September 29th, 2021 is World Heart Day! This month, the topics we have been discussing have one commonality: the effect of your diet and lifestyle on the health of your heart. In this blog, we will discuss risk factors of heart disease and ways to help keep your heart healthy (which can in turn lower your risk of heart disease). Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. Some of the most preventable risk factors are physical inactivity, smoking, and unhealthy/poor diet. They each have their own consequences and ways in which they contribute to cardiovascular diseases (CVD).
Physical Inactivity: Some have considered equating sedentary behavior (i.e. sitting) to smoking. Of course, these two are distinct behaviors as they each have their own consequences (Vallance et al., 2018) but it wouldn’t be wise to ignore either of them. Physical inactivity can lead to an increase in body composition and is correlated with other chronic diseases. “Physical inactivity and a low level of fitness are independent risk factors for ASCVD.” (Mahan & Raymond, 2017). The benefits of physical activity include “increasing HDL cholesterol, improving glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity, aiding in weight management, and reducing blood pressure.” Try taking a look at our blog for ideas on Creating Your Regular Physical Activity Routine.
Smoking: “Smoking increases mortality from all causes and has a crucial role in atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). Active smoking and secondhand smoke exposure determine more than 30% of coronary heart disease (CHD) mortality.” (Gallucci et al., 2020). Looking at the etiology of CVD, smoking, and other factors, contributes to the “accumulation of plaque, production of less nitric oxide, oxidized LDL cholesterol taken up by macrophages, formation of foam cells and fatty streaks.” (Mahan & Raymond, 2017). This, in turn, leads to CVD. And although this is not the main point of this blog, smoking is a major risk factor for chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) which is also a leading cause of death in the US. If you find yourself in need of assistance, you can try joining a support group or asking your doctor for advice.
Unbalanced Diets: In past blogs, we have talked about how unbalanced or unhealthy diets can be detrimental to your health. A diet that is improperly balanced is less likely to provide your body with the necessary nutrients for different bodily functions. If you believe that your diet isn’t lacking anything, or you’re unsure of what you need, you can try keeping a food diary for a few days to see what you consume. This can help inform you of what you may be missing or overcompensating for in your diet. While it is helpful to do this and try to make changes to your diet, it is important to be realistic and understand that not everyone may be able to do so. There are sometimes circumstances that limit access to healthier choices such as poverty, food deserts, food insecurity, and food inaccessibility. Thus, there are cases where one can only consume what they are able to access. One thing that can be done is researching what is available and within your budget, then making a decision with what you have.
Note that these are not the only risk factors. There are many things you can do to help lower your risk. As we have stated in past blogs, it is important to consult with your primary care physician so you can see and understand what works best for you.
Announcement
Join Us on Wed. Oct 6 at 2:00 pm for our Teaming Up For Your Health Clubhouse Event. For details visit:
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Gallucci, G., Tartarone, A., Lerose, R., Lalinga, A. V., & Capobianco, A. M. (2020). Cardiovascular risk of smoking and benefits of smoking cessation. Journal of Thoracic Disease, 12(7), 3866–3876. https://doi.org/10.21037/jtd.2020.02.47
Mahan, L. K., & Raymond, J. L. (2017). Krause’s Food & the Nutrition Care Process (14th ed.). Elsevier.
Vallance, J. K., Gardiner, P. A., Lynch, B. M., D’Silva, A., Boyle, T., Taylor, L. M., Johnson, S. T., Buman, M. P., & Owen, N. (2018). Evaluating the evidence on sitting, smoking, and health: Is sitting really the new smoking? American Journal of Public Health, 108(11), 1478–1482. https://doi.org/10.2105/ajph.2018.304649
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Kay Loughrey, MPH, RDN, LDN
Transformational Speaker, Breakthrough Coach, Nutritionist-Dietitian
Blessing Bolomope, Student Intern
B.S. Nutrition & Food Science – Dietetics
University of Maryland, College Park | 2020