Improving Your Heart Health And Quality Of Life
Prevention and Treatment Dr. Jean-Claude Tardif, Director of the Research Centre at the Montreal Heart Institute provides his insight on cardiac rehabilitation.
Mediaplanet How can Canadians decrease their risk of heart disease and stroke?
Dr. Jean-Claude Tardif Canadians can decrease their risk of heart disease and stroke in various ways including stopping smoking, adopting the Mediterranean diet, and exercising regularly and moderately. It is also important to target a heart healthy weight, by measuring their blood pressure and ensuring that it is controlled and by checking their cholesterol profile and asking their physician if it needs to be treated with a medication. Also by measuring their glucose and determining with their physician if they need to be treated for diabetes.
MP Why is rehabilitation so important to a patient’s recovery process?
JCT Rehabilitation is important for a patient's recovery process because it improves quality of life and tolerance to efforts, and because it has multiple beneficial cardiovascular effects including better blood pressure control and better sensitivity to insulin.
MP What are three heart health habits that all Canadians should abide by?
JCT Canadians should abide by the following three heart health habits, stop smoking, adopt the Mediterranean diet, and exercise regularly and moderately.