Heart Disease and Weight Loss

by Patricia L

Heart disease is the single biggest killer of Australian women. Women are almost three times more likely to die of it than breast cancer. Symptoms may be different for men and women. and can include:

• Chest pain
• Shortness of breath.
• Pain, numbness, weakness or coldness in your legs or arms if the blood vessels in those parts of your body are narrowed.
• Pain in the neck, jaw, throat, upper abdomen or back.

Determine your risk.

Two measurements are used to determine if your weight is linked to increase risk of heart disease - Waist Circumference and Body Mass Index (BMI)

Body Mass Index (BMI)

The BMI is a mathematical formula that factors a person's height and weight in determining obesity.

• Underweight - Below 18.5
• Normal - 18.5 - 24.9
• Overweight - 25.0 - 29.9
• Obesity 30.0 - and Above

Those who are overweight or obese and have two or more risk factors should lose weight to decrease their risk for heart disease.

Waist circumference

Measurement of your waist is just above your navel. It is a good predictor of abdominal fat, a risk factor for heart disease. This risk increases with a waist measurement of over 40 inches in men and over 35 inches in women.

Losing weight is one of the things we can do to reduce the risk of heart disease. Along with being physically fit and being active. So being fit, active, eating a healthy diet all help in us enjoying a good and long life.

According to the Heart Foundation, the underlying cause of coronary heart disease is a slow build up of fatty deposits on the inner wall of the blood vessels that supply the heart muscle with blood (the coronary arteries). These fatty deposits gradually clog the arteries and reduce the flow of blood to the heart.

There are risk factors that you can change to prevent heart disease -:

• being overweight
• smoking - both active and passive (second hand smoke)
• high blood cholesterol and pressure
• diabetes
• physical inactivity

While some of these risk factors (such as age and gender) can't be changed, the good news is that there are many steps that you can take to reduce your risk of developing coronary heart disease.

What you need to do

Firstly get a full check up from your doctor. Blood pressure, weight, blood tests, and perhaps even a stress test. At the same time cut out any fast foods, high calorie foods, soft drinks. Start walking for every day, even 10 minutes a day to get you started and the increase by a few minutes each day will have you walking easily and effortlessly.

Remember - You are What You Eat!

Take care of your body, it's the only place you have to live. Make it your temple and treat it with respect. In return it will help you enjoy a long and active life.

Life is to be enjoyed - for a long time.

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