Your Lives – Our Mission - Heart and Stroke Foundation of BC and

Winter 2013
Improving Lives
A n e ws l e tt e r a b o u t l i v i n g a n d c e l e b r ati n g h e a lthi e r l i v e s
Contents
2 RECOVERY
3 HEARTWALK WORKOUT
4 HEALTHY LIVING
5 STAY ACTIVE
6 LIFE-SAVING RESEARCH
7 WALKING CLUBS
8 HEALTH eTOOLS
Your Lives – Our Mission
The Heart and Stroke Foundation’s
new strategic plan is focused
on making an impact across the
continuum of care — preventing
disease, saving lives and promoting
recovery for those living with the
effects of heart disease and stroke.
We will improve the life spans and
health spans of Canadians.
This newsletter was created to
support the health and recovery
of people who have been
affected by heart disease and
stroke. In these pages you will
find information on healthy living,
current research, ways to reduce
your risk, and stories from real
people.
This issue has a theme of “physical
activity” as research shows it is
one of the most effective ways to
recover and lead healthier lives.
Healthy lives,
free of heart
disease and
stroke.
Together we
will make it
happen.
Recovery
Today, Vern and his wife are able
to live their dream and travel
around BC in their motor home.
A Stroke Recovery Journey
“On February 18, 2012, I had a
stroke. The emergency doctor told
my wife and I that there were
two blood clots in my brain, and
treated me with the clot busting
drug tPA. The first two weeks were
touch-and-go.”
Vern Parton – Chase BC
Vern was lucky – he received tPA
within that critical window of four
hours following his stroke. During
his recovery, he had to re-learn to
do everyday things. Once he was
in a wheelchair he started rolling
around, first through the hospital
ward, then the entire hospital
– surprising his doctors with
his determination to recover.
Today, Vern is doing well, he has
learned to walk again and has
his own exercise and strength
(physiotherapy) program at home.
Exercise has been critical in his
recovery. He walks 2 to 3 blocks
daily and works out with light
weights. Those who meet Vern are
surprised to learn he had a stroke.
Says Vern: “I wanted to make a full
recovery and with regular exercise
and determination I even lost 70 lbs.”
Vern met his goal of obtaining
his driver’s license, and traveled
throughout BC this summer. Both
Vern and his wife Pat now look
forward to more motor home
holidays.
More stories at:
healthyheartsandminds.com
Improving the Health of Every Canadian
Family, Every Day
One of our key mission focuses is Promoting Recovery. We’re working to enhance
support — increasing quality of life for survivors, families and caregivers. And we are
increasing survivor risk factor management to prevent further incidents. You expect great
things of us when it comes to your health and your life. We do too. Together we will make
it happen. Learn more at heartandstroke.bc.ca
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IMPROVING LIVES
Physical
Activity
Can Be a
Lifesaver!
Of all the ways people can
change their behaviours to
live healthier, research always
shows that exercise or being
physically active makes one
of the biggest differences in
recovery and in managing
the risk of heart disease
and stroke. Whether you
are someone who has had a
heart attack or stroke or not,
exercise is an important step
to making your health last.
Young and old, this message
is the same.
The Canadian Physical
Activity Guidelines and the
Heart and Stroke Foundation
recommend that people
try for at least 150 minutes
of moderate-to-vigorous
intensity aerobic (increasing
your heart rate) activity per
week, in spans of 10 minutes
or more. By doing so, you
will lower your risk of heart
disease and stroke.
And what does this mean?
Moderate activities
can be brisk walking
or bike riding.
Vigorous intensity is
jogging or cross-country
skiing.
And to get the most benefit,
spread your activity out over
days of the week.
Build up to walking 30 minutes,
5 times a day. Your heart will
thank you for it!
Heartwalk Workout
The HeartWalk Workout
is a special activity program
developed by the Heart and
Stroke Foundation to help
people with cardiovascular
problems begin regular,
healthy physical activity. It has
been approved by healthcare
professionals and is widely used in
Canada. It is as simple as putting
one foot in front of the other!
If you have had heart disease
or a stroke, check with your
family doctor before starting any
physical activity program.
How it works
Weeks 1 & 2:
Walk every second day.
Walk 10 minutes
Set an easy pace the first week,
go a little faster the second week.
•
•
Weeks 3 & 4:
Work out four times a week.
Walk 10 minutes each of the
four days
Set a little faster pace
Speed up and go further the
fourth week.
•
•
•
Weeks 5 & 6:
Work out five times a week.
Walk briskly for 25 to 30
minutes each day
•
When to start
Start off slowly. Follow the
program just as is. At first,
resist the urge to walk longer.
If you overdo it, you may feel
sore and tired afterwards and
get discouraged.
If 10 minutes is too much to start,
walk just five minutes. You may
continue to follow the program
by adding five minutes to your
walking as it progresses. Keep
track of your progress on a
calendar or in a daily journal.
to pump or swing your arms
•Start
•Walk up gentle hills; lean forward
a little when going uphill.
Workout Tips:
Find a walking partner. Keep
each other motivated!
If the weather is too hot or cold,
walk in a mall instead.
If you’ve had open heart surgery
or a heart attack, ask your doctor
about a Healthy Heart Program.
•
•
•
Call Out
Program goal
Build up your exercise tolerance
until you can walk at least 30
minutes, five times a week.
Feeling great? Build up to an hour!
IMPROVING LIVES
3
Healthy LiVING
Tom Makes
His Health Last
10 Easy Ways to Stay
Active This Winter
Many people let their activity programs slide during
the long, cold winter months. But cold weather doesn’t
have to send physical activity into hibernation. Far from
it! Some of the most common excuses you may use on
yourself over the next few months may range from: “It’s
too cold to work out!” to: “It’s the holidays; I’m too busy!”
It’s tough to get active and stay motivated in winter
weather. The best way to stay active is to spend a little
time planning get through the winter months. Try these
helpful tips this winter:
When Tom Stoochnoff felt sharp pains
in his chest on the ski chairlift at Cypress
Bowl in Vancouver, he wrote it off as a
broken rib from a fall earlier that day.
What he didn’t know was that he was
at the beginning of a journey that would
change his view on health, his lifestyle
and life itself.
Tom was overcome by pain in his chest,
and he was taken off the hill in a rescue
sled. In the hospital Emergency Room, he
was shocked to learn that what he had
thought was a broken rib, was actually
a heart attack.
Tom spent the next two weeks in the
hospital recovering, and met his new
doctor, a cardiologist, who became his
most trusted advisor.
The doctor laid out a new diet and
exercise program for Tom, and warned
him, “If you want to stay on as a patient,
you’re going to have to follow these
exactly.” Tom hung on to these words,
seeing the double meaning, and that the
strict instructions were his only lease
to live a longer, healthier life. In that
moment, he committed to the health and
diet changes needed to make his life last.
He began to be more aware of what he
was eating and became an avid walker,
working up to four miles each day.
“At first I made conscious decisions to
include healthier foods and exercise more,
but then it just became part of my day.
If I had not made those choices, I know
I would not be here today.”
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IMPROVING LIVES
1. Use daylight hours. If possible, be active outdoors
while it is daylight. Shorter days mean less sunlight.
If it’s dark, wear bright, reflective clothing. Feeling
safe will help you stick to your new routine.
2. Drink up. Drink water before, during and after
an outdoor workout. Smart tip: carry a thermos with
herbal tea.
3. Insulate your body. The best approach to dressing
for outdoor activity is with layers. Layering provides
an effective way to stay warm and dry and allows
you to remove the top layer if you get too hot
Consider clothing made from polypropylene. Avoid
cotton (if it gets wet, it stays wet). The top layer
should be both wind- and water-resistant.
4. Sign up for activities at your local community
centre. You can choose from a wide variety of classes – from aerobics and badminton to basketball
The best way to stay
active in the winter is
to plan first.
and yoga. Find a local indoor
pool. Try swimming, water
aerobics, or even just walking
or running laps in the water.
5. Walk indoors at a mall. If
you need extra motivation to
get yourself going, join a walking
group. Or start your own with
family and friends.
6. Create a home gym. Set up a
great workout area in your living
room or basement and buy some
inexpensive equipment such as
stretch bands and a stability ball.
7. Climb stairs. Either at home
or in your office, spend as little
as 5 minutes climbing up and
down stairs for a very intense
and efficient workout.
8. Find a fun outdoor activity.
As the seasons change, explore
new outdoor activities like
cross-country skiing and
snow-shoeing.
9. Visit a library. Sign out free
exercise DVDs, including dance,
step, aerobics and Pilates
programs.
10. Keep your clothes on. While
you may want to remove layers
when you go back inside, give
your body 10-15 minutes to
adjust.
Before starting any activity
program, be sure to talk to
your doctor or other healthcare
professional.
This physical activity column
was written by a certified
personal trainer and fitness
instructor and reviewed by
a specialist in kinesiology.
Make Health Last.
Stay Active!
Physical activity is important to
older adults too. In fact, being
active is one of the very best
things older people can do to
keep their bodies – and minds
– healthy. The opposite is also
true. Inactivity is a real health
hazard, both physically and
mentally.
Physical activity builds and
maintains strong muscles and
bones. It keeps the heart and
lungs fit. It limbers up joints to
make movement easier. It keeps
weight down, reduces stress
levels and helps many people
relax and sleep better. The list
of benefits goes on and on.
Here’s something else to think
about: active older adults tend
to maintain their independence
much longer. That’s because
they can more easily perform
basic day-to-day activities like
walking, bending, stretching
and carrying.
Like everyone else, older adults
need to choose activities
that offer a blend of aerobic,
strength-building and flexibility
benefits. Many activities are
especially suitable for older
adults, because they offer solid
health benefits without being
too demanding.
Canadian Physical Activity
Guidelines for Older Adults
recommends that adults aged
65 years and older with poor
mobility perform physical
activities to enhance balance
and prevent falls.
Some popular activities for
older adults include: walking,
gardening, water aerobics,
tai chi, light house work, mall
walking, golfing, bowling and
light weight training.
This article was excerpted
from the Heart and Stroke
Foundation brochure: Getting
active for life. Your guide to an
active lifestyle.
Don’t let winter freeze out your
physical activity. Call to order
your free copy of the Heart and
Stroke Foundation’s Getting
Active for Life pamphlet today.
Infoline 1.888.473.4636
Email [email protected]
IMPROVING LIVES
5
LIFE-SAVING RESEARCH
Researcher
Speaks Out
for Exercise
Dr. Teresa Liu-Ambrose and Dr. Janice Eng are proving
that stroke survivors’ brains also benefit from exercise.
Finding New, Innovative Best
Practices for Faster and More
Effective Recovery From Stroke
Q: Can stroke survivors
receive a brain boost by
doing simple exercise and
recreational programs?
mental rehabilitation, but Dr.
Liu-Ambrose and Dr. Eng believe
there is relationship between
the two.
A: Heart and Stroke Foundation
funded researchers Dr. Teresa
Liu-Ambrose and Dr. Janice Eng
think so, and they’re collecting
the evidence to prove it.
“Exercise is an important part in
the long-term rehabilitation of
stroke survivors, and what we’re
discovering as more of a novel
finding is that it can benefit the
brain components, rather than
just the physical,” says
Dr. Liu-Ambrose.
Using a mix of body and mind
exercise, they’re showing how
physical movements can benefit
both basic brain function and
skills like decision-making,
planning and strategizing.
It’s common for stroke survivors
to suffer from a loss of functions
like thinking and memory, along
with physical damage that
can prevent them from being
active. Both these losses make
it challenging for survivors to
live high-quality, independent
lives. Much of the research
on stroke recovery focuses
on either the physical or the
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IMPROVING LIVES
“Ten years ago when you had a
stroke, you were not encouraged
to be particularly active. The
practice has really changed, and
we need to get the message
out that it is okay to have an
active lifestyle. In fact, it is even
better if you have a more intense
exercise lifestyle after you’ve
had a stroke. The evidence is
showing not only can it improve
your physical function and your
quality of life, we’re also realizing
it can improve your mental
health.” — Dr. Eng.
After a cardiac event like a heart
attack, it can be hard to imagine
going back to your daily activities,
much less beginning an exercise
program. However, exercise training
may be the key to improving your
health. Exercise has many beneficial
effects for those recovering from
cardiovascular disease including
improvements in heart fitness, blood
pressure, blood lipids, joint swelling
factors and body composition (Swift
et al., 2013).
Prior to the 1970s, patients who had
experiences a heart attack were told
not to engage in exercise. Today,
early activity after a heart attack is
advised, with evidence suggesting
that the earlier you begin an exercise
program, the better. A recent
study conducted at the University
of Alberta found that those who
underwent exercise training realized
the greatest benefits when exercise
training began within one week of
the cardiac event and lasted longer
than 3 months (Haykowsky et al., 2011).
In addition to the physical benefits,
the mind benefits of engaging in
an exercise program are vast –
including reducing anxiety and
depression. For these reasons, you
may wish to look at a “Healthy Heart
Program” in your area as part of a
recovery program. You will require a
doctor’s referral. Call our Infoline at
1.888.473.4636 to find a program
in your community.
By: Dr. Scott Lear, Pfizer / Heart
and Stroke Foundation Chair in
Cardiovascular Prevention Science.
MAKING health last
Walking Clubs
Four Heart and Stroke Hearts In Motion™
walking club members shared what it means
to them to belonging to a walking club.
“I enjoy our weekly walks as we can walk at our
own pace in groups.”
Darleen Arnold
New Research,
New Answers in 2014
The Heart and Stroke Foundation is
proud to add 23 new projects to its BC
research roster this year, providing more
than $2 million in funding. Here’s an
example of one of the many questions
our researchers will investigate this year:
Q: Can sensation and movement help
stroke patients walk again?
A: Dr. Paul Zehr has learned that
sensation in the hands and feet can
help patients relearn arm and leg
movement, now he will look at what
type of sensation works best coupled
with research on whether arm and leg
cycling can replace expensive methods
of supported treadmill walking, Dr. Zehr
will help find more effective and less
costly rehabilitative therapies to help
stroke patients recover their ability to
walk.
“Belonging to a support group organized by the
Heart and Stroke Foundation helps, you know
your walks are scheduled at the same time each
week. After hip surgery I needed a gentle exercise
that I could do at my own pace.”
June Halvorson
“The walking club is a good way of getting to
know others. It is also good therapy when
recuperating from surgery.” Yvonne Ramage
“It’s a wonderful feeling to start your day by
walking. You can enjoy good company; walk with
a group or at your own pace. Walking three times
a week, I have my blood pressure within normal
range and controlled my weight with weight loss.”
Margaret Emberton
Contact [email protected] or toll
free at 1-888-473-4636 ext 364 for more
information about Hearts in Motion clubs
in your area, or visit heartandstroke.bc.ca
IMPROVING LIVES
7
TOOLS & RESOURCES
Your Health, Your Weight
Your Health, Your Weight introduces simple steps to making healthier eating
choice including information on active living, body mass index (BMI), fad diets,
healthy eating, smoking and a special section that provides food and activity
tips for children.
This resource is free, you can order at 1.888.473.4636
or [email protected]
Heart&Stroke etools
For a Healthier You
The Heart and Stroke Foundation, is proud to offer you free online eTools
that make heart-healthy choices easier. Start with the My Heart&Stroke Risk
Assessment™ to find out what is putting you at risk. Then, sign up for My Health
eSupport™ app to start living healthier today — and for life.
My Heart&Stroke Risk Assessment™
You can determine your risk for heart disease and stroke by answering
these confidential questions.
Take the Assessment now » ehealth.heartandstroke.ca
My Health eSupport™
You’ll receive regular emails to support and encourage you to achieve
a healthier life.
Sign up now » ehealth.heartandstroke.ca
Improving Lives is a free newsletter published twice
a year. To request more copies, or to share your story
contact us.
To request your own copy of this newsletter, please
call us or email us.
The Heart and Stroke Foundation has a free
Information Line for patients and caregivers that
can answer your general health questions. We
also have many resources focused on recovery
and improving lives available by request through
the Infoline or on our website.
Toll Free InfoLine: 1-888-473-4636
or 604-736-4404
Email: [email protected]
Online: heartandstroke.bc.ca/patient
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IMPROVING LIVES