Chatelaine_April_May_2019

A SPECIAL INTEREST SECTION BYMEDIAPLANET PERSONALHEALTHNEWS.CA

I

n the 1970s, Dr. David Mymin

had an unorthodox idea. At the

time, the standard for patients

recovering from cardiac events

or surgery was bed rest. But Dr.

Mymin, working at St. Boni-

face Hospital in Winnipeg, MB,

was confi dent that exercise, not

inactivity, was the key to a strong

recovery and a healthier future.

His unique approach blos-

somed into a comprehensive

medical fitness program now

housed in a state-of-the-art med-

ical fi tness facility christened the

Reh-Fit Centre. It will celebrate its

40th anniversary this year. The

Centre is Canada’s premier cardiac

rehabilitation and “prehabilita-

tion” institution and is improving

the health and quality of life of

the community while literally

saving lives. It’s a community hub

where those with cardiac disease

or other chronic conditions, as

well as community members at

large, can become physically fi t in

a welcoming environment with

guidance from health and well-

ness professionals.

Recognized globally

Reh-Fit is Canada’s first med-

ical fi tness facility as certifi ed by

the Medical Fitness Association,

bringing pride to the province by

meeting the highest global stan-

dards for fi tness and wellness. But

Sue Boreskie, Reh-Fit’s CEO, is not

resting on her laurels. “It is a feather

in our cap in terms of recognition,”

she acknowledges, “but we’re

always looking for ways to expand

Reh-Fit’s role in the community

and continue to be innovative.”

Frank Campagna

A Unique, Fitness-Focused

Approach to Heart Health

1

Understand the

importance of activity

Physical activity includes

any body movement that works

your muscles and requires more

energ y t han resting. When we do

regular, moderate, and vigorous

physical activity, it strengthens

the heart muscle. This improves

its ability to pump blood through-

out your body, meaning more

blood fl ows to your muscles, and

oxygen levels in your blood rise.

Capillaries, which are the body’s

tiny blood vessels, also widen.

This allows them to deliver more

oxygen to your body, strength-

ening cells and removing waste.

4

Find a friend

Implementing regu-

lar physical activity

becomes much easier if you get

active with a friend. This kind of

social support helps to reinforce

your motivation while building

your energy and enthusiasm.

John A. Sawdon, Public Education

& Special Projects Director, Cardiac

Health Foundation of Canada

SPONSORED BY

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

E

xercising regularly is a key strategy in preventing

heart disease. It’s an easy lifestyle habit to adopt that

helps to reduce high blood pressure and improve poor

cholesterol levels. If these factors aren’t under control, they

can lead to signifi cant health issues including heart disease,

obesity, heart attacks, and/or strokes.

Unfortunately, only 20 percent of Canadian adults and 10

percent of Canadian children and youth meet the standards

outlined in the Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines. Beginning

to exercise may seem like a daunting task, but it can be easy

to get started with these four simple steps.

Exercise:

The Key to Heart

Health at Any Age

2

Know the basics

There are four types of

physical activity: aer-

obic, muscle strengthening,

bone-strengthening, and stretch-

ing. Aerobic exercise is the best

method to strengthen your heart

as it makes your heart beat faster

than usual, which in turn makes

you breathe harder. Over time,

aerobic activities such as walk-

ing, running, cycling, dancing,

and swimming make your heart

and lungs stronger.

If you have a chronic condi-

tion, like heart disease, ask your

doctor to provide some guidelines

on t he safest, most eff ective for ms

of exercise for your condition.

3

Start small

The Canadian Physical

Activity Guidelines rec-

ommend at least two and a

half hours of moderate to vig-

orous physical activity per

week. While this number may

seem like a lot at fi rst, it can

be accumulated in short inter-

vals like a 10-minute walk after

each meal. If you have not been

active for a while, start at a pace

t hat ’s com for table and g radual ly

increase the intensity and dur-

ation of exercise as your body

adapts.

Photo: Emily Janssens

Photo: Cecilie_Arcurs/Getty Images