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COLUMN: Investing in health during heart and stroke month

It's never too early to lower your risk for heart attack and stroke.
OPED-Exercise
A local doctor advises getting 150 minutes of exercise a week to lower risk for heart attack and stroke.

February is the month of the heart. Not just for Valentine's Day but also for heart and stroke awareness month. 

For this week's paper, I had a chance to chat with Dr. Michelle Cunningham, a family physician who practices out of Premier Health in Okotoks. 

In talking with her, I learned some tangible tips for maintaining a healthy heart. 

Eating lots of veggies and lean meats while limiting sugars and starches were her tips. 

I don't know about you but eating well doesn't pose a huge challenge for me because I have some allergies that limit my diet anyway. Exercise is where I have some difficulty. I have a different degree of laziness when it comes to working out. 

Dr. Cunningham told me that everyone should aim to get 150 minutes of exercise a week, even if it's just short, 10-minute walks. 

I know I can do a better job at getting out and getting my feet moving – even just around the block is a great habit to get into. 

Eating a good diet, getting regular exercise and evaluating drinking and smoking habits are key to managing one's risk of heart attack and stroke. 

I'm young, but I figure it's never too late to invest in your health and take stock of the practices that make up your day-to-day life. 

For me, that means going for a walk when I get home from work instead of setting up camp on the couch and refrain from banking up my glasses of wine for Saturday evening... Read my story on page 7 of this week's Western Wheel for more details on this one. 

 

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