Dr Michelle O'Driscoll: How to take care of your heart health

FOR the week that’s in it, lets keep things heart-related, and consider our own physical heart health, and in particular cardiovascular disease.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is an umbrella term for all heart and blood vessel disease, but mostly means issues with the blood vessels which lead to a heart attack, angina, stroke and other blood vessel diseases.

Our blood is a wonderfully clever transportation system. It brings oxygen and nutrients to every cell in the body, and it transports waste away from the cells to be removed in a number of ways, such as the lungs and kidneys.

The heart is the pump for all of this, and it works continuously to do so. It also needs oxygen for its own muscle to keep going.

We want our blood vessel network to be in good condition, with no blockages or narrowings that would put pressure on the system, and negatively impact the blood flow.

Cardiovascular disease, where these pathways are compromised, may be present with no obvious symptoms, until something like a heart attack or stroke takes place.

CVD can be caused by factors beyond our control such as our family history or age, but there are also things that we can consider adapting to optimise our heart health.

High cholesterol is a main culprit of these blockages. Imagine trying to wash a thick liquid down the plughole of a sink. Eventually, a blockage will occur. Exercise and diet can influence our cholesterol levels, which are shown via a blood test. Sometimes, however, high cholesterol is just genetic and beyond our control in terms of lifestyle.

Blood pressure reflects the effort that the heart needs to make to keep pumping the blood. Two numbers are given, the higher number is the pressure when squeezing, the lower number is the pressure when relaxing. 

Together they paint a useful picture about what your heart is working against.

Weight, particularly weight around our tummies, can be problematic in terms of CVD, and finding a healthy weight helps to in turn counteract high cholesterol and blood pressure. Losing weight in a slow, sustainable way is the best approach, avoiding bingeing and fad diets. Food low in saturated fats and salt is generally advised.

Make that health check – blood tests are a necessary part of checking in with our heart health, along with a blood pressure check. As we age, this should be done more regularly.

Get moving – exercise has multiple health benefits for our heart, and is free medicine for our cardiovascular health. It helps to reduce weight, strengthens the heart muscle, and reduces the cholesterol that can clog the blood vessels. 

To top it off, it’s fantastic for our mental health, and blowing away the cobwebs. Now that the evenings are beginning to stretch, try to get out in the fresh air, get the arms swinging, and increase the breathing rate. Your heart and head will thank you for it.

Consider quitting – as clichéd as it sounds, giving up smoking if you do smoke really is the single most beneficial thing you can do for your health. While the obvious risk of lung cancer comes to mind, it also greatly improves the health of your blood vessels, and reduces the risk of blockages. Chat to your pharmacist or doctor about best steps. Making the decision is something only you can do, but they can help you to identify your reason for quitting, and then support you every step of the way.

Take your medication – even with all the lifestyle changes, medication is sometimes just necessary to treat the cardiovascular disease. Make sure to take it as prescribed, as there will be minimal advanced warning signs to tell you that something is not right. In some instances surgery may be required, but this will be in consultation with your healthcare team.

Make the commitment to yourself and those you love – this week, as love is in the air, remember that this starts with looking after our own health. Promise yourself even one small change to improve your cardiovascular health. This is a gift to those you love too, so that you can look forward to many years of good heart health ahead.

About the author 

 Dr Michelle O’Driscoll is a pharmacist, re searcher and founder of InTuition, a health and wellness education company. Her research lies in the area of mental health education, and through InTuition she delivers health promotion workshops to corporate and academic organisations nationally.