Transcript risk factors - Ontario Association of Naturopathic Doctors

A Healthy Heart
What Women Need to Know
By Jordan Robertson, ND
Overview
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Surprising statistics
Are you at risk?
How can you make a difference?
Working together for a healthier you
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What is heart disease?
• An umbrella term to describe a variety of
diseases that affect the heart.
• Includes diseases such as high blood pressure
and atherosclerosis.
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Quick facts
• Heart disease is the leading cause of death in
North American women
• Only 55% of women identify heart disease as
their greatest health risk
• Death from heart disease is rising in women
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Risk factors
Un-modifiable risk factors
• Age
• Genetics
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Risk Factors
Modifiable risk factors
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Cigarette smoking
High blood pressure
Diabetes
Obesity
Psychosocial factors (stress)
Low fruit and vegetable intake
Low levels of exercise
Excessive alcohol intake
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A Change Will Do You Good!
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Awareness
Diet
Exercise
Stress reduction
Neutraceuticals
Pharmaceuticals
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Awareness - Get Tested!
• Heart disease is nicknamed the “silent killer”
because you don’t feel most of the symptoms.
• Simple blood tests and physical exam
measures can tell us if you are at risk.
• Women should be tested as part of their
yearly physical exam with their Medical or
Naturopathic Doctor.
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Diet - You Are What You Eat
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Fruits and vegetables
Fiber
Protein
Oils and fats
– Olive oil
– Omega 3 fats
– Trans fats
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Trendy Diets – do they work?
• Trendy diets such as Atkins and the South
Beach diet show evidence of short term
weight loss.
• However, these diets have little or no benefit
with respect to heart disease risk.
• The Mediterranean diet has been shown to
have positive outcomes with respect to heart
disease risk.
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The Mediterranean Diet
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Olive oil
Fish
Fruits and vegetables
Whole grains
Low saturated fats
Moderate red wine consumption
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Picking a Diet For You
A Nutritionist or Naturopathic Doctor can help
you individualize your diet in order to achieve
your specific health goals.
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Exercise - Move it!
• Aerobic exercise has been shown to decrease
cholesterol in women.
• Cardiovascular exercise also decreases stress
and improves blood oxygen levels.
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Exercise - Step counting
• Multiple studies have shown benefit in
women using a pedometer to count their total
steps taken daily.
• Keeping track of daily activity helps with
motivation and goes a long way in reducing
the risk of cardiovascular disease.
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Exercise
• Regular weight lifting has also been shown to
balance blood sugar levels, which can
decrease your risk of heart disease.
• It is important to consult your Medical or
Naturopathic Doctor when starting a new or
different exercise program.
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Stress Reduction -Take This Home!
• Meditation and deep breathing have been
shown in studies to decrease blood pressure
by an average of 4.7/3.2 mmHg.
• Try practicing 2 minutes of deep breathing per
day in the morning and at night as well as
during stressful moments in your day.
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Neutraceuticals and Functional Foods
• Neutraceuticals and functional foods are
prescribed by your Naturopathic Doctor at
specific dosages and times of the day
depending on your needs and goals.
• Examples for heart disease include fish oil,
antioxidants and herbs such as hawthorne and
garlic.
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Supporting Drug Therapy
• Many drugs are used to help modify risk factors
for heart disease.
• Some of these drugs can have side effects which
can be helped by a Naturopathic Doctor.
• Most research shows that drug therapy plus diet
and lifestyle interventions have the best results in
patients who need drugs.
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Common Heart Drugs
• Cholesterol lowering – “Statins”
• Blood pressure lowering
• Blood thinning – Aspirin
• Others
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When to Get Help
• Women often delay seeking treatment for heart
disease and may misread warning signs for
serious concerns such as a heart attack.
• A study by the American Heart Association found
that 95% of women suffering from heart attack
experienced symptoms up to a month before
their heart disease caused a heart attack, but few
of them sought treatment.
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When to Get Help (cont’d)
• The same study showed that the symptoms
reported by women during a heart attack
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Shortness of breath (57.8%)
Weakness (54.8%)
Fatigue (42.9%)
Chest pain was absent in 43% of women
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms or others such as
chest pain, palpitations, sweating, slurred speech or sudden
weakness, you should seek medical help right away.
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What is a Naturopathic Doctor?
• Naturopathic Doctors are provincially regulated primary
care providers with eight years of education and training to
combine medical diagnosis with a broad range of natural
therapies.
• We work with other health care providers to ensure that
patients receive the most comprehensive and effective care
possible.
• We are experienced in helping patients with natural
approaches that can reduce reliance on pharmaceuticals
for many chronic diseases including heart disease.
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Naturopathic Doctors Can Help
• Just by being here today you have already
chosen to look at your health in an active and
hopefully preventative way.
• NDs are able to address and treat all the
modifiable risk factors for Heart Disease.
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Naturopathic Doctors are Trained to Help
You to:
– Identify risk factors (both heredity and lifestyle)
and develop individualized plans to optimize
health
– Treat and manage chronic illness
– Address the root cause of symptoms and
therefore treat the root rather than medicate the
symptom
– Bring a healthy balance to your life
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Find Out More
[ INSERT YOUR CLINIC INFORMATION HERE ]
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Parting Thoughts
• Know Your Risks
– What are your modifiable risk factors?
– What is your family history?
• Diet with Exercise
• Find Stress Relief
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