Most people would be willing to take a pill if it would improve their health. Not so many are willing to follow a prescription that includes more exercise and better eating.
Medical advances over the past 60 years have lowered the death rate from heart attacks and strokes by more than 75 per cent, according to the Heart and Stroke Foundation 2014 Report on the Health of Canadians. That means that 90 per cent of Canadians who have a heart attack and make it to the hospital will survive. For stroke victims who get to the hospital, more than 80 per cent will pull through.
That鈥檚 the good news. The bad news, according to a poll of 2,000 patients, is that more than half of those who survive heart attacks and strokes are unwilling or unable to maintain the lifestyle changes needed to prevent another heart attack or stroke. Those changes include achieving a healthful weight, reducing stress and getting exercise.
鈥淲e cannot control all the factors that put us at risk for cardiovascular disease,鈥� says Dr. Beth Abramson, Heart and Stroke Foundation spokeswoman and author of Heart Health for Canadians, 鈥渂ut there are healthy changes people can make to largely prevent them from having a heart attack or stroke in the first place, including eating a healthy diet, being physically active, being smoke-free, managing stress and limiting alcohol consumption.
鈥淎nd for people living with cardiovascular disease, these healthy behaviours are especially important and could prevent them from landing back in the hospital.鈥�
Abramson calls for more research, more education and an environment to support healthy behaviours, but first, patients need to take charge of their own health to the extent that they can. It seems we are always looking for new medical discoveries and innovations in treatment to make us better. Certainly, medical science has made great strides and will probably continue to do so, but most of us have always had the means and capability to be healthier than we are.
Recent research shows that people who get 25 per cent or more of their daily calories from added sugar triple their risk of dying from heart disease. What we eat is a choice that makes a difference.
Not all heart attacks come from a poor diet, bad habits and lack of exercise 鈥� some illnesses, injuries and congenital conditions can cause heart attacks 鈥� but quitting smoking, reducing alcohol consumption, exercising moderately and eating wisely are proven preventatives of heart disease and other health problems. Lifestyle changes, along with medication, are important in preventing future episodes for those who have experienced heart attacks and strokes.
The Heart and Stroke Foundation says: 鈥淗ealthy eating is one of the most important things you can do to improve your general health.
鈥淚ncorporating physical activity into your day can benefit your health significantly and can reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke. Regular activity also helps prevent and control high blood pressure, high cholesterol, Type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, certain types of cancer and obesity.鈥�
The foundation鈥檚 poll found that seven out of 10 respondents did make some beneficial lifestyle changes, such as giving up smoking, following a better diet and cutting back on alcohol, but had problems adding exercise and reducing stress.
鈥淭his 鈥� means that there are many survivors who need more help to make healthy changes, or who would benefit from assistance to get them started on a healthy path,鈥� says the foundation.
While such support would pay dividends, there鈥檚 no substitute for taking personal responsibility for one鈥檚 health. Too many health-care resources go into treating the negative results of habits we can change.
