How to take care of your heart in cooler months
Dr Ross Walker is a leading integrative cardiologist, endocrinologist and author, specialising in the field of preventative cardiology.
We caught up with expert Dr Ross to find out what we should be doing to keep our hearts healthy through the cooler months.
Why cold weather has an adverse effect on our heart
Cold weather tends to vasoconstrict our arterial system. This can lead to reduced blood flow to certain areas of the body and also has the tendency to raise blood pressure.
The other issue with cold weather is that it reduces the local immunity in the respiratory tract and thus predisposes an individual to a variety of winter related infections such as influenza. A recent study from the University of New South Wales clearly showed that having a yearly flu vaccination over the age of 50 reduced heart attack rate by 30%. Infections, such as influenza can activate the immune system and thus the inflammatory response which is a vital component contributing to all forms of cardiovascular disease.
The best way to eat in winter
It is my opinion that we should be following the same diet throughout the year. The best studied diet is the Mediterranean diet, which has a strong emphasis on healthy natural foods including fruit and vegetables, whole grains, small amounts of meat, fish, chicken, nuts and olive oil. I strongly suggest people minimise their intake of processed package foods along with what I call white death: sugar, white bread, white rice, and potatoes.
The best way to exercise
Especially for people over 50 but even for younger individuals, exercising in the cold, first thing in the morning is not particularly healthy. In all people, exercising in the cold does increase the risk for musculoskeletal injuries. When an older person exercises in the cold, the vasoconstriction of the blood vessels and the rise in blood pressure, especially early in the morning, does predispose for heart attack.
The best time, especially in winter, to exercise is between the hours of 2-6 PM and it is vitally important to warm up correctly before performing any vigorous exercise. The suggested dose of exercise at any time of the year is 3-5 hours per week. Interestingly, the people who exercise more than 5 hours per week tend to lose the health benefits, although they may appear fitter.
Maintaining a good body temperature
The best way to maintain a good body temperature is to clearly avoid extremes of cold and to wear appropriate clothing for the environment.
Taking the right vitamins
Take specific supplements to help prevent infections. These include olive leaf extract, garlic, vitamin C and Echinacea. Maintaining heart health in general may be assisted by a variety of supplements which includes Bergamet Pro plus, Ubiquinol, magnesium Orotate, vitamin K 2 and Ateronon, which is a concentrated form of lacto lycopene.
Related links:
4 ways to reduce stress on your heart
6 signs you could be at risk of a heart attack