If you know it, you avoid it. Knowing who the enemy is, learning every aspect of him, is the first rule in order to be able to fight and defeat him. This is always true, but even more so against cardiovascular diseases which remain the number one killer of Italians: every year they cause up to one in 3 deaths. “The ‘mother’ of every prevention project is knowledge, the awareness of how bad habits and risk factors are impactful and harmful to the heart and arteries, but also to the fact that cardiovascular health is built day after day, starting from a very young age”, explain the experts of Siprec (Italian Society for Cardiovascular Prevention), in view of the Italian Day for Cardiovascular Prevention which is celebrated on May 13th. In addition to the most well-known threats to the health of the heart and blood vessels, specialists add others: smog and other forms of pollution, sleep problems, stress, incorrect diets imposed by fashion and social media, which are too often bad and terrible teachers. advisors. Siprec teaches you how to defend yourself with the decalogue of cardiovascular prevention 3.0.
Born on the initiative of Siprec, the day which occurs next Monday in 2024 has reached its fourth edition and has received the Gold Medal from the President of the Republic every year. First commandment, awareness. “If people don’t know that most cardiovascular diseases could be prevented, why should they do prevention?”, asks Siprec president, Massimo Volpe. “Knowledge – he insists – is a formidable weapon of prevention”. This is why, “precisely to contribute to the knowledge of risk factors and how to combat them, on the occasion of the Italian Cardiovascular Prevention Day we are inaugurating the House of Cardiovascular Prevention on the Siprec portal (www.siprec.it): a section that hosts podcasts, videos and texts dedicated to this topic, which will be continuously updated. Because prevention also evolves: not only in content, i.e. in the fight against emerging cardiovascular risk factors, but also in language”.
Let’s start with the contents. “The main risk factors for heart and artery health – recalls Volpe – are high cholesterol, hypertension, cigarette smoking, diabetes, overweight/obesity, sedentary lifestyle. But alongside these, new ones are also emerging , such as pollution, disturbed or insufficient sleep, stress and even food fads and bad advice from social media.” Hence the 10 commandments of cardiologists to protect yourself from cardiovascular diseases by adopting a healthy lifestyle. “In many cases – they specify – it may be sufficient on its own to correct risk factors and to avoid or postpone the use of pharmacological therapies”.
1. The mathematics of health. The starting point for knowing your cardiovascular risk is to ‘measure’ and do it regularly. “The blood pressure values - explains Volpe – can be easily checked at home with an electronic device, perhaps writing them down in a notebook or on your mobile phone to then communicate them to the doctor”. Another fundamental home measurement is that of weight: the scales should also be ‘used’ every morning, while once every 2-3 weeks the waistline should be measured with a tape measure, because the most harmful fat deposits are those that they nest between the abdominal viscera, on the belly (the ideal numbers not to exceed are 94 centimeters for men and 80 for women). “Bad” LDL cholesterol, triglycerides and blood sugar – recommends Volpe – should instead be checked periodically with a blood test starting from the age of 20, or even earlier if there is significant family history; they will then be checked again at different intervals depending on the level of risk”.
2. The ‘one-health’ diet. “What is good for the environment – Volpe points out – is also good for the health of the heart and arteries. The Mediterranean diet, for example, in addition to being by far the best for our health, is also one of the most eco-sustainable” . Green light therefore for fruit, vegetables and legumes, seeds and nuts, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, eggs, fish (especially fatty fish such as blue fish or salmon), white meat. Yellow light tending to red, however, for desserts, red and processed meats, which are also among the most inimical to the health of the planet and should be consumed occasionally and in moderation (maximum red meat 350-500 grams per week). “Stay away from the advice of the so-called ‘meatfluencers’ – warns Siprec – the new (dangerous) social media idols who advocate the carnivorous diet trend”. Salt (threshold 5 grams per day) and sugar should also be consumed in moderation.
3. Watch out for bubbles. If those of sparkling wine or champagne, synonymous with celebration, are welcome (“but even in this case, since it is alcohol, moderation is a must and 100 grams of alcohol per week should not be exceeded”, suggest the experts) However, “soft drinks and sugary drinks should definitely be avoided. A glass every now and then is acceptable, but it must not become a habit. They are ‘liquid calories’, insidious, useless from a nutritional point of view and harmful to the metabolism. “.
4. Cigarette? No thank you. “Tobacco smoking is a danger to the health of the entire organism (it is responsible for half of the avoidable deaths in smokers) and must be avoided – continues Siprec – Also pay attention to those who smoke near you, because even passive smoking causes heart and artery risk”. And for those who cannot free themselves from the ‘blondes’ on their own, today “there are many methods available, both pharmacological (nicotine patches or gum, bupropion, varenicline) and non-pharmacological (psychotherapies) – Volpe points out – proposed by the doctors of anti-inflammatory centres. smoking. Another help in quitting smoking can come from temporarily switching to e-cigs or heated tobacco. But it must only be for a short period because even these methods are not without risks, especially for the lungs.”
5. More sneakers and fewer heels. The fight against sedentary lifestyle also starts with shoes. “It is important to move at least 5 minutes every hour, going around the building, a flight of stairs, a corridor. And this is easier – observe the cardiologists – if you wear a pair of comfortable shoes”. As regards physical activity, “150-300 minutes a week of aerobic activity (walking, running, cycling, cycling, dancing, etc.) should be dedicated to movement, alternating with resistance exercises (with weights, elastic bands, etc. .) 2 times per week”.
6. Protect your sleep. It is not only air pollution that damages the heart and arteries, but also sound and light pollution. “An excess of noise or brightness, not only that which comes from the outside, but also from the screen of tablets and mobile phones – indicate the specialists – can damage the architecture and duration of sleep. And a less than restorative sleep in the long run presents the toll on the cardiovascular system. Poor sleep contributes to weight gain, which in turn can lead to an increase in blood pressure and increase the risk of diabetes and high cholesterol.” Even earplugs and eye masks, promoting a good night’s rest, therefore help to protect heart health. Another important enemy of the heart is Osa (sleep apnea syndrome): almost one in 10 people suffer from it and it increases the risk of all cardiovascular diseases. If your partner snores or stops breathing for several seconds while sleeping, it’s best to get checked out.
7. Erase stress from your life. Stress is bad for the heart and arteries, experts continue. To relax, playing sports or simply going for a walk is very helpful, especially immersed in nature, among the trees or by the sea. Alternatively, especially on rainy days, yoga, pilates and meditation techniques will help complete the ‘relaxation cure’.
8. Simplify and organize. Sometimes drugs are needed to correct risk factors, for example against hypertension, cholesterol or diabetes, and this can create a problem with adherence to therapies. “Especially when there are many pills to take – advises Volpe – combinations of several active ingredients in the same tablet can come in handy. Pill boxes, with dividers for day and time or alarm clocks on the mobile phone, help to remember when to take the tablets in different times of the day”.
9. Don’t miss your vaccination appointment. “Vaccinations against influenza, but also against pneumococcus, Covid-19 and the respiratory syncytial virus” Rsv, “in the elderly population and in frail people help to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases”, assures President Siprec.
10. Navigate in safe waters: Doctor Google is crazy everywhere, but his advice is not always correct. “For your navigation through the waves of cardiovascular risk factors and to discover how to combat them – says Volpe – therefore swim in safe waters, that is, in certified sites such as that of Siprec. In the Home of Prevention section you wil
l find many qualified tips that will help you to loosen up doubts and to learn how to love the heart. Our testimonial, the swimmer and Olympic champion Gregorio (Greg) Paltrinieri, also reminds us of this.”
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