February is heart month and here are three ways to love your heart.
First, reduce or eliminate ultra-processed foods.
New research from Florida Atlantic University links high intake of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) to a 47% increase in the risk of heart attacks and strokes. The experts from the University suggest that ultra-processed foods should be treated like smoking when it comes to the health risk.
In the U.S. ultra-processed foods make up 60% of adults and 70% of children daily diet. These foods have natural ingredients removed and replaced with altered manufactured ingredients that have little resemblance to the original foods. Research has previously linked ultra-processed foods to increased risk of some types of cancer, metabolic disease, high blood pressure, insulin resistance, inflammation and weight gain. This new research links UPFs to heart disease even when controlling for other factors like smoking or age.
Charles H. Hennekens, M.D., FACPM, FACC, senior author says,
The findings from our study, based on a large, nationally representative sample of 4,787 U.S. adults, show that those with the highest intake of UPFs suffer a statistically significant and clinically important 47% higher risk of cardiovascular disease.
The research analyzed the data from the study of almost 5,000 adults with an average age of 55 and 56% were women. They also accounted for age, sex, race and ethnicity, smoking status, and income to show the link between a high intake of UPFs and the increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
To prevent the risk from ultra-processed foods eat more polyphenols. This includes tea, coffee, berries, nuts, and whole grains. Another study from Kings College London followed 3,100 adults for ten years showed that people who consistently ate polyphenol rich foods had better blood pressure and cholesterol levels and a reduced risk of heart disease.
Second, walk at least 15 minutes a day.
A new study from the University of Sydney shows that consistency matters when it comes to reducing your risk of heart disease. Researchers followed more than 33,000 adults between the ages of 40 and 79 who were taking less than 8000 steps a day and had no history of cardiovascular disease or cancer. They were asked to wear a step-counter for a week to measure steps and how much they walked at one time. The participants were followed for eight years.
The researchers found significant differences from walking for longer than 10 minutes at a time versus less time walking, even if the overall step count was similar. The participants who walked in 10-15 minutes bouts had a 4% risk of a cardiovascular event versus a 13% risk for those walking in shorter increments.
Senior author Professor Emmanuel Stamatakis, Director of the Mackenzie Wearables Research Hub says,
We tend to place all the emphasis on the number of steps or the total amount of walking but neglect the crucial role of patterns, for example ‘how’ walking is done. This study shows that even people who are very physically inactive can maximize their heart health benefit by tweaking their walking patterns to walk for longer at a time, ideally for at least 10-15 minutes, when possible.
Small changes add up, walking for longer, at least 10-15 minutes at one time, can have a significant impact on your health. Especially if you are inactive now. The benefits were the greatest when people switched from being inactive to walking 15 minutes at a time, reducing their risk of cardiovascular disease from 15% to 7%.
Make sure you get your daily 15 minutes!
Third, prevent infections.
More research is linking viral infections to heart disease. Scientists from Finland have shown that heart attacks can be triggered by an infection, suggesting that heart attacks may be an infectious disease. The researchers found bacterial biofilms inside arterial plaques that remain dormant until triggered by viral infections.
Study lead, Professor Pekka Karhunen says,
Bacterial involvement in coronary artery disease has long been suspected, but direct and convincing evidence has been lacking. Our study demonstrated the presence of genetic material — DNA — from several oral bacteria inside atherosclerotic plaques.
The bacteria from the biofilm were observed in many of the cases of heart attack and it is thought that the immune response to the bacteria triggered the inflammation and caused the plaques in the blood vessels to rupture.
This research adds to the ongoing research linking COVID to cardiovascular events and the British Medical Journal recently published Why covid-19 is “a vascular disease masquerading as a respiratory one” says Andy Benest, vascular biologist at the University of Nottingham. He also states, that having high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and pre-existing cardiovascular disease (CVD) all magnify post-covid risk.
The World Heart Organization published COVID-19 and the Heart: New Evidence Highlights Lasting Risks which shows how an infection increases vascular ageing, an increase in coronary plaque progression, and an increase in cardiovascular disease symptoms including chest pain, irregular heart rate and high blood pressure.
Another comprehensive study in Nature, shows how cardiovascular risks are elevated immediately following an infection, but remain elevated for a year post infection.
The best ways to prevent a COVID infection is to wear a mask indoors, improve air filtration in public buildings and keep up to date on vaccinations.
The best way to love your heart is to take care of it. Eat a healthy diet, filled with fruits, vegetables, whole grains and beans. Get regular exercise, aim for 150 minutes or aerobic exercise and two days of strength training. Don’t be sedentary, move more, for at least 10 minutes, during the day. Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep every night and manage stress in healthy ways.
Change your mind, change your health,
Shayla
Eat better, live better and feel better.
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