CardiAction Lifestyle Recommendations

COHORT 0

Healthy Maintenance

SummaryLifestyleExerciseNutritionRecommended References

Congratulations for taking a proactive 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 CardiAction ProScreen results indicate that neither your heart nor your arteries are showing signs of significant inflammation, and your lifestyle choices, medications, and supplements are having a positive impact on your cardiovascular system. This is indicated by 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.

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 CardiAction ProScreen results are within a healthy range then it is quite likely you are already aware of the importance of the following recommendations.

Recommendations

Reduce Alcohol Intake

The science indicates that lower intake of alcohol is correlated with reduced cardiovascular risk. The World Health Organisation (WHO) and Australian guidelines suggest that the consumption of any alcohol has a damaging impact on your health.

  • Aim to avoid regular alcohol intake and save it for the occasional social drink. When you do choose to drink, go for a healthier option whenever possible.
Managing Stress

When you feel stressed, your body releases chemicals like cortisol that help you respond to the situation. While short-term stress is normal and manageable, ongoing or unresolved stress can lead to inflammation in the body. Over time, this can negatively affect your heart and blood vessels.
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Understanding your stress triggers and finding healthy ways to manage them, such as exercise, mindfulness, relaxation techniques or talking to someone, can make a real difference to your cardiovascular health.

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

Smoking damages your arteries and raises blood pressure by increasing the production of harmful free radicals in the body. If you currently smoke or vape, quitting is one of the most important steps you can take to lower your risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) and to improve the flexibility of your arteries.
A good first step might be to reduce how much you smoke or consider switching to e-cigarettes. However, it is important to know that e-cigarettes also carry health risks. Getting the right support, including joining a stop-smoking program, can make quitting easier and more successful.

Exercise

A helpful sign that your exercise is having a positive impact is a gradual decrease in your resting heart rate, which means your heart is becoming more efficient and does not need to work as hard when you are at rest.

A helpful sign that your exercise is having a positive impact is a gradual decrease in your resting heart rate, which means your heart is becoming more efficient and does not need to work as hard when you are at rest.

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 good nutrition is not to have an excess or a deficiency in macro or micro nutrients. This could include a balance of: fish, foliage (a variety of coloured vegetables), sun-ripened fruit, nuts, berries, eggs, some low-fat pastured meats, and avoiding processed foods.

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, sweets and 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, and chia seeds are 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.

Sodium is an essential mineral that your body needs to function; however, excessive sodium intake can result in elevated blood pressure. The Western Diet tends to include a high amount of processed food, which often contains added salt that is unnecessary. Avoiding processed foods and limiting added salt in your meals is a beneficial way to balance 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

Refined sugars 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%+ or higher cocoa. Dark chocolate also has additional health benefits and is beneficial for your cardiovascular system.

CardiAction Lifestyle Recommendations (Cohort 0)