How healthy is your heart? There are 2.4 million Canadians affected by heart disease and since it’s Heart Month, what better time to learn about the risk factors and make some changes in our lives?
A healthy heart starts with a healthy lifestyle. If you improve the health of your heart, everything else improves, too. You boost your immune system and are more likely to successfully fight infections. While you can’t change some risk factors — such as your family history or age — there are many ways you can reduce your risk of developing heart disease or improve an existing heart condition.
Nita Sharda, a registered dietitian, recommends adding heart-healthy foods to your diet.
Being physically active
The evidence is clear — daily physical activity can lower your risk of heart disease and reduce your chances of developing other conditions that may put a strain on your heart, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and Type 2 diabetes.
According to the Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines, to achieve health benefits, adults aged 18-64 years should get moving for at least 150 minutes per week. Even short bouts of exercise offer heart benefits — just 10 to 15 minutes of moving will do your body some good. You don’t have to exercise strenuously to achieve benefits, but you can see bigger benefits by increasing the intensity, duration and frequency of your workouts.
Working out is important — and necessary — but the hours when you’re not in the gym or doing formal exercise are vital as well. Gardening, housekeeping, taking the stairs and walking the dog — whatever you do, keep moving throughout the day. All that movement adds up to better heart health.
For those who have coronary artery disease, a congenital heart condition, a valve disease or have had a heart attack or heart failure, you may qualify for the WRHA cardiac rehabilitation program, which is delivered at both the Reh-Fit Centre, 1390 Taylor Ave., and the Wellness Institute at Seven Oaks General Hospital. Gord Fogg, a clinical exercise physiologist and leader of the cardiac rehabilitation at Reh-Fit, says the program’s goal is to help increase or resume exercise following cardiac events.
“We aim to build self-efficacy and confidence around engaging in physical activity,” Fogg says. “Goals are tailored with each individual and depend on their individual preferences and priorities.”
For the first six weeks, participants meet twice weekly for supervised exercise and group discussions. The remaining 10 weeks feature more independent exercise with check-ins every two weeks.
“People often regain confidence and enjoyment of physical activities,” Fogg says. “Cardiac rehabilitation also reduces the likelihood of future heart attacks, can help to reduce hospitalizations and improve people’s quality of life.”
Get good quality sleep
If you’re one of the many people who toss and turn at night, you may already know that regular sleepless nights can hamper your productivity and quality of life. But the ramifications of poor sleep extend far beyond a cranky mood. Research shows that an ongoing sleep deficit can ultimately endanger your heart health.
Almonds are a good source of monounsaturated fats.
According to the Heart and Stroke Foundation, not getting enough sleep can increase your risk of high blood pressure, diabetes and coronary artery disease, as well as increase stress, anxiety and depression. And people who don’t get enough sleep have a higher risk of heart attack, stroke and death from cardiovascular disease.
So, do yourself a favour and start going to bed earlier. Make sleep a priority in your life. Experts recommend seven to nine hours of good quality sleep each night to stay in good health. Set a sleep schedule and stick to it by going to bed and waking up at the same times each day. Keep your bedroom dark and quiet, which can also make it easier to sleep.
Manage stress
Keep stress at bay because too much of it may increase your blood pressure. And research suggests that the way in which you manage your stress is equally as important. Avoid unhealthy stress coping mechanisms such as smoking, alcohol use, poor food choices and inactivity. Instead, find relief in other ways such as physical activity, going for a walk, socializing, laughing, relaxation exercises and meditation.
Get regular health screenings
Both high blood pressure and high cholesterol are detrimental and can damage your heart and blood vessels. If you’re not testing for them, you may not know if you have either of them. Work with your health-care team to manage these conditions. Regular screenings can tell you what your numbers are and whether you need to take action.
A heart-healthy diet
Certain foods can help protect your heart, improve your blood pressure and cholesterol, and reduce your risk of Type 2 diabetes. A heart-healthy diet also generally means reducing saturated fats, increasing fibre intake and reducing salt. Each of these choices can have a direct impact on your heart health.
Saturated fats are typically found in animal products, such as dairy and meats. Excess intake of saturated fat has been linked to development of atherosclerosis, a disease in which plaque builds up inside and potentially clogs the arteries. Saturated fats can also increase harmful LDL cholesterol (low-density lipoproteins) found in your bloodstream.
Nita Sharda, a registered dietitian in Winnipeg, recommends you do your best to reduce saturated-fat intake or choose foods with monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Good sources of monounsaturated fats are olive oil, peanut oil, canola oil, avocados and most nuts.
There are two main types of polyunsaturated fats: omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids may help prevent and even treat heart disease and stroke, in addition to reducing blood pressure, raising HDL (which is good cholesterol) and lowering triglycerides. Good sources of omega-3 fatty acids include fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel and sardines, as well as flaxseeds, walnuts and canola oil.
“I’m a huge fan of canola oil,” Sharda says. “I’m a proud Canadian and we live in Manitoba. It’s so nice that a lot of the canola is produced here.”
The Canadian Digestive Health Foundation says women need 25 grams of fibre per day, while men require 38 grams per day. Most Canadians get only about half that much. Dietary fibre can help reduce cholesterol levels, is important for digestive health, helps you feel fuller for longer and can help prevent diseases such as diabetes and heart disease.
Plant proteins — legumes, beans, lentils, seeds, tofu, nuts and oats — are especially beneficial because they’re also rich in fibre.
“Look at your bread — often many of them contain a lot of sodium,” Sharda says. “Try and purchase a sprouted-wheat product. It tends to be higher in iron, protein and fibre. Try to find a product that has three grams of fibre per slice.”
Sharda says people struggles with vegetables. She recommends trying a new veggie prepared three different ways before you decide it’s not for you.
“Let’s take kale. If you just wash it, it’s not very satisfying or tasty. But if you massage some olive oil into it, you automatically soften it and it can be more palatable,” she says. “Or try baking it and making kale chips, or throw some into a stew. That way, at least you’ve tried it a few different ways.
“If kale doesn’t suit you, try spinach. It’s not quite as bitter and tastes great in an omelette or thrown into a smoothie.”
Sharda says many of her clients are trying to move toward more plants in their diet.
“People are making a large effort to include more plant-based proteins like chickpeas, beans and lentils,” she says. “I find a big challenge around that is food skill — people just aren’t used to it. I take it for granted because, growing up Indian, we always had beans and lentils. Nowadays, I’m finding clients are expressing a desire to experiment more.”
The newest version of Canada’s Food Guide, released in January 2019, recommends Canadians consume plant-based proteins more often and reduce their intake of processed meats and saturated fats.
Sharda’s advises gradual changes when adding plant-based foods to your diet.
“Try to find ways of adapting your existing recipes to include some plant-based options, rather than doing a complete 180,” she says. “If you’re making a bolognese sauce, use your ground beef or chicken but then add in a quarter cup of lentils. Or if you’re making chili, add in an extra can of beans.”
Also, she recommends choosing ingredients and flavours you know your family will enjoy. Experiment with a meatless meal once a week, then add more days as you get used to it.
Sharda has some take-home advice if you’re trying to incorporate more heart-healthy foods into your diet.
“Think back to your meals and ask yourself, did you optimize your intake of fruits and vegetables? Often, the protein part of the meal is a priority — make fruits and vegetables a priority, too,” she says. “Start small and build on that. The power of a one per cent change is incredible.”
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Sabrina Carnevale Columnist
Sabrina Carnevale is a freelance writer and communications specialist, and former reporter and broadcaster who is a health enthusiast. She writes a twice-monthly column focusing on wellness and fitness.
The Canadian government says it will donate up to 200,000 vaccine doses to fight the mpox outbreak in Congo and other African countries.
It says the donated doses of Imvamune will come from Canada’s existing supply and will not affect the country’s preparedness for mpox cases in this country.
Minister of Health Mark Holland says the donation “will help to protect those in the most affected regions of Africa and will help prevent further spread of the virus.”
Dr. Madhukar Pai, Canada research chair in epidemiology and global health, says although the donation is welcome, it is a very small portion of the estimated 10 million vaccine doses needed to control the outbreak.
Vaccine donations from wealthier countries have only recently started arriving in Africa, almost a month after the World Health Organization declared the mpox outbreak a public health emergency of international concern.
A few days after the declaration in August, Global Affairs Canada announced a contribution of $1 million for mpox surveillance, diagnostic tools, research and community awareness in Africa.
On Thursday, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said mpox is still on the rise and that testing rates are “insufficient” across the continent.
Jason Kindrachuk, Canada research chair in emerging viruses at the University of Manitoba, said donating vaccines, in addition to supporting surveillance and diagnostic tests, is “massively important.”
But Kindrachuk, who has worked on the ground in Congo during the epidemic, also said that the international response to the mpox outbreak is “better late than never (but) better never late.”
“It would have been fantastic for us globally to not be in this position by having provided doses a much, much longer time prior than when we are,” he said, noting that the outbreak of clade I mpox in Congo started in early 2023.
Clade II mpox, endemic in regions of West Africa, came to the world’s attention even earlier — in 2022 — as that strain of virus spread to other countries, including Canada.
Two doses are recommended for mpox vaccination, so the donation may only benefit 100,000 people, Pai said.
Pai questioned whether Canada is contributing enough, as the federal government hasn’t said what percentage of its mpox vaccine stockpile it is donating.
“Small donations are simply not going to help end this crisis. We need to show greater solidarity and support,” he said in an email.
“That is the biggest lesson from the COVID-19 pandemic — our collective safety is tied with that of other nations.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
Canadian Press health coverage receives support through a partnership with the Canadian Medical Association. CP is solely responsible for this content.
HALIFAX – The Nova Scotia government says it could be months before it reveals how many people are on the wait-list for a family doctor.
The head of the province’s health authority told reporters Wednesday that the government won’t release updated data until the 160,000 people who were on the wait-list in June are contacted to verify whether they still need primary care.
Karen Oldfield said Nova Scotia Health is working on validating the primary care wait-list data before posting new numbers, and that work may take a matter of months. The most recent public wait-list figures are from June 1, when 160,234 people, or about 16 per cent of the population, were on it.
“It’s going to take time to make 160,000 calls,” Oldfield said. “We are not talking weeks, we are talking months.”
The interim CEO and president of Nova Scotia Health said people on the list are being asked where they live, whether they still need a family doctor, and to give an update on their health.
A spokesperson with the province’s Health Department says the government and its health authority are “working hard” to turn the wait-list registry into a useful tool, adding that the data will be shared once it is validated.
Nova Scotia’s NDP are calling on Premier Tim Houston to immediately release statistics on how many people are looking for a family doctor. On Tuesday, the NDP introduced a bill that would require the health minister to make the number public every month.
“It is unacceptable for the list to be more than three months out of date,” NDP Leader Claudia Chender said Tuesday.
Chender said releasing this data regularly is vital so Nova Scotians can track the government’s progress on its main 2021 campaign promise: fixing health care.
The number of people in need of a family doctor has more than doubled between the 2021 summer election campaign and June 2024. Since September 2021 about 300 doctors have been added to the provincial health system, the Health Department said.
“We’ll know if Tim Houston is keeping his 2021 election promise to fix health care when Nova Scotians are attached to primary care,” Chender said.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 11, 2024.
ST. JOHN’S, N.L. – Newfoundland and Labrador‘s chief medical officer is monitoring the rise of whooping cough infections across the province as cases of the highly contagious disease continue to grow across Canada.
Dr. Janice Fitzgerald says that so far this year, the province has recorded 230 confirmed cases of the vaccine-preventable respiratory tract infection, also known as pertussis.
Late last month, Quebec reported more than 11,000 cases during the same time period, while Ontario counted 470 cases, well above the five-year average of 98. In Quebec, the majority of patients are between the ages of 10 and 14.
Meanwhile, New Brunswick has declared a whooping cough outbreak across the province. A total of 141 cases were reported by last month, exceeding the five-year average of 34.
The disease can lead to severe complications among vulnerable populations including infants, who are at the highest risk of suffering from complications like pneumonia and seizures. Symptoms may start with a runny nose, mild fever and cough, then progress to severe coughing accompanied by a distinctive “whooping” sound during inhalation.
“The public, especially pregnant people and those in close contact with infants, are encouraged to be aware of symptoms related to pertussis and to ensure vaccinations are up to date,” Newfoundland and Labrador’s Health Department said in a statement.
Whooping cough can be treated with antibiotics, but vaccination is the most effective way to control the spread of the disease. As a result, the province has expanded immunization efforts this school year. While booster doses are already offered in Grade 9, the vaccine is now being offered to Grade 8 students as well.
Public health officials say whooping cough is a cyclical disease that increases every two to five or six years.
Meanwhile, New Brunswick’s acting chief medical officer of health expects the current case count to get worse before tapering off.
A rise in whooping cough cases has also been reported in the United States and elsewhere. The Pan American Health Organization issued an alert in July encouraging countries to ramp up their surveillance and vaccination coverage.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 10, 2024.
