In Tick-Tock Shape
Reader's Digest Canada|March 2018

In Tick-Tock Shape

Lisa Bendall
In Tick-Tock Shape

As much as 80 per cent of premature heart disease is preventable by making specific lifestyle choices. Some strategies, such as exercising and managing weight, are well known. But others may not have crossed your mind. “A small change in your everyday routine can potentially have a big impact in the long run,” says preventive cardiologist Dr. Beth Abramson, a spokesperson for the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada.

Get eight hours of sleep

“When you’re not rested, everything that happens in your life is a lot more stressful,” says Dr. Arya Sharma, founder of the Canadian Obesity Network and a professor of medicine at the University of Alberta. If we’re sleep deprived, our bodies also have more difficulty controlling blood pressure, inflammation and glucose levels. These factors can all have an impact on cardiovascular health.

Engage in volunteer work

This story is from the March 2018 edition of Reader's Digest Canada.

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This story is from the March 2018 edition of Reader's Digest Canada.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.