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Heartline Magazine October - December 2004
So you want to lose weight….for good
If you're overweight you're more likely to have a heart
attack, especially if your extra weight is around your middle. The good news is
that by losing weight you can cut your risk of heart disease considerably.
Research studies suggest that many overweight people with
angina, raised blood cholesterol and high blood pressure found that their
conditions improved greatly, even after losing only some of their excess weight.
Many of those who kept the weight off were able to reduce their medication or
even stop it altogether.
Most of us know if we're overweight by looking in a
mirror or by the size or tightness of our clothes. Remember that maintaining
your current weight (i.e not gaining more) is an achievement in itself. Your
shape, as much as your weight, could be affecting your health risk. The more
apple-shaped you are, rather than pear shaped, the more at risk of heart disease
you are. You can assess this simply by measuring your waist (or girth) at the
narrowest part. If your girth is more that 32 ins (80 cms) for a woman or more
than 37 ins (94 cms) for a man, your health is at risk.
Other reasons for trying to lose weight may be as important
as your health. You might want to get fitter, get in shape, look better or just
be able to get into clothes that no longer fit.
Eating or exercise - or both
To lose weight you need to use up more energy (calories or
joules) than your body takes in from food and drink.
You can do this in three ways
Most people find that by doing both achieves the best
results. You may prefer to start off with changes to what you eat and think
about exercise later. It's up to you. For exercise to greatly reduce the
risk of heart disease you need to aim for 30 minutes of moderate activity at
least five times a week which leaves you warm and breathing more heavily, but
still be able to hold a conversation with someone! If this sounds impossible for
you just now, remember that doing anything more than you do right now is a step
in the right direction and will certainly help.
What is heart disease?
The most common form of heart disease among adults is called
coronary heart disease. It occurs when the coronary arteries bringing
oxygen-rich blood to your heart muscle get furred up by fatty
deposits (atheroma).
Angina occurs when your heart does not receive enough blood
and oxygen. An attack can be brought on by physical activity or emotional
stress.
A heart attack occurs if a coronary artery becomes
completely blocked, which can happen, for example, when a blood clot forms on a
pre-existing atheroma.
High blood pressure (the medical name is hypertension)
increases your risk of heart disease, strokes or kidney disease. The cause of
most high blood pressure is not clear, but the following can all contribute:
being over-weight; excessive salt intake; drinking too much alcohol; physical
inactivity.
High blood cholesterol increases your risk of coronary heart
disease. The most common cause of high blood cholesterol is too much fat in the
diet. Occasionally people have high levels due to an inherited condition.
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