The heart is one of the most important organs in the body. The heart pumps blood, which is full of oxygen and nutrients, throughout the body to keep us alive. Despite the heart being such a critical organ, heart disease is a growing concern among Canadians. Fortunately, there are several lifestyle changes you can make to reduce your risk of heart disease.
What is Heart Disease?
Heart disease is an umbrella term that includes any condition in which the heart and/or blood vessels do not function properly or the heart muscle is damaged. Heart disease includes but is not limited to acute myocardial infarctions (heart attacks), hypertension (high blood pressure), angina, strokes, heart failure, and cardiac arrhythmias.
Heart disease is the second leading cause of death for Canadians. Additionally, there are 1.6 million Canadians who are living with heart disease and a life is taken every 5 minutes due to the disease.
Obesity is an independent risk factor for developing heart disease, meaning that living with obesity increases your risk of developing the disease. According to the Obesity Action Coalition, for every one-unit increase in BMI, your risk of heart failure increases by 5 and 7% for men and women, respectively. (1)
Heart Disease and Healthy Habits
There are several lifestyle changes that you can make to decrease your risk of developing heart disease, including:
Staying active: According to the Heart and Stroke Foundation, it is recommended that adults perform at least 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous intensity aerobic physical activity per week. The activity does not need to be non-stop, but should be done in spurts of at least 10 minutes. (2)
Achieving and maintaining a healthy weight: Weight loss has been proven to reduce the risks associated with heart disease. In fact, weight loss of as little as 10% of your initial body weight for individuals living with overweight or obesity has been shown to decrease the risks associated with heart disease. If you’re struggling with obesity, weight loss surgery in Ontario, Canada will help you lose weight safely and sustainably. At SmartShape, our bariatric surgery options include the gastric sleeve, mini gastric bypass surgery, and Lap-Band (gastric band). You can arrange a free consultation with one of our weight loss surgeons in Toronto to learn more and find out which weight loss surgery is right for your needs.
Reducing your intake of refined carbohydrates and added sugar: Refined carbohydrates include white bread, pasta, rice, etc. Consuming excessive sugar is associated with increased rates of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and certain cancers.
Eating a healthy diet: This means consuming a diet with lots of vegetables and fruit, whole grains, low-fat diary, skinless poultry and fish, nuts and legumes and unsaturated oils (like olive oil). Eating a balanced diet helps to maintain energy levels, prevent nutrient deficiencies, and promotes weight maintenance.
Drinking alcohol in moderation: Consume no more than 1 drink per day for woman, or 2 drinks per day for men. Alcohol is empty calories with no nutritional value, and has been shown to have many negative health effects when consumed in excess.
Stop smoking: The chemicals found in tobacco harm your blood cells and damage the function and structure of your heart and blood vessels.
SmartShape Weight Loss Centre: Gastric Sleeve, Mini Gastric Bypass & Lap-Band in Ontario
If you’re at risk of health disease, talk to your family doctor about lifestyle changes you can make to keep your heart and body healthy. If your doctor suggests losing weight will improve your overall health, ask about weight loss surgery in Toronto, Ontario, at SmartShape as an option to reclaim your health. Weight loss options at our weight loss centre include the gastric sleeve, mini gastric bypass surgery, and Lap-Band (gastric band).
SmartShape is located in Ontario, Canada, and our team works with men and women across Canada to improve their health and lose excess weight. We understand that being overweight can cause many health conditions and low self-esteem, which is why our weight loss surgeons and AfterCare Success Team are committed to helping you be the best version of yourself. When diet and exercise aren’t enough, weight loss surgery in Toronto may be the tool you need to finally reach your weight loss goals and take control of your health.
We are Canada’s first accredited Bariatric Centre of Excellence, which makes SmartShape the leading experts in weight loss surgery. We offer several weight loss surgery options in Canada, including the gastric sleeve, mini gastric bypass surgery, and Lap-Band (gastric band).
Explore our weight loss surgery procedures and read our patient success stories to discover how weight loss surgery can improve your overall health and happiness. If you’d like to learn more about weight loss surgery, schedule a complimentary virtual consultation with our expert bariatric surgeon to discuss your goals and which weight loss surgery is right for your needs.
Further Reading:
- https://www.obesityaction.org/community/article-library/obesity-and-heart-disease/
- https://www.heartandstroke.ca/get-healthy/stay-active/how-much-physical-activity-do-you-need