August 30, 2018: Healthy Heart Ideas; Study initiative seeks volunteers.

August 30, 2018: Healthy Heart Ideas;
Study initiative seeks volunteers.

By T. Thibeault.

Is your heart “all aflutter”? If it is, you may be a teenager facing the challenges of young love.

But if you aren’t a teenager in love, and you still recognize that flutter, you may be experiencing atrial fibrillation — an electrical disorder of the heart which affects about 350,000 Canadians. People over the age of 40 have a one-in-four chance of developing atrial fibrillation and could be managing it with drugs. Some patients though, will need better treatment options.

The University of Ottawa Heart Institute is undertaking a research project to study the impact of different levels of exercise training on participants’ heart-health and fitness. This study will help discover new options that could affect the treatment of atrial fibrillation You are cordially invited to play an instrumental part in the success of this project.
Dr. Jennifer Reed and her team are seeking up to 100 Ottawa area residents with persistent or permanent atrial fibrillation to join the study. Subjects will have their health measures taken, complete questionnaires and participate in one-of-two 12-week exercise training programs.

It is hoped that the results of Dr. Reed’s study will lead to:

• important ideas for new treatment strategies,
• ways to alleviate symptom burden, and,
• ways to reduce exercise intolerance in affected patients.

To learn more, or to volunteer for this very worthy project, you can contact the project coordinator, Anna Clarke, B.Sc. at 613-696-7000 ext. 15944, or send an email to aclarke@ottawaheart.ca .

This study may have very little effect on the challenges faced by teenagers in love, but it could make a great and positive difference for some 350,000 Canadians who have left adolescence behind, but still face the challenges of a fluttering heart.

For more info visit: http://ottawaheart.ca .

Photo Caption: Dr. Jennifer Reed of the U of O Heart Institute is hopeful that Newswest readers and their friends, will help populate a heart-health study looking into irregular hearbeat and how exercise may affect its treatment. Photo courtesy of http://OttawaHeart.ca

Web-extra (February 15, 2018): Ten Tips For Managing Stress; Celebrate Heart Month by living healthier, happier.

Web-extra (February 15, 2018): Ten Tips For Managing Stress;
Celebrate Heart Month by living healthier, happier.

P.S.A. from the University of Ottawa Heart Institute.

The one thing we can rely on in the 21st century is stress. Whether happy eustress, or unhappy, distress, we do need some degree of stress to keep us alert and alive. But too much stress can have a damaging effect on our minds and bodies. In a world of constant noises, lights, screens and increasingly intrusive stimuli, stress has an easy entrance into modern lives.

Esther Doucette, social worker in Cardiac Prevention and Rehabilitation at The University of Ottawa Heart Institute offers these 10 tips to reduce stress in day-to-day life:

• Exercise regularly. Exercising at least three to five times a week helps to relax and condition your body and mind.
• Breathe deeply. Take a few deep breaths. Notice how it changes how you feel.
• Be aware of quick fixes. Try to avoid the tendency to consume more alcohol and non-prescribed drugs in stressful times.
• Notice your thoughts. Reflect on how you think about what’s causing you stress. A trusted person or a counsellor can help you see things in a new way.
• Relax the muscles in your body. Stress can make your body tense. Try to relax the areas where you carry the most stress.
• Recognize what you can’t control. Reflect on what you can control, and let go of things beyond your control.
• Take a break. Give yourself permission to nap, listen to music, read, meditate or just have some quiet time.
• Make time for things you enjoy. Set time aside for hobbies or learning something new.
• Avoid exposure to stress. If possible, avoid unnecessary triggers for stress, such as distressing TV shows.
• Evaluate your commitments. Consider how you spend your time and letting go of some committments.

With these tips and mindful awareness of our surroundings and how we are reacting to daily stresses, we can enhance the duration of our lives and our loves.