Healthy Hearts

They are sobering statistics: heart disease is the leading cause of death among women in Australia with 30 Australian women dying from it every day. Despite this shocking figure, a NSW Newspol survey conducted by the Heart Foundation in 2007 revealed that 72 per cent of interviewees were unaware of just how big a problem heart disease is in Australia. Go Red for Women is the Heart Foundation’s campaign to increase awareness of heart disease among Australian women and educate on prevention measures.

In support of the Heart Foundation and the Go Red for Women campaign, SW asked two professionals for their suggested five steps to ultimate heart health.

Dr Oz

Dr Mehmet Oz, famous from his appearances on The Oprah Show and for his fascinating, straightforward advice on living a healthy life has five tips for a ‘happy, healthy, heart-healthy life’.

1. Go out and play – You are better off being in good shape and fat, than being thin and in bad shape. Don’t starve yourself, but eat well and get moving, doing whatever kind of exercise is fun for you. Go for a bike ride with your spouse, or play basketball with your kids. You'll look and feel better, and your heart will thank you.

2. Watch your waistline – Despite the advice above, where your fat lies is key. Abdominal fat is a risk factor for metabolic syndrome, which dramatically increases the risk of heart disease. So do sit-ups and keep your waist measurement less than 35 inches for women.

3. Have sex – Sexual activity can provide exercise and emotional bonding, perhaps explaining why one study shows that having orgasms at least 100 times a year (that's twice a week) is associated with longevity.

4. Go nuts – Rich in healthy fats, nuts are great to snack on and very filling, so you don't feel compelled to eat as much junk.

5. Relieve the pressure – Emotional stress causes physical stress. Avoid traffic jams, for example, which studies show are associated with heart attacks. Relaxation techniques keep the heart healthy. Yoga and meditation are great, but even simple stress-reduction techniques can work. Try counting to 10 and taking yourself outside the situation, as if just observing it.

Shirley Smith, Psychotherapist and Coach

As Dr Oz mentions, emotional heart health is extremely important and a holistic approach is integral to overall health. Resident SW psychotherapist Shirley Smith sat down for a heart-to-heart in relation to emotional wellbeing.

“Stress is a leading factor in heart disease. A leading cause of stress is keeping the lid on a pressure cooker of unresolved conflicts, emotions and the lid may mask the heartache for a time, but eventually we either blow up or break down.”

Shirley says that unfulfilled dreams, relationship break-ups and unresolved conflicts particularly affect our hearts. Below are Shirley’s five suggestions to resolving upsets.

1. Face – Honestly acknowledge the problem. Drop the defenses and the denial. In order to change anything you have to make it real first.

2. Embrace – Become accountable for beliefs, feelings and behaviours driving the upset. Write down your thoughts, feelings and the meaning you are assigning to them.

3. Erase – Break up the voltage and intensity from the upset by releasing resentments and the feelings attached to them. You may need a professional to help you with this one. The forgiveness process begins once you have done this.

4. Replace – Identify your true needs, wants, desires and especially values. Value-based goals offer the most fulfillment when achieved. Values resonate in the heart. You should be able to put an ‘I AM’ in front of each value.

5. Grace – In a practical sense, grace is combining the power of your intention and letting go into divine timing. That means not being too driven or moving heaven and earth to make things happen. If you are trying to be God then you don’t get to experience that invisible power working for you. Forgiveness completes at this stage.

For more information on the Heart Foundation and the Go Red for Women campaign, please visit www.heartfoundation.org.au. The Go Red for Women campaign holds a number of events to increase awareness of heart disease in women. In particular on 13th June 2008, the Heart Foundation Go Red for Women Breakfast will be held at the Four Seasons in Sydney. The event will be hosted by Channel 10 celebrity fitness trainer Michelle Bridges, and tickets are $90 + GST. For more information on the event email Sharon at sharon.cavill@heartfoundation.org.au