Exercising for the heart

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the collective term for diseases of the heart and blood vessels, which includes heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, angina, heart attacks, peripheral vascular disease and heart failure. CVD is the leading cause of death and disability in Australia, based on 2015 Department of Health statistics.

Whilst early diagnosis and improved treatments are helping people to live longer, prevention is the key to decreasing cases of cardiovascular disease. Reducing the incidence of CVD can improve your overall quality of life, and programs such as ours can provide you support and assistance to living a healthier lifestyle, thereby reducing your risk of CVD.

There are many factors which affect your risk of developing CVD. Whilst age, gender, ethnicity and family history are uncontrollable, the good news is they are also relatively minor contributors to your overall risk profile. The main risk factors are things you can control, such as

• Smoking

• Weight management

• Activity levels

• Diet

• Associated issues of cholesterol and blood pressure.

This is where the team at WA Health Group come in. Our Exercise Physiologists can help you become more active which can reduce your risk of developing heart disease by 22%. We work with you to develop a program based around activities that you enjoy and that fit into your lifestyle. Our group classes offer a motivating and supportive environment to exercise in with variety and progression as your fitness improves. Home exercise programs are popular and private sessions are also available.

Smoking is an accepted risk factor for heart disease. Somebody who smokes 40 cigarettes a day is 10 times more likely to develop CVD than a non-smoker. We will support and assist you on your journey to cessation. But the other changes will still be helpful even if you can’t or don’t want to quit.

Our Dietitian can work with you to review your diet individually and make recommendations for improvement to your consumption of fruit, vegetables and dietary fibre. Insufficiency of these essential nutrients is common and linked to increased health risks. Improvements in diet, in combination with improved activity can lead to reduced incidence of obesity, which is a major cause of Type 2 Diabetes as well as CVD.

Jo, one of our Exercise Physiologists at WA Health Group has been involved in Cardiac Rehabilitation Programs since 1995. Initially established in the UK, where she worked at the time, she was instrumental in the establishment of one of the first community based cardiac rehabilitation schemes, a structural change from the traditional medical based hospital programs. Jo then spent four years working for an eminent cardiologist here in Perth guiding and supporting patients with a wide range of heart related conditions, including post heart attack.

Here at WA Health Group patients can either join a group setting or come in for a 1:1 consultation.

If you are interested please contact us on 6162 2616.