Heart disease: Doctor explains how to reduce risk
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Using data collected from over five thousand American women the results, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, show that these activities can reduce the risk of heart disease.
Dr Steve Nguyen, lead author on the study, said: “The study demonstrates that all movement counts towards disease prevention
“Spending more time in daily life movement, which includes a wide range of activities we all do while on our feet and out of our chairs, resulted in a lower risk of cardiovascular disease”.
When it comes to reducing the risk of heart disease, any movement is good movement.
One of the most significant risk factors for heart disease is lack of activity combined with a poor diet.
The more an individual moves the healthier they will be as this constitutes exercise.
With regard to how much exercise per week is healthy, the NHS suggests a minimum of two and a half hours.
Household chores, while involving physical exertion, are best supplemented with traditional forms of exercise such as jogging, walking, cycling, swimming, or other forms of activity.
Elsewhere in the pantheon of heart disease research, another study has discovered something that may be of surprise.
Research from the University of Oxford, Bristol, and Hong Kong has concluded that vegetables alone may not be enough to reduce the risk of having a heart attack.
While those who only ate vegetables were 15 percent less likely to die from cardiovascular disease, researchers said other factors could explain this.
Oxford University doctor Ben Lacey said: “This is an important study with implications for understanding the dietary causes of cardiovascular disease”.
However, Professor Naveed Sattar, from the University of Glasgow warned the study should not change existing truths about the beneficial impact of vegetables: “Many living in the UK fall well short of this, sadly, and more needs to be done to encourage better intake of vegetables.
“In fact, I suspect we may have underestimated the importance of a healthy diet on health and disease in general”.
While vegetables alone may not reduce the risk of heart disease, the study is not suggesting they are of no use.
Key to a healthy life is a balanced diet eaten in conjunction with sufficient levels of exercise.
Exercise in turn can have other health benefits such as improving mental health.
During exercise, endorphins are released that improve an individual’s mood.
Furthermore, joining exercise clubs can help to alleviate feelings of loneliness and allow an individual to improve their mental wellbeing and physical fitness while acting as part of a community.
For more information on heart disease contact the NHS or consult with your GP.
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