February is heart month and this may be a good time to review what your lifestyle is like and where you could possibly make some changes to avoid the onset of heart disease or to manage it if it already exists.
Some of the risk factors that can be changed or managed are:
- High blood pressure (hypertension)
- High blood cholesterol
- Diabetes
- Being overweight
- Excessive alcohol consumption
- Physical inactivity
- Smoking
- Stress
Changing even one of these risk factors will help to reduce the risk of heart disease. The SMILE team at the PCN, along with your family doctor, are two very reliable resources where you can get help to get started. The PCN clinicians are trained in specific areas of healthy living and can work with you on ways to get started and sustain these changes for life.
Visit our website at www.lbdpcn.com and click on the Programs and Services tab for more detailed information.
The PCN offers an Active Living class in April that will be taught by the Exercise Specialist. Get a fresh start to the spring and discover ways to increase your activity level and work through common barriers to getting started. A referral is not required; please call to register at 780-986-6624.
Also in the spring there is a new activity challenge starting up which anyone can take part in. Get Out Get Active (GOGA) can help improve your heart health with increased walking and activity and there are great prizes to be won while doing it. Refer to the website http://getoutgetactivepcn.com for details on the upcoming GOGA challenge. Get the whole family involved in making healthy lifestyle changes for improved heart health for all!!
Corinne Cutler is an Exercise Specialist and member of the SMILE healthcare team at the Leduc Beaumont Devon Primary Care Network.
See you PCN doctor today and discuss a referral to the SMILE team at the PCN.
