Heart Health
What's the size of our heart?
Our heart is the size of a first.
Where is our heart located?
Our heart is located on the left side of the chest.
Our heart will beat about 60-100 beats per minute. In a day our heart beat about 100, 000 times.
How do we keep our heart healthy?
We can keep our heart healthy by exercising at least 60 minutes a day, eating healthy foods (low in sugar, salt and saturated and/or trans-fat), and do not smoke.
Please take a look at a video link below to learn more about the heart!
Our heart is the size of a first.
Where is our heart located?
Our heart is located on the left side of the chest.
Our heart will beat about 60-100 beats per minute. In a day our heart beat about 100, 000 times.
How do we keep our heart healthy?
We can keep our heart healthy by exercising at least 60 minutes a day, eating healthy foods (low in sugar, salt and saturated and/or trans-fat), and do not smoke.
Please take a look at a video link below to learn more about the heart!
Risks of Cardiovascular Disease
Cardiovascular disease is one of the deadly and most common illness among Canadians.
Smoking
Smoking contributes to the development of blocked arteries, increases the risk of blood clots, reduces oxygen in the blood and increases blood pressure. Smoking and/or exposure to other people smoking are harmful to health in general and increase the risk of a person developing ischemic heart disease and stroke.
Non-smokers can also die prematurely from second-hand smoke, and smoking nearly doubles the risk of a person having a stroke.
High Cholesterol
Cholesterol is one of the fats in the blood that contribute to the growth of all cells in the body. Cholesterol is manufactured by the body in the liver, with a smaller amount coming from fatty food.
Note: Too much cholesterol can lead to blockage of arteries.
There are two main types of cholesterol:
Blood pressure is the pressure or force of blood against the walls of the blood vessels called arteries. The top number of a blood pressure reading represents the pressure when the heart contracts and pushes blood out (systolic) and the bottom number is the lowest pressure when the heart relaxes between beats (diastolic).
Normal blood pressure on average is : 120/80 mmHg.
High blood pressure (hypertension) can damage blood vessel walls causing scarring that promotes the build-up of fatty plaque, a substance that can narrow and eventually block arteries. Fatty plaque also strains the heart, initially causing a thickening of the heart muscle and eventually causing the heart to weaken. Very high blood pressure can cause blood vessels in the brain to burst resulting in a stroke.
Sodium (Salt)
Over-consumption of dietary sodium with the development of high blood pressure.
Dietary guidelines recommend no more than 6 grams of salt per day (a heaping teaspoon) or 2,300 milligrams of sodium.
You should go even lower if you are trying to reduce your blood pressure: 1,500 milligrams of sodium or 3.8 grams of salt per day.
Stress
Too much stress can be harmful because it increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. The cause of the stress (stressor) is not as important as the individual response to it. Learning to cope with stress is very important to the prevention of hypertension, especially if the stressor cannot be eliminated or changed.
Types of stressors in life events such as moving, leaving school, changing jobs, and experiencing losses can cause stress. Daily frustrations, such as being stuck in traffic, facing deadlines or experiencing conflicts can also bring on stress. Managing stress effectively starts with identifying and then dealing with stressors.
Diabetes
When insulin does not control the level of sugar in the body, either because not enough insulin is produced or the body does not react properly to the insulin that is produced. Insulin is required to break down sugar for energy.
Diabetes increases the risk of high blood pressure, coronary artery disease and stroke particularly if the blood sugar levels are poorly controlled. It can result in poor circulation caused by damage to the blood vessels.
Three Types of DiabetesThere are three types of diabetes as follows:
Smoking
Smoking contributes to the development of blocked arteries, increases the risk of blood clots, reduces oxygen in the blood and increases blood pressure. Smoking and/or exposure to other people smoking are harmful to health in general and increase the risk of a person developing ischemic heart disease and stroke.
Non-smokers can also die prematurely from second-hand smoke, and smoking nearly doubles the risk of a person having a stroke.
High Cholesterol
Cholesterol is one of the fats in the blood that contribute to the growth of all cells in the body. Cholesterol is manufactured by the body in the liver, with a smaller amount coming from fatty food.
Note: Too much cholesterol can lead to blockage of arteries.
There are two main types of cholesterol:
- Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol is often called "bad cholesterol" because high levels contribute to the blockage of arteries.
- High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, often called "good cholesterol" because it helps carry LDL-cholesterol away from the artery walls.
Blood pressure is the pressure or force of blood against the walls of the blood vessels called arteries. The top number of a blood pressure reading represents the pressure when the heart contracts and pushes blood out (systolic) and the bottom number is the lowest pressure when the heart relaxes between beats (diastolic).
Normal blood pressure on average is : 120/80 mmHg.
High blood pressure (hypertension) can damage blood vessel walls causing scarring that promotes the build-up of fatty plaque, a substance that can narrow and eventually block arteries. Fatty plaque also strains the heart, initially causing a thickening of the heart muscle and eventually causing the heart to weaken. Very high blood pressure can cause blood vessels in the brain to burst resulting in a stroke.
Sodium (Salt)
Over-consumption of dietary sodium with the development of high blood pressure.
Dietary guidelines recommend no more than 6 grams of salt per day (a heaping teaspoon) or 2,300 milligrams of sodium.
You should go even lower if you are trying to reduce your blood pressure: 1,500 milligrams of sodium or 3.8 grams of salt per day.
Stress
Too much stress can be harmful because it increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. The cause of the stress (stressor) is not as important as the individual response to it. Learning to cope with stress is very important to the prevention of hypertension, especially if the stressor cannot be eliminated or changed.
Types of stressors in life events such as moving, leaving school, changing jobs, and experiencing losses can cause stress. Daily frustrations, such as being stuck in traffic, facing deadlines or experiencing conflicts can also bring on stress. Managing stress effectively starts with identifying and then dealing with stressors.
Diabetes
When insulin does not control the level of sugar in the body, either because not enough insulin is produced or the body does not react properly to the insulin that is produced. Insulin is required to break down sugar for energy.
Diabetes increases the risk of high blood pressure, coronary artery disease and stroke particularly if the blood sugar levels are poorly controlled. It can result in poor circulation caused by damage to the blood vessels.
Three Types of DiabetesThere are three types of diabetes as follows:
- Type 1 diabetes (which accounts for 10% of Canadians with diabetes) usually develops in children, teenagers, young adults and even those in their 30s. Because the pancreas no longer produces insulin, which the body needs to use sugar for energy, treatment for Type 1 diabetes therefore requires insulin.
- Type 2 diabetes (accounting for 90% of Canadians with diabetes) results from either the pancreas not producing enough insulin as well as the body not responding effectively to the insulin that is produced. Type 2 diabetes often develops in overweight adults.
- Gestational diabetes occurs in 2 to 4% of women during pregnancy and usually disappears after the birth of the baby. It can increase the risk of the mother and the baby developing diabetes later in life