Heart and circulatory system diseases rank first among the diseases of affluence. About one million people are hospitalized each year because of heart disease. Every third Pole and every sixth Pole die of cardiovascular diseases, such as ischemic heart disease, atherosclerosis, hypertension, myocardial infarction and stroke. However, this situation can be changed because the main cause of these diseases is inadequate lifestyle: unhealthy diet, lack of physical activity, imbalance between work and rest time, and inability to cope with stress.
For many years, numerous scientific studies have been carried out to answer the question: what is good for the heart and what to replace unhealthy habits that lead to disease.
Eat like the Greeks and Italians
When in the 1958th century in many countries of Europe and North America The number of people suffering from and dying from heart attacks and strokes began to rise exponentially, attention was drawn to the Mediterranean countries, where these diseases were much less frequent and life expectancy was longer. The key to the well-being of the inhabitants of these countries was their traditional cuisine, which, unlike the diet of Americans, Poles or Finns, was rich in fats from sea fish and olives. The fact that this type of diet protects against heart disease convinced the so-called “Seven Country Survey”, conducted from 1964 to 16 in XNUMX populations of Japan, USA, Finland, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands and the former Yugoslavia. The study assessed the relationship between the occurrence of heart attacks and high cholesterol levels on eating habits. It has been proven that the higher the consumption of saturated fat (mainly animal fat), the higher the cholesterol level and the more heart attacks. The Seven Country Study is considered a classic of research into the causes and prevention of cardiovascular disease.
In the early 90s, subsequent studies confirmed the effectiveness of the Mediterranean diet in preventing recurrent heart attacks. This method of nutrition turned out to be useful both in primary prevention, used by people who have not yet suffered from heart disease, and in secondary prevention in people after heart attacks.
The basis of the Mediterranean diet is: eating large amounts of grains, pulses, vegetables and fruits, moderate consumption of milk and dairy products, fish and poultry, low consumption of red meat and exclusive use of olive oil, which is a rich source of monounsaturated fatty acids. .
Several studies in recent years have found that the Mediterranean diet reduces the incidence of coronary heart disease and strokes, and lowers cardiovascular and cancer mortality and all-cause mortality. Recently, a meta-analysis of six studies with a minimum follow-up of six months was presented in the cardiac community that compared the effects of the Mediterranean diet and a low-fat diet on the risk of cardiovascular disease. The studies included obese or overweight patients with at least one additional cardiovascular risk factor (primary prevention) or patients diagnosed with coronary artery disease (secondary prevention). The studies had to include information on changes in body weight, blood pressure and lipid levels. The Mediterranean diet was understood as a diet with moderate fat intake (the main source of which was olive oil and nuts), rich in vegetables and low in red meat (which was replaced by poultry and fish). By a low-fat diet, we mean a diet in which less than 30 percent of the calories come from fat. At baseline and after 2 years, the following cardiovascular risk factors were assessed: body weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, C-reactive protein (CRP) concentration, fasting glucose, insulin concentration. The mean age of the respondents was 35–68 years, and the mean BMI was 29–35 kg / m2.
The ABC of a healthy heart
Body weight, BMI, and waist circumference decreased more in the Mediterranean group than in those on low-fat diets. After 2 years, the mean difference in weight loss in the diets was -2,2 kg in favor of the Mediterranean diet. Both systolic and diastolic blood pressure decreased more in the Mediterranean group. Total cholesterol and triglycerides decreased more in the Mediterranean group than in the low-fat diet group.
However, no significant differences were found between the changes in LDL and HDL (bad and good cholesterol) values. There was also a greater decrease in fasting sugar in the Mediterranean group than in the low-fat diet group.
In conclusion, the authors of the meta-analysis state that the use of the Mediterranean diet lowers the risk of cardiovascular diseases and the levels of inflammatory markers more than low-fat diets.
Nutritionists and doctors agree that the Mediterranean diet has proved to be the optimal diet for diseases of the heart and blood vessels. They also recommend its use to healthy people without cardiovascular problems, because this diet provides all minerals and vitamins, as well as healthy fats and dietary fiber in appropriate amounts and proportions. Therefore, it serves to maintain health.
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Run, walk, swim …
Put your heart on its feet – this was the slogan of an educational campaign on heart and circulatory system diseases a few years ago. This is a very accurate term, because our heart likes movement and physical activity, especially outdoors. Then it is healthy and functions well.
Meanwhile, a recently published study by Bayer on the behavior of Poles related to caring for a healthy and functional heart presents quite disturbing data.
- every second Pole (52%) is not active at all, does not practice any sport – more often they are people aged 50 and more,
- others (48%) – active – they most like to ride a bike, run, play football or go to the gym
- cycling is definitely one of the most popular sports – 57% of people practicing sports
- 30-minute walks are an activity appropriate for 75% of Poles. In this group, every fourth respondent (24%) walks every day or almost every day, 68% go for a walk at least once a week
- 25% of respondents stated that they do not walk at all
- 56% of Poles like to dance whenever they have the opportunity
- 55% prefer to spend their evenings at home watching TV
- 24% avoid climbing stairs by using an elevator whenever possible
- 22% of the respondents use a car or means of communication with a distance of 500 – 800 meters
- 21% of Poles declare that they get tired quickly, therefore they avoid exercise.
Read more: No more excuses – move on finally!
On the basis of numerous medical studies, physical activity has been recognized as an indispensable factor in the prevention of heart and circulatory system diseases. It has already been proven in many previous studies that in people who engage in some recreational sport, the risk of developing coronary heart disease is reduced by 20-30 percent, but the amount of effort that would allow such a reduction has not been defined in detail. These studies divided the group of respondents into only two subgroups: people with a low level of activity and people with a high level of activity. More recent studies typically introduce additional categories to measure the amount of effort, which allows for a more detailed analysis. A meta-analysis of 33 prospective studies aimed at establishing the relationship between the risk of developing coronary heart disease and the degree of physical activity was recently published. Its authors also wanted to establish the relationship between the amount of exercise and the degree of reduction in the risk of developing coronary artery disease.
The works published between January 1995 and July 2009 were analyzed. From each of the studies finally included in the analysis, data on the sex of the subjects, mean age and health status at the start of the study, and race were obtained. Data on symptoms of coronary artery disease, type and amount of physical activity as measured by objective measures such as calories burned per week or metabolic equivalents were also recorded.
Based on the analysis of all studies, it was estimated that physical activity performed for pleasure was associated with an average of 26% reduction in the risk of developing coronary heart disease. In addition, it was found that the beneficial effect of physical activity increases with the amount of physical exertion, both in women and men. People who exerted five times more than the basic exercise had a 5 percent lower risk. The study also included a group of patients whose physical activity was low. Even so, they also enjoyed some health benefits. So even a small change in lifestyle, involving the implementation of physical activity, can have a positive effect on the condition of the heart.
– Physical effort has a number of beneficial effects on our body – says Dr. Katarzyna Cybulska, cardiologist specialist at the Allenort Cardiology Center in Warsaw – slows down the heart rate, lowers blood pressure, reduces blood glucose, supports weight control, positively modifies the lipid profile, works anticoagulant and antidepressant. It can therefore be said that physical exercise acts on our body as a wonderful drug with versatile effects, which, when used properly, does not cause side effects. Many people have doubts about what type of activity to choose – let’s choose what gives us pleasure, it is also worth changing the types of activity.
Get rest and sleep regularly
The model of modern society, in which working time is systematically extended and 24-hour availability is often required, has significantly contributed to reducing the amount of time allocated to sleep. Not only do we sleep much less, the quality of sleep has also deteriorated. We fall asleep with difficulty and wake up several times during the night. As a result, sleep is not soothing but fatigue. Scientists explain this phenomenon that the body remains awake for too long, which has a detrimental effect on many systems of the human body, especially its metabolism, immune system and hormonal balance.
What health effects can too little or too much sleep cause? A complete review of prospective studies has been attempted, allowing for a meta-analysis that assesses the relationship between sleep duration and the incidence of coronary heart disease, strokes and other cardiovascular diseases. The analysis included works published before June 2009, which included only adults of both sexes.
The conclusion of the meta-analysis is that the optimal length of night sleep is within 6–8 hours. Both sleep shorter than the above values and longer sleep can mean health problems. For those who sleep continuously for 5 hours or less, the increased risk of cardiovascular disease and death should be considered. Conversely, a sleep of 9 hours or more allows the doctor to suspect certain other conditions.
Watching television until late at night also has a negative impact on the quality of sleep. Spending time in front of the TV is a common form of relaxation these days. On average, Europeans spend about 40 percent of their free time per day on this activity, and Australians as much as 50 percent, which translates to 3,5–4 hours of watching TV per day. Such a long time spent in front of the screen, usually in a sitting position uncomfortable for the spine, and the accompanying snacking has a very negative effect on health.
The meta-analysis, based on prospective studies that investigated the association of television viewing with the risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or other life-threatening disease, presented the following conclusions.
While the relationship between length of television viewing and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease was linear, the risk of other mortality appeared to increase with increasing length of television viewing beyond 3 hours a day. The overall risk for 2-hour TV viewing was also estimated, and the difference was: 176 cases for type 2 diabetes per 100 people / year, 000 cases of fatal cardiovascular disease per 38 people / year, 100 non-fatal deaths per 000 people per year. The longer the time of watching TV, the greater the risk of developing these diseases.
Several of the analyzed studies reported the relationship of watching television with the risk of obesity and lipid metabolism disorders. On the other hand, other studies have found a relationship between sitting, analogous to watching TV (e.g., sitting at work or driving), with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Three large studies have demonstrated the benefits of reducing television viewing time, such as improved eating patterns, increased physical activity and weight loss.
Learn to relax
Another threat to our heart can be stress, especially the chronic stress that accompanies us for a long time. The body’s response to stress is the increased secretion of hormones, mainly adrenaline. It causes the heart to beat faster, blood pressure increases, and the consumption of oxygen and sugar by the cells increases. If these factors add up, the body’s strength will be exhausted. They need regeneration. When stresses overlap, before the body regains its strength, their effects magnify each other and contribute to the onset of coronary heart disease and other serious diseases. That is why regular rest and the ability to relax are so important. There are many ways to relieve stress: sleep, be active outdoors, and engage in your favorite activities. It is also good to learn some relaxation technique, thanks to which we release ourselves from the state of tension and regain the peace of mind needed to continue functioning. For example, tai-chi gymnastics and yoga can help us. It is worth a try.