People with diabetes from 35 years

• First Nations people from 30 years

What is a Heart Health Check?:

A heart health check is a 20-minute check-up with your GP. It can help to understand your chance of having a heart attack or stroke in the next 5 years and what you can do to prevent it.

For more information on heart health checks, follow this link: https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/your-heart/heart-health-checks

Have Your Say!

As part of their Health Promotion placement at Good Country Physiotherapy, UniSA students Angus and Laura are running a survey to better understand community awareness and experiences with chronic heart disease. Your feedback will help shape local resources and support for heart health!

Complete their short survey here: Qualtrics Survey | Qualtrics Experience Management

It only takes a few minutes, and your input is greatly appreciated!

Stay Tuned!

Later this week, we’ll be sharing how physiotherapy can play a role in keeping your heart healthy. Keep an eye out for our next blog post to learn more!

Helpful Resources

For more information, visit:

• Heart Foundation: www.heartfoundation.org.au

• Australia CVD Risk calculator & guidelines: https://www.cvdcheck.org.au

• Health Direct: www.healthdirect.gov.au

Angus Parker and Laura McIntyre

4th year physiotherapy students at University of South Australia

Undertaking their Health Promotion placement at Good Country Physiotherapy, supervised by Angela Willsmore