Andrew Cate - Healthy Heart for Life

This book is dedicated to the memory of my two grandfathers, Rex Lackey and Jack Cate.

Dedication

Disclaimer

Introduction

Day 1 Identify your risk factors for heart disease

Day 2 Lower your bad cholesterol and increase the good

Day 3 Lower your blood pressure or maintain it at a healthy level

Day 4 Lose and/or maintain a healthy level of body fat (especially around the tummy)

Day 5 Reduce the level of inflammation in your body

Day 6 Include some planned physical activity in your day

Day 7 Eat like you live in a Mediterranean country

Day 8 Consume more virgin olive oil (unheated)

Day 9 Include an abundance of fibrous vegetables in your diet

Day 10 Eat more beans, peas and lentils

Day 11 Include some nuts and seeds in your diet

Day 12 Eat more wholegrains

Day 13 Eat more fish and seafood

Day 14 Drink only moderate amounts of alcohol (and have alcohol-free days)

Day 15 Improve your management of stress

Day 16 Include more incidental movement in your day

Day 17 Eat less saturated fat

Day 18 Dont smoke, and avoid second-hand smoke

Day 19 Eat less trans fats

Day 20 Take good care of your teeth and gums

Day 21 Drink enough water

Day 22 Moderate your salt intake

Day 23 Get your anger under control

Day 24 Get more antioxidants in your diet

Day 25 Get enough sleep

Day 26 Eat more garlic

Day 27 Be in a relationship and work together for improved health

Day 28 Include plenty of fibre in your diet

Day 29 Spend less time watching television

Day 30 Lower the GI of your diet

Day 31 Strengthen your muscles

Day 32 Cut back on sugar

Day 33 Dont blow your health routine on weekends

Day 34 Be wise about your hot drinks

Day 35 Manage your workplace health, especially if you are stressed or desk-bound

Day 36 Make time for relaxation

Day 37 Change the way you eat chocolate

Day 38 Get a dog

Day 39 Choose healthy snack foods in healthy portions

Day 40 Indulge in these extras to your hearts content

Day 41 Know the warning signs of a heart attack and what to do when one occurs

Day 42 Have regular heart checks

Can I continue to inform and motivate you?

About the Author

Other Books by Andrew Cate

Copyright

While this book is intended as a general information resource and all care has been taken in compiling the contents, this book does not take account of individual circumstances and this book is not in any way a substitute for medical advice. It is essential that you always seek qualified medical advice before making any changes in diet, medications or other treatments, especially if you have a pre-existing medical condition. Any quiz included in this book is provided for information purposes only and is not a diagnosis. The author and the publisher cannot be held responsible for any claim or action that may arise from reliance on the information contained in this book.

Something had to be wrong. I was called in to see the headmaster in the middle of class. Being a studious 11-year-old who had never been sent to the headmasters office before, it was a nervous walk. I wondered what I could possibly have done that was so bad. My homework was finished and I always completed my assignments on time. Maybe it was a good thing. Maybe I was in line for an award for outstanding service to the underrated sport of handball? Probably not.

When I arrived at the headmasters office, my brother was there too, and we were told that our parents were about to pick us up at the front of the school. When I saw my mothers face I wished I was in trouble with the headmaster. Something was definitely wrong.

My wonderful grandfather had just died of a heart attack at the tender age of 67. Its the first time I can remember feeling totally empty. My life had been all fun, football and tadpoles up until then. I was desperately sad and there was nothing anyone could do or say to make me feel better. That feeling is something Ill never forget and, sadly, its a feeling that was repeated several years later when my other grandfather died of lung cancer.

These events and feelings ultimately guided me down the path towards pursuing further studies in health science and human movement. I have also taken every opportunity to promote health and wellness as a personal trainer and a writer. If this book can help to prevent, reverse or delay heart disease in just one person, it will all be worth it. If this book helps to prevent or delay the suffering of friends and family who know someone with heart disease, it will all be worth it. I owe it to the memory of my grandfathers.

Heart disease has obviously had a significant impact on my life. Its probably had an impact on your life too, either directly or indirectly. Heart disease prevents millions of people from living a full life.

If you have ever been in any doubt about how serious a problem heart disease is, take a look at these alarming statistics.

• More people than ever are living with heart disease. Its estimated that one in four Australians over the age of 25 has high blood pressure.
• Six million Australians are thought to have high blood cholesterol.
• Heart disease is the leading cause of death globally, and more people die annually from heart disease than from any other cause.
• In industrialised countries, around one in two people will die from heart and blood vessel disease. Many of these deaths are preventable.
• Heart disease kills five times more women than breast cancer.
• Every day, 150 Australians die from cardiovascular disease, and its not just the elderly, with 8000 men and 3000 women under the age of 65 losing their life to heart disease each year.
• Billions of dollars are spent every year on medical devices and drugs to treat heart disease.
• More than 50 per cent of people who die suddenly of a heart attack had no signs or symptoms of heart disease.

Did you read all those statistics? Do you think that it wont happen to you? Thats what my grandfather thought as well. Although a heart attack is sudden, it usually results from a process that takes many years to develop. Whats more, heart disease is not an inevitable result of ageing its largely preventable.

Fortunately its not all doom and gloom. Yes, I know that for all of us our time will be up one day, but it makes a lot of sense to make the journey as long-lasting and enjoyable as possible. And thats what this book is really all about. Healthy Heart for Life is designed to show you practical ways to modify your lifestyle to help you live a long and vibrant life. The tips in this book are easy to follow and are based on scientific research, which means they are proven to be effective.

And its scientific research that helped to design the format of Healthy Heart for Life. You may have noticed the subtitle is The 6-week plan to lower your blood pressure and cholesterol naturally. In 2005, the Journal of the American Dietetic Association reported on a study where people made a significant difference to their heart health within six weeks. After making some simple lifestyle changes, people experienced significant reductions in body fat, cholesterol levels and blood pressure. Doesnt that sound great? After just six weeks, these people were facing a future with a dramatic reduction in the risk of killer illnesses like heart disease, not to mention diabetes and even cancer. The lifestyle changes that took place in this groundbreaking study are the types of change Ill guide you through in this book.