UNews - Building Healthy Lifestyles

Learning the truth about heart disease

trevor.kenney — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 21:17:19 +0000

By SUZANNE MCINTOSH

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for women in Canada and the United States.

The various forms of heart disease include coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, heart failure and heart attacks. Heart disease accounts for 35,000 deaths per year among women in Canada, and of these deaths, 54 per cent were due to ischemic heart disease, 20 per cent due to stroke, and 23 per cent due to myocardial infarction (heart attacks).

These are sobering statistics that deserve our attention.

So, exactly what is heart disease?

Your heart is a muscle that gets energy from blood carrying oxygen and nutrients. Having a constant supply of blood keeps your heart working properly. Most people think of heart disease as one condition. In fact, heart disease is a group of conditions affecting the structure and functions of the heart and has many root causes.

The positive is that heart disease is both preventable and manageable. While you cannot control your age, gender, ethnicity and family history, risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, smoking, stress, excessive alcohol consumption, physical inactivity and being overweight are all readily modifiable.

For more information on women and heart disease, visit www.heartandstroke.ca and www.myhealthcheckup.com or call Building Healthy Lifestyles at 403-388-6675.

If you'd like to find out more about your risk of heart disease, register for this semester's Health Check for U session, a 15-minute confidential free screening program. It includes cholesterol and blood sugar level checks, blood pressure, height, weight and waist circumference measurements and a follow-up consultation.

Check out your heart's age – take charge of your health and put your Heart into it! To register send an e-mail to wellness@uleth.ca. Past participants are welcome to come back for a second or third screening to see if there have been any changes.

In other Wellness news, mini-massages are available through March, as provided by Lethbridge College Massage Therapy students. Drop in for a 10 to 15 minute massage or register at wellness@uleth.ca. The next session is Feb. 27, 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. in AH117.

The February Wellness Lunch and Learn session is Thursday, Feb. 16 at 12:05 p.m. in AH100. 3 Secrets to Stress Management will feature a presentation from chiropractor Dr. Pierre Gaulin.

Suzanne McIntosh is the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's wellness co-ordinator. This article was prepared with the assistance of Marci Neher-Schwengler RN, Heart Function Clinic/Heart Failure Network, Building Healthy Lifestyles.

Changes don't have to end with Challenge

trevor.kenney — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 20:18:59 +0000

The 7th Annual Bee Heart Smart Challenge has concluded for the year and what a successful year we had!

A total of 18 teams (consisting of 165 people plus a number of individual participants) took part and the competition was fierce. Although I tried to get my name on the top-10 stepper list, other, more ambitious steppers quickly bumped me.

Thanks to all who joined in the fun. Watch the Notice Board and the Wellness website (www.uleth.ca/hum/wellness) for challenge winners.

Thank you to all our motivators – Mike Mahon, Nancy Walker, Kevin McFadzen – and although Maureen Mahon was not an official Busy Bee champion, she kept me motivated throughout the challenge. What excellent role models we have here at the
U of L.

Now that we have been physically active for six weeks, how do we maintain the
momentum we've established and keep the motivation up for the rest of the year?

Here are some tips:

Track your own physical activity

Use a calendar in your phone, or on your fridge, to keep track of the number of minutes each day that you are active. Include short bursts of physical activity – even 10 minutes at a time is beneficial – as well as activities such as stretching and yoga. At the end of the month count the total number of days you were active and calculate your percentage of active days.

Compare yourself from month to month and ask yourself, "Was it a good one?" Or could you increase your physical activity level?

Even 10 minutes is fine

Don't feel up to going to the gym, getting on the treadmill or going for a walk?
Try the 10-minute rule. Do an activity for only 10 minutes, and if after 10 minutes you still want to quit, do so. You might just surprise yourself and find you want to continue. Starting is often the hardest part.

Find a buddy

A friend, co-worker, family member or dog can act as a wonderful motivator. Get together to do something physical, even if it is only once per week. Chances are you will increase your activity level during the rest of the week to ensure you can keep up.

Remember to walk

We all have to walk somewhere every day. What we might not realize is that walking is easy on the body, and it burns calories and builds muscle – no fancy equipment required. People who track their progress and realize the benefits of walking are more likely to stay committed to their walking routine.

Challenge yourself

Enroll in a race, or try a different competitive or fun activity. Setting a competitive goal might be all the motivation you need to stay with your fitness plan.

In other Wellness news, Building Healthy Lifestyles will be offering a Festive Feasts Summer BBQ class on Friday, June 24 from 9 to 11:30 a.m. In the class, you will learn about how to make your own marinades, salads and spice mixes, all the while getting to sample some wonderful recipes. Call 403-388-6654 to register for this free workshop.

This story first appeared in the Legend. To view the Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Maintaining a pain-free environment

trevor.kenney — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 17:21:24 +0000

One aspect of wellness is the ability to perform your duties in an ergonomic environment, free of pain. Unfortunately, there are occasions when we suffer injuries, some of which come as a result of repetitive activities related to our jobs.

Last month, RSI (Repetitive Strain Injuries) Awareness Day took place, bringing to light the musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) that sometimes accompany work-related activity. It is a very serious matter that can severely limit productivity in the workplace. According to Statistics Canada, 2.3 million Canadian adults annually experience an MSD serious enough to limit their normal activities: and the majority of these injuries are caused by work-related activity. Issues such as tendonitis, tenosynovitis and carpal tunnel syndrome are some common examples of MSDs.

Common symptoms of MSDs include aches, pain, burning, numbness, swelling and loss of joint movement and strength in the affected area(s). These symptoms can progress into chronic disorders, after which no amount of physiotherapy or surgery can completely correct.

The good news is that the majority of MSDs are preventable. Contact the Wellness office (403-332-5217) for an ergonomic assessment, or to establish a Get Fit at Work - Stretch and Strengthen session for your team or department.

March is Nutrition Month, and in keeping with this theme, a number of nutrition Lunch and Learns have been scheduled for March and April. We are lucky to have Diane Britton, the
U of L's registered dietitian, on hand to share her experience.

On Tuesday, Mar. 22, Eat Smart, is the title of the Lunch and Learn event. Bring your lunch and learn how a few small changes in food choices can improve your nutrition. Then, on Wednesday, Apr. 13, Digesting the Nutrition Label will be presented. Both events run over the lunch hour, noon to 1 p.m., in Andy's Place (AH100).

Erin Pinder, a registered dietitian with Building Healthy Lifestyles, contributes to a monthly newsletter and her latest submission offers sound advice.

"We all know that we could make some changes to eat healthier," says Pinder. "There are a few fundamental steps you can take to achieve this. Many people in North America rely heavily on pre-made, pre-packaged foods. We are often unaware of where our food actually comes from. Many children are very surprised to find out that our baby-cut carrots grow in the ground! This month, make a special effort to get in touch with nature and local food sources. Often, the closer the food is grown to your home, the fresher and more nutritious it is. If you have children, get them involved by taking them shopping for foods at your local farmer's market, at grocery stores that supply local produce and meats, or by planting a garden this spring."

Wellness Workshop
Stress Busters – Tuesday, Mar. 15 (Noon to 1:30 p.m., Andy's Place AH100)
Join Lynne Hunter-Johnson in learning useful strategies for resilience while experiencing stress.

Suzanne McIntosh is the Wellness co-ordinator at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.
Contact her at suzanne.mcintosh@uleth.ca, wellness@uleth.ca
or 403-332-5217 for more information.

For a look at the March issue of the Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Students deliver program

trevor.kenney — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 17:27:52 +0000

A free Alberta Health Services program, Building Healthy Lifestyles (BHL), recently got some help from a team of ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Health Sciences Nursing students.

Their term project involved raising awareness for the BHL program both on campus and in the greater community, as well as assisting with assorted wellness activities at the U of L that led to the enhanced awareness of the BHL program.

Among other efforts, the group secured more than $1,600 worth of advertising from HUTV, a service that produces advertising in hospital and healthcare facilities in southern Alberta. They also provided information at immunization clinics and independent living facilities, and assisted U of L wellness co-ordinator, Suzanne McIntosh, on several Wellness Lunch and Learn activities.

For a look at the full issue of the December Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.

UNews - Building Healthy Lifestyles

Learning the truth about heart disease

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