CardiAction Lifestyle Recommendations

COHORT 0

Healthy Maintenance

SummaryLifestyleExerciseNutritionRecommended References

Congratulations for taking a pro-active approach to your health and well-being. The following recommendations are based on extensive scientific research and are intended as ‘general guidelines’ which can help maintain the health of your heart and arteries.

Your PWA results have displayed that both your heart and arteries are in good condition and your lifestyle choices are having a positive impact on your cardiovascular system. This is because both your Central Systolic Pressure and Central Augmentation Pressure are within the CardiAction Target Range (CTR).

Your cardiovascular health can change over time, and it is important to remain within the CTR’s to keep your risk of developing cardiovascular disease low.

In addition to following these recommendations, you may also benefit from learning more about Inflammation and Arterial Stiffness in the CardiAction Healthy Tips section of your CardiAction App.

DISCLAIMER:
Prior to making any significant nutritional, exercise, or lifestyle choices it is always advised to seek appropriate medical advice from your healthcare practitioner.

Lifestyle

Having a maintainable healthy lifestyle is all about balance and as your PWA results are within a healthy range then it is quite likely you are already aware of the importance of the following recommendations.

Recommendations

Minimise Alcohol Intake

Both red and white wine are more beneficial than high-sugar options (e.g. beer/artificial mixers with spirits). Red wine is particularly high in antioxidants and is a healthier choice, if you enjoy an alcoholic drink. However, whilst wine is a preferable alcoholic choice, the consumption of any alcohol has a damaging impact on your health.

  • Aim for no alcohol intake apart from the occasional social drink and opt for a healthier option wherever possible.
Managing Stress

An appropriate amount of stress is helpful in your life – it increases neuronal activity which allows you to focus more intensely on pressing topics. However, it’s when there is too much stress that it becomes problematic to your health and can lessen your ability to productively engage in day-to-day activities. Prolonged, unresolvable stress is associated with hypertension and therefore understanding and managing your stress levels is important to improve your cardiovascular health. Research has specifically found that practising mindfulness can reduce your blood pressure and inappropriate inflammatory response.

Stress levels can be managed by:
  • Mental rest/recovery (e.g. relaxing or mediating)
  • Social connection
  • Enjoyable exercise and physical intimacy
  • Restorative sleep
Avoid or Stop Smoking

Smoking damages your arteries and increases blood pressure. If you currently smoke, this is one of the first lifestyle changes you should make to decrease your risk of developing CVD and improve the flexibility of your arteries.

A good initial step is to begin cutting back on cigarette consumption or switching to an e-cigarette (which also carries health risks). Having the appropriate support and enrolling on a stop-smoking program is helpful.

Exercise

Your individual day-to-day activities will help define the amount of exercise that you need to do. For example, if you have a physical job that involves regular movement this may be adequate.

On the other hand, if you spend most of your time sitting at a desk it is important to move regularly as there is a clear association with low physical activity and developing CVD.

Attention:
If you have been identified as high risk and advised by your Screener to seek medical advice, please talk to your healthcare provider before radically altering your exercise regime.

Recommendations

Physical Activity Intensity Level

The scientific way of measuring physical activity is using METs (metabolic equivalent of task). Metabolic rate is the rate of energy expended per unit of time. It’s one way to describe the intensity of an exercise or activity. The greatest physical benefit of exercise comes from when you enjoy it – it’s important to undertake activities that you don’t view as a chore and recognise that there’s not a one-size fits all approach to exercise.

For example, 1 MET is defined as the energy you use when you’re resting or sitting still. An activity that has a value of 4 METs means you’re exerting 4 times the energy than you would if you were sitting still. Undertaking a variety of different intensity METs is a good way of reducing your risk of developing CVD – ideally this would include a mix of the below.

2.0 METs/hr
Walking at a slow pace, light gardening. Light work etc.
4.0 METs/hr
Brisk walking, leisurely cycling, active gardening activities.
6.0 METs/hr
Slow jogging, roller skating, active tennis, hiking.
10.0 METs/hr
Cycling (15-25km/hr), running (10km/hr), fast swimming.

Nutrition

The key to a maintainable and beneficial diet is to follow the basis of good cellular health and function. This includes a balance of; fish, foliage(variety of coloured vegetables), sun ripened fruit, nuts, berries, eggs, some low-fat pastured meats and avoiding processed food.

Recommendations

Atlantic Diet

The Atlantic dietary pattern is the preferred model being high in fish and vegetables including leafy greens - especially the brassicas(broccoli, cabbage, kale, rocket) and allium vegetables (garlic, onions, leeks).

Aim for:
  • High consumption of fish, molluscs, crustaceans, vegetables, potatoes, bread, cereals, fruits, chestnuts, legumes, honey, whole nuts and olive oil.
  • Moderate consumption of wine, milk, cheese, eggs, pork and beef (lean meats).
  • Lower consumption of fatty meats, sweet sand soft drink.
Suggested Foods
Omega 3

Omega-3 is a fatty acid that is vital for your body to generate a healthy and appropriate inflammatory response. It is most easily acquired through consuming marine based foods but can also be found in a lower availability in plant products. If you do not consume at least 5 servings of seafood a week you could consider taking an Omega-3 supplement (also available in vegan form).

  • Fish - salmon, mackerel, herring, sardines, shellfish, and tuna. 5 serves / week
  • Hemp seed oil, walnuts, flax seeds as alternatives to fish (however this requires your body to convert ALA to EPA/DHA which may result in less omega-3 being available).
Reduce Sodium Intake.

Reduce Sodium Intake. Sodium is an essential mineral your body needs to function; however excessive sodium can result in raised blood pressure. The Western Diet tends to include a high amount of processed food which includes added salt which is not necessary. Avoiding processed foods and limiting additional salt to your meals is a beneficial way of balancing your sodium intake.

  • Substitute with fresh herbs instead i.e., basil, turmeric etc. Avoid using pre-prepared sauces, limit take-away food, check food labels when purchasing food and opt for a low-salt option.
  • Potassium Chloride can be used as a salt substitute.
Avoid refined sugars

Avoid refined sugars. Refined are regarded as highly inflammatory and should be avoided. A good substitute if you enjoy a sweet treat is switching to chocolate which contains 70%+ cocoa. Dark chocolate also has additional health benefits and is beneficial for your cardiovascular system.

CardiAction Lifestyle Recommendations (Cohort 0)