Lifestyle changes for heart attack or stroke victims
If you are caring for someone who has suffered a heart attack or a stroke, you will know that it is essential to make changes in their lifestyle. By making some basic yet very important changes, their risk of suffering a repeat attack can be significantly reduced.
Important lifestyle changes to consider include:
Losing weight
Did you know that when it comes to heart disease, obese people have a greater risk of having another heart attack or stroke. Encourage the person you are caring for to pay attention to the number of calories they consume on a daily basis, particularly fat categories. It's also essential that they become more physically active. If able, they should aim for at least 30 minutes of exercise, 3-5 times a week. Also, look for recipes and meal plans that are low in fat. Search on the internet, or buy a reputable cook book with recipes that have been provided by health experts.
Managing blood pressure
Hypertension (or high blood pressure) is called the silent killer because high blood pressure itself typically does not cause noticeable symptoms. However, long-standing hypertension can actually increase your risk of both heart disease and stroke. Sometimes, medications are required in addition to lifestyle measures to control blood pressure. However, you should also encourage the person you are caring for to stop smoking, limit alcohol consumption, get exercise, and maintain a healthy body weight.
Stopping smoking
Smoking is one of the worst things we can do for our health. It increases the risk of lung cancer by 20 times, doubles risk of stoke and increases the risk of death from coronary heart disease by 4 times compared to non-smokers4-6. To help your friend or family member overcome their smoking addiction, encourage them to speak to their doctor or pharmacist about solutions that can help. You should also consider how social support, can help you quit.
Reducing cholesterol levels
Cholesterol is a naturally occurring substance that is carried in the bloodstream and is essential for life itself. Cholesterol is carried around the bloodstream attached to proteins called "lipoproteins." Based on the density of these proteins, they may be separated into "Low Density Lipoproteins" (LDL) and "High Density Lipoproteins" (HDL) and other densities. Low Density Lipoproteins are associated with increased risk of heart disease, whereas elevated levels of High Density Lipoproteins are associated with decreased risk of heart disease. Help your friend or family member to reduce their cholesterol levels by following a heart-friendly eating plan, exercising more regularly and avoiding alcohol.
Exercising
Regular physical activity is one of the best ways of lowering the risk of heart disease. People who are regularly active (or who do more than 30 or more minutes of moderate physical activity on most, if not all, days) can reduce their risk of heart disease If they are able, encourage the person you are caring for to integrate exercise into their daily routine. Great low impact exercises can include yoga, pilates, walking and mild aerobics.
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