general well being
Healthy Heart = Healthy YOU!
Did you know that 1 in 3 Australians suffer from some kind of cardiovascular (heart) disease? High blood pressure, heart failure, coronary heart disease and strokes…..4 out of 10 people believe their hearts are healthy though they ignore the risk factors. Half of these people still believe they are healthy even after a health professional has recommended they change their lifestyle. So obviously education and awareness is required and Lifestyle Fitness Australia prides itself in leading the way. The Australian Heart Foundation (recommends Lifestyle Fitness Australia to its members) commends the following 8 points for a healthy heart. The earlier we start living these points the healthier our hearts (and we) will be.
Lower your BMI:
BMI (Body Mass Index) is the relation of your weight to height. A healthy BMI is around 25. To work out your BMI visit our website www.lifestylefit.com.au and click on Helpful Tools. With Australians being the world leader in obesity, it is a huge risk factor contributing to adult onset diabetes, which could lead to coronary heart disease. If a BMI of 25 seems out of reach for your current goal, it is important to know that any weight loss is beneficial to your health and the health of your heart.
Exercise several times a week:
150 minutes of moderate exercise (brisk walk, dancing etc) or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise (Aerobics or Spin class, Jogging etc) a week is required to maintain a healthy heart. But you will require a little more to get that BMI down to a healthy range. Starting to exercise doesn’t have to be hard. A general rule of how much is enough is…if you do nothing, start with something. If you’re doing something do MORE…
Eat Well:
Make sure you replace snacks with fruits and vegetables; they are low calorie but high in vitamins and fibre. Eat unrefined whole grain foods, they lower cholesterol and fill you up. Include fish at least twice a week and select lean meats or skinless poultry. Your dairy food should be fat free or less than 1% fat. This regime will also help get that BMI right where you want it.
Don’t Smoke:
Smoking is considered the highest risk factor contributing to death in our country. If you have never smoked or have quit for over a year; this will greatly increase your health, helping you have ideal heart health. Seek help from professionals if you have quit several times. Ask your other smoking friends to join you in your challenge to stop. All these options will increase your chances of success. Yes, it’s hard to stop. But it’s harder to live with the consequences.
Watch your Cholesterol:
A test at your doctors (with fasting) will get you your cholesterol reading, 200 milligrams per decilitre is the goal. Limit your intake to 300 milligrams of cholesterol daily. Increasing exercise & eating well will lower it, without requiring medication.
Watch your Blood Glucose Levels:
Those with diabetes are 2 to 4 times more likely to have heart health issues. So it is important to try to avoid getting it & to manage it properly if you have it. Aim for a fasting blood glucose level less than 100 mg/dL.
Healthy Blood Pressure:
1 in 3 adults suffer from high blood pressure. Doctors can prescribe medications to help control blood pressure, but drug free approaches such as good nutrition, exercise, stress management (Yoga, Pilates), less alcohol, not smoking, and a healthy BMI will all help your blood pressure.
Rest:
After all that exercise, good eating and living you should enjoy some rest. Good sleep (which is also achieved by exercising well and good eating) will come much easier. Take time out to enjoy life and all it has to offer, do things you enjoy that are relaxing. This will ensure your lifestyle is well balanced and worthwhile.