What is Cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a fat in the blood. Your body uses to manufacture cell membranes, vitamin D and certain hormones. There are two types of cholesterol:

1. LDL (low-density lipoprotein) - often called "bad" cholesterol because high levels of LDL cholesterol in the blood promotes the buildup of plaque on artery walls

2. HDL (high density lipoprotein) - known as "good" cholesterol because it helps remove LDL cholesterol from the artery walls

Triglycerides are not cholesterol but another type of fat found in the blood. High levels of triglycerides are associated with overweight, excessive consumption of alcohol and diabetes. Your triglyceride level is usually measured along with cholesterol.

Cholesterol, heart disease and stroke

A high cholesterol is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke. By lowering your cholesterol, you can significantly reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke. A high cholesterol can cause plaque build up along artery walls and narrow, and is called atherosclerosis which affects blood flow in your heart and your body and increases your risk of problems circulatory, heart disease and stroke.

Nine ways to properly control your cholesterol

1. Have your cholesterol. Ask your doctor to have it checked if:

• You are a man of 40 years or more.
• You are a postmenopausal woman 50 years or more.
• You suffer from heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure or have had a stroke.
• Waist circumference greater than 102 cm (40 inches) in men and 88 cm (35 inches) in women. For people of Chinese or South Asian, if your waist circumference exceeds 90 cm (35 inches) in men and 80 cm (32 inches) in women.
• You have a family history of heart disease or stroke.

2. Reduce your fat intake between 20 and 35% of your daily caloric intake.

3. Choose healthy fats such as polyunsaturated and monounsaturated, found mainly in vegetable oils, nuts and fish.

4. Limit your intake of saturated fats - found mainly in red meat and dairy products high in fat 

5. Avoid trans fats - which are often found in foods made ​​with fats or partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, hard margarines, the fast food and convenience foods. Trans fats raise bad cholesterol and lower good cholesterol.

6. Use the Food Guide to Healthy Eating when planning a healthy diet. Eat more whole grains, cereals, vegetables and fruits.

7. Use cooking methods with low fat content such as oven, grill or steamed as much as possible and avoid frying.
   

8. Smokefree. Smoking increases the bad cholesterol (LDL).

9. Be physically active. The Guide to Physical Activity recommends that adults accumulate at least 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per week, 10-minute segments. Regular physical activity improves levels of good cholesterol.

The practice of physical activity most days of the week can improve levels of "good" cholesterol.

Diabetes - What is diabetes?

What is diabetes?

Diabetes develops when your body does not produce enough insulin or does not effectively use the insulin it produces. Your body needs insulin to convert sugar into energy.

Diabetes and your heart

Diabetes increases the risk of high blood pressure, atherosclerosis (narrowing of the arteries), coronary heart disease and stroke, especially if your blood sugar (glucose) are poorly controlled. Diabetes can cause circulatory problems by damaging blood vessels.

Women with diabetes are more likely to suffer heart attacks, angina (chest pain) or have heart surgery than men with diabetes. Although the causes are not yet fully known, it would appear to be due to the interaction between female hormones, the blood sugar and insulin.

There are three types of diabetes:

• Type 1 diabetes - usually develops in children, adolescents, young adults and even people in their thirties. The pancreas stops producing insulin which the body needs to convert sugar into energy. This type of diabetes is treated with insulin (10% of diabetics are type 1).
• Type 2 diabetes - occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or the body does not effectively use the insulin produced. This type of diabetes usually appears in adults who are overweight (90% of diabetics are type 2).
• Gestational diabetes - occurs in 2-4% of women during pregnancy and disappears after the baby is born. This type of diabetes can increase the risks of develop diabetes later in the mother and child.

How to reduce your risk

If you have diabetes, the best way to reduce the impact on your health is to control your other risk factors.

Here's how:

• If you are age 40 or older and have a family history of diabetes, overweight, hypertension or high cholesterol, ask your doctor check your blood sugar levels.
• Achieve and maintain a healthy weight.
• Ask your doctor to refer you to a professional dietician to eat a healthy diet. Work closely with your health care team to define your goals and know your blood glucose target levels.
• Learn to monitor your blood sugar and talk to your doctor if you cannot control it.
• Become physically active. With your doctor, prepare a program for you.

Measurement of blood pressure at home

Measurement of blood pressure at home

 

The measurement of home blood pressure can help your doctor diagnose hypertension correctly. Some people have a higher blood pressure during their visit to the doctor. However, while these people go about their daily lives, their blood pressure is normal. This problem is called white coat syndrome, as it refers to the white coats of health professionals. By cons, some other people have normal blood pressure during their medical consultation, but the pressure rises in other circumstances. This phenomenon is known as masked hypertension. Your doctor may ask you to measure your blood pressure if necessary.

 

It is important to ensure that actions taken with your home blood pressure monitor are accurate so that your health care professional may have an overview of just your blood pressure.
Before you buy a blood pressure monitor for home use, you must know the exact size cuff you need. Here's how:

• Measure the circumference (midpoint between the shoulder and elbow) from the top of your bare arm.
• Match your measurement to those indicated on the box of the monitor or in the instruction manual.

Accurate readings are also dependent on how you prepare to take your blood pressure. Follow the steps below to obtain the most accurate reading possible:

• Rest five minutes before taking your reading.
• Refrain from smoking or drinking beverages containing caffeine (coffee, tea, cola) 30 minutes before taking your blood pressure.
• Do not measure your blood pressure when you are upset or in pain.
• If necessary, empty your bladder or your bowels before you begin.
• Sit quietly with your feet flat on the floor, leaning on the back of a chair or on a firm surface for at least five minutes before and during measurement.
• Use the same arm each time. Completely remove bulky clothing or tight in your arms.
• Wrap the blood pressure cuff around the top of your bare arm adjusting (you must be able to get two fingers between the blood pressure cuff and your arm). The edge of the cuff should be about one to two centimeters (½ to 1 inch) above your elbow.
• Place your arm on a table or firm surface. The cuff must be equal to your heart.
• Do not talk and do not watch television during the measurement.
• Take a measurement of blood pressure and sign up there.
• Bring the sheet on which are inscribed the measures your blood pressure at your next appointment with your health care professional.

What to do to control blood pressure.

High blood pressure can be caused by many factors. Some of these factors are beyond your control, such as age, ethnicity and gender. Other factors such as diet, physical activity and smoking can be changed by improving their lifestyles to reduce the risk of hypertension.

• Have your blood pressure regularly, as recommended by your health care provider.
• If your doctor has prescribed medication , take them as directed.
• Reduce your intake of sodium. There are high sources of sodium in different types of convenience foods and snacks, as well as among the meats and smoked fish, salted, processed and canned. Also, limit the amount of salt added during cooking or at table. Foundation of heart disease recommends Canadians consume less than 2300 mg of sodium (about 5 ml or 1 teaspoon) per day. People diagnosed with high blood pressure or those sensitive to salt should limit their salt intake to 1500 mg (2 / 3 tsp) per day if they are between 18 and 50 years, 1300 mg if they are between 51 and 70 and 1200 mg if they have more than 70 years.
• Eat a healthy balanced diet low in fat (especially saturated and trans fats) based on the Food Guide. For tips for healthy eating, see Eat our website. Learn about the DASH diet , which can help you reduce your blood pressure.
• Be physically active for at least 150 minutes a week practicing an aerobic activity of moderate to vigorous into segments of 10 minutes or more. Consult your health care provider before beginning an exercise program.
• Achieve and maintain a healthy weight. If you are overweight, the fact of losing as little as 5% or 10% of your weight can help reduce your blood pressure and significantly reduce your risk of stroke or heart attack.
• Do not smoke. If you smoke, ask your doctor or health care provider about smoking cessation. If you do not smoke, avoid second hand smoke.
• Limit your alcohol intake to one or two drinks per day, up to 14 drinks for men and nine women .*
• Find healthy ways to manage stress. Too much stress can raise your blood pressure. Research suggests that the way you manage your stress is important. Avoid unhealthy mechanisms for managing stress such as smoking, alcohol consumption, poor diet, sedentary lifestyle, spending too much screen time and relieve him rather by physical activity, social activities, relaxation and healthy eating. Remember to make time for you. 

* These guidelines do not apply if you have liver disease, mental illness, if you take certain medications or if you have personal or family history of alcohol abuse, if you are pregnant, try to pregnant or breastfeeding. If the effect of alcohol on your health concerns you, consult a health care professional.

Hypertension - Risk factors you can control

High blood pressure affects one in five people in Canada. This is the main risk factor for stroke (stroke) and a major risk factor for heart disease . Hypertension is often called "silent killer" because it has no signs or symptoms. You see nothing! You do not feel anything! But the good news is that you can control it. If you know and control your blood pressure, you can reduce your risk of stroke by 40% and those of heart attack by 25%.

 

The only way to know if you have high blood pressure is to have your blood pressure checked by your doctor or other qualified health care provider. It is recommended for the general public to check his blood pressure at least once every two years. If you have received a diagnosis of hypertension (or other related health problems), your doctor will recommend to have it checked more often. Be sure to ask your doctor how often your blood pressure should be checked.

What is hypertension?

 

Blood pressure is the measurement of pressure or force of blood against the walls of blood vessels called arteries. The top number represents the pressure when the heart contracts and pushes blood out (systolic) and the bottom number is the lowest pressure, when the heart relaxes between beats (diastolic).

 

Blood pressure that is consistently above 140/90 mm ​​Hg when measuring the physician's office or more than 135/85 mm Hg is considered high at home. If you have diabetes, a measurement of 130/80 mm Hg is considered high.

 

Normal blood pressure is below 120/80 mm Hg

 

If your blood pressure is between 130/85 mmHg and 139/89 mmHg, you have a blood pressure "so-called" high normal ", which is more likely to develop high blood pressure.

 

Blood pressure values

 

Category	Systolic / diastolic
Normal	120-129 / 80-84
High normal	130-139 / 85-89
High blood pressure (measured by the doctor) High blood pressure (measured at home or with a personal trainer) Hypertension in people with diabetes or suffering from kidney disease	140 / 90 or more 135 / 85 or more 130 / 80 or more

 

A high reading does not necessarily mean you have high blood pressure. If your reading is high, you should have it measured at least twice on different days to see if it is consistently high. Record your blood pressure readings. You and your doctor can determine if your blood pressure is in the sound values. The need and type of treatment your blood pressure depends on several factors.

What causes high blood pressure does heart disease and stroke?

 

Over time, hypertension can damage blood vessel walls causing scarring favoring the accumulation of fatty plaque that can narrow the arteries and, later, the clog. It also strains the heart and, over time, weaken it. A very high blood pressure can cause rupture of blood vessels inside the brain and cause a stroke.

Warning signs of a heart attack

Each year, thousands of Canadians die from heart attacks because they do not receive appropriate medical treatment quickly enough. Learn to recognize the warning signs of a heart attack in order to react quickly to save lives.

	• pain or chest discomfort (pressure or discomfort, tightness, sharp pain, burning or heaviness in the chest)
	• Discomfort in other areas of the upper body (neck, jaw, shoulder, arm or back)
	• Shortness of breath
	• Sweating
	• Nausea
	• Dizziness

If you experience any of these signals, you should:

• CALL on your local emergency number immediately, or ask someone to do it for you. Keep a list of emergency numbers near the phone at all times; 
• stop all activity and sit or lie in the position in which you are most comfortable;
• usually if you take nitroglycerin, take a normal dose;
• If you experience chest pain, chew and swallow one adult 325 mg ASA (acetylsalicylic acid commonly known as Aspirin) or two tablets of 80 mg. Analgesics such as acetaminophen (eg., Tylenol) or ibuprofen (eg., Advil ®) do not act the same way as ASA (eg., Aspirin) and therefore you will not be of any help in the emergency situation described above;
• to rest comfortably and await the arrival of emergency medical services (ambulance).

What is heart disease?

Your heart is a muscle that gets energy with oxygen and nutrients carried by blood. An uninterrupted blood supply allows the heart to function properly. Most people believe that heart disease are only one type of health problem. But in reality, heart disease involve a group of health problems that affect the structure and functioning of the heart and the causes are multiple. Coronary artery disease, for example, develops when a mixture of body fat, calcium and scar tissue (called "plaque") build up inside the arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle (coronary arteries) . The plaque buildup narrows the arteries and prevents the heart from getting enough blood.

For more information, see our site on the anatomy of the heart and the various cardiovascular diseases . 

What can you do 

Heart disease is preventable and treatable. 

Your best defense is to control risk factors that could cause heart disease, such as hypertension, diabetes, smoking, stress, excessive alcohol consumption, physical inactivity and being overweight.

If you have been diagnosed with a heart problem, there are treatments that help control your disease. You can further reduce your risk by taking these steps heart healthy:

• Smokefree
• Be physically active
• Know and control your blood pressure
• Eat a healthy diet lower in fat, especially trans fat and saturated fat
• Achieve and maintain a healthy weight
• Manage Your Diabetes
• Limit your alcohol consumption
• Reduce your stress level
• Consult your doctor regularly and follow his advice