Cardiac Risk Profile

Did you know you can assess how healthy your heart is, as well as your risk for a heart attack? The type of assessment that profiles the heart is called a Cardiac Risk Profile. A simple score sheet is used to evaluate the risk of suffering a heart related incident in the next ten years of an individual's life. The profile includes a questionnaire that takes into account controllable risk factors, such as diet, cholesterol levels, blood pressure and smoking. The profile also factors in uncontrollable risk factors, such as gender, age and genetics. The profile compiles the information given and determines a cardiac risk factor score. The lower the score, the lower your risk for heart disease. On the surface, the Cardiac Risk Profile sounds like a simple way to determine heart disease risk but, as with many other health conditions, there are other factors that may increase your risk of heart disease. For instance, extra abdominal fat increases the risk of heart disease, as does diabetes. Diabetes increases heart attack risk because of high blood sugar levels. The extra glucose in the blood causes blood vessels to thicken and lose their elasticity. One of the biggest contributors to heart disease is lack of exercise. Exercise on a regular basis will lower cholesterol, lower blood pressure, increase circulation, reverse hardening of the arteries, decrease inflammation and contribute to weight loss (which also helps to lower blood sugar levels in diabetics). Research has confirmed that a little exercise (one hour a week) can decrease the risk of heart disease. As always, it is important to make sure you are healthy enough to start an exercise program. The Cardiac Risk Profile is a good way to start.

Thought for the Week: "When your heart speaks, take good notes." ~Judith Campbell

Chiropractic Thought for the Week: "Often when a new patient comes into a chiropractor's office and sees an infant or young child, the initial comment is: "I didn't know you treated children." Upon closer analysis, however, we realize that the spine is subject to stress and strain from the very moment of birth. Childbirth itself is probably the first shock to the spine and nervous system that the infant receives. The chiropractic profession places considerable emphasis on structural balance and has attributed considerable importance to the potential problems which can result from seemingly harmless childhood incidents. Think how many times your child has fallen. The profession has maintained that these childhood accidents can be the beginnings of early spinal degeneration. Chiropractors are trained to use gentle techniques and can use light force instrument adjusting." ------ The Enterprise Bulletin, Canada