Positive coping after a heart event

September 2, 2018 Andrew To

Clouds above the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Living with a heart condition can sometimes be worrying and distressing. It can take some time to adjust to what has happened. Everyone’s experience is a very personal one, and we all cope in different ways. However, sometimes individuals can feel overwhelmed and can benefit from professional help to cope and develop strategies to deal with these stresses.

Common feelings after a heart event:

Shocked… Angry… Sad… Relieved… Lucky… Worried… Frightened… loss of control… Motivated… On edge… Helpless…

Physical activity and urban environment

August 6, 2018 Andrew To

The Struggle 2017; Patricia Piccinini @ Queensland Gallery of Modern Art, Aug 2018

Physical activity is one of the most important determinants of our cardiovascular risk, and not being active is responsible for more than 5 million deaths per year worldwide.

Professor Sallis from the University of California, San Diego, published an interesting article in the Lancet in 2016 outlining the importance of our neighbourhoods with different levels of walkability in influencing the amount of physical activity of the people living in those neighbourhoods.

Plant-based diet = healthy?

September 5, 2017 Andrew To

The Midnight Baker @ Dominion Road, Mount Eden

Many believed that simply avoiding meat would constitute a healthy diet. A recent study from the Harvard School of Public health suggests otherwise. Plant-based diet must be of “high quality”, in order to reduce coronary heart disease risk.

Coronary artery disease

August 30, 2015 Andrew To

Source - http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/heartattack/

Coronary artery disease results from the narrowing of the internal diameter of the coronary arteries. The process is called atherosclerosis. This limits the blood supply to heart, so that oxygen supply cannot match the oxygen demand of the heart.

Atherosclerosis

August 30, 2015 Andrew To

Atherosclerosis is the underlying cause of coronary artery disease. This results from the build up of fatty deposits inside the arterial wall over many years. Endothelial inflammation and injury, as well as the plaque buildup with lipids, macrophages, foam cells and collagen play an important part of this process.