Taking care of their heart’s health is not on most people’s mind – at least not until they run into problems. But when disaster strikes − like a heart attack at middle age − and there is a serious brush with loss of health and perhaps life itself, we realize the importance of keeping our heart healthy. By then it may be too late. It doesn’t have to come this far.
In a way, our bodies are designed to keep us in the dark about our true vulnerabilities. Especially when we are young, we tend to believe we are practically invincible and able to endure all sorts of abuse. We think we can get away with overeating, binge drinking, smoking, drug use, high level stress and sleep deprivation. For a while, that may hold up, but not forever. Over time, our bodies’ natural resilience diminishes and the consequences of our actions begin to show.
Of course, it is a “fact of life” that health problems come with age and growing older inevitably leads to physical decline and deterioration. But when we look at the most common diseases people suffer from today, they often turn out to be lifestyle-related – which means, they would be perfectly preventable.
Take heart disease. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), heart disease remains year after year the No. 1 cause of deaths in America. Over 26 million Americans, roughly 12 percent of the population, have been diagnosed with the disease in 2007 (the latest available data). The vast majority of all cases are lifestyle-related. The leading factors contributing to heart disease are poor eating habits, weight problems, lack of physical exercise, stress, anxiety and sleep deprivation. All of these derive from our behavior, not our nature. The good news is that we can make changes and turn this dismal situation around, if we choose to.
It is never too early to begin a heart-healthy lifestyle
Heart disease is not an illness that occurs suddenly. Heart disease develops over time and mostly by our own doing. In every stage of life, from early childhood on, steps should be taken to protect the heart. They include maintaining a healthy weight range, a wholesome, balanced diet, regular physical exercise, stress reduction, sufficient sleep as well as avoidance of drug and alcohol abuse.
There are also specific concerns and recommendations for different age groups to be considered.
Infants and toddlers
The health needs of infants and toddlers are quite different from other age groups. They undergo phases of rapid growth and use up large amounts of calories, protein, fat and other nutrients. The optimal growth of the brain, nervous system, musculature, bones and other body organs depends on sound nutrition. Brain development, in particular, depends on fat. During the first two years of life, the brain grows faster than any other organ. Limiting fat in an infant’s diet can compromise the healthy development of the brain and the nervous system.
Fat is also a good source of concentrated calorie supply, which is needed for fast body growth. Because the amount of food a little stomach can handle is limited, fat is an important booster. But not all fats are equally beneficial. Preferable are heart healthy plant-based fats from olive, canola and avocado oil.
The nutritional quality of all foods infants and toddlers receive matters greatly. Young children are more vulnerable to pollutants, toxins and chemicals than adults. So-called “empty calories” from nutritionally poor foods should be avoided as much as possible.
Despite the risk of childhood obesity, calorie restriction is not warranted this early in life. This is not the time for dieting and fasting. Parents should not withhold food out of fear to bring up a fat baby. Feeding struggles between adults and babies can cause future problems with eating disorders in later years. This also holds true for the flip side. Pushing babies consistently to eating beyond their natural appetite can set the stage for a lifetime of overeating.
Generally speaking, the nutritional guidelines for infants and toddlers should be focused on growth and development support only. What happens nutritionally at this time in their lives forms the foundation for all that is to come in the way of their human potential.
Parents should be aware they are making an important investment in the health of their children by giving them the nutrition their young bodies require for a healthy start.
Children should be introduced to a vast variety of foods from early on to build their palate and develop their preferences. Wholesome foods, like fresh organic fruits and vegetables, should dominate their diet as soon as possible.
There are many ways to direct children towards healthy eating habits, which will hopefully serve them well for the rest of their lives. Bribery and punishment are not among them. Teaching by good example is a better approach. Young children learn mostly by imitation. If parents and older siblings adhere to healthy eating habits, the younger ones will adopt these more easily.
Children
The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends that children between the age of 3 and 10 should be exposed to a diet that promotes heart health and reduces the risk of chronic diseases in the future. Eating- and lifestyle habits formed during childhood are expected to be more persistent than those developed during adulthood.
Between the ages of 3 and 10, children should be given reduced fat products to minimize animal fat intake. Sources of lean protein, like fish, skinless chicken breast and meats trimmed of fat, are preferable to their fatty counterparts, like burgers, hot dogs and processed lunch meats. Foods with high amounts of sugar or salt as well as fried items should be served as little as possible. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends an upper limit of saturated fat intake of 10 percent of total calories and 300 milligrams cholesterol for children per day.
By contrast, a rich supply of varied fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains should be included in most meals.
Childhood obesity has become a serious health risk factor today, and it is only getting worse. Unhealthy diets combined with sedentary lifestyles continue to foster this trend. Better food choices at home and in schools are necessary to turn the tide. Regular exercise must be a part of every child’s day. Physical education must be brought back and made mandatory for all grade levels. Families should spend more time on sports and outdoor activities than watching TV and playing video games. Parents are not helpless and children don’t have to be victims, if we choose to make the necessary changes.
Teenagers
Teenagers and young adolescents experience many profound changes in their lives, including dramatic growth spurts. Their nutritional needs alter accordingly. In fact, right before puberty, teenagers have the highest nutritional demand since infancy. The bodies of older teenagers and adolescents face the same risk factors for disease as young adults.
Social and lifestyle influences are most significant at this time. Parents find their influence fading as their kids start making their own choices. Teenagers tend to skip family dinners and rather go out with their peers. Frequently, home cooked meals are replaced with fast food and snacks. If fast food restaurants become the primary food source at this age, there is a great risk for nutritional imbalances and deficiencies that can jeopardize healthy growth and development.
This is the time where a lot of risky behavior comes into play. Experimentation with tobacco, drugs and alcohol is not uncommon, which can cause serious and lasting health damages.
Obesity is on the rise at alarming rates in this age group as well. Today’s teenagers and adolescents are facing weight problems in numbers we have never seen before. Diabetes and heart disease are widespread and seem to occur earlier with every generation.
More and more young adults are also diagnosed with atherosclerosis, which is plaque building up inside their arteries. The arterial blockage can begin during childhood and progress throughout adolescence. High levels of blood cholesterol are associated with this disease. Children who have high cholesterol early in life are likely to suffer from cholesterol-related health problems as adults.
Genetic pre-conditions also may factor in. If there is a family history of heart disease, diabetes or high blood pressure, teenagers should be regularly monitored for those diseases.
Young adults
For young adults life can be very stressful. This is the time to lay the foundation for their careers, start a family and so on. Taking care of health issues is often not a priority. Unfortunately, many problems quietly develop and progress during these years and remain unnoticed and untreated for too long.
Especially young adults should pay close attention to their weight, diet, physical fitness, stress level and sleep. Neglecting any of these will eventually come to haunt them.
Women in particular are at risk of gaining weight and developing heart disease. Those who try balancing careers and family life often push themselves too hard – at the expense of their health. Healthy eating, exercise, stress management and sleep hygiene should be placed on the top of their priority list.
Men also fall off the proverbial wagon quite easily. At young adulthood, males are inclined to overestimate their limitations. Many are unaware of their health needs or lack the basic knowledge how to meet those. They may feel invincible now, but the bill eventually will come due. It would be better to be pro-active, while there is time.
Generally, men tend to develop heart disease sooner than women, even when they manage to stay within a healthy weight range. The risk of heart disease increases with weight gain for both sexes. The typical male weight gain pattern is more troublesome, however, because men usually store fat around the belly and the waist, which is where most of the vital organs are located. For this reason, men are more vulnerable to a number of diseases in connection with weight gain, such as atherosclerosis, elevated cholesterol, diabetes, insulin resistance and hypertension. By contrast, females store their fat more likely around the hips and are less prone to suffer similar consequences − until they get older.
Midlife years
Around age 40, most adults begin to contemplate more often their own mortality. This can be a turning point, also known as the proverbial midlife-crisis. During this time, priorities are reexamined and commitments can change in sometimes unforeseeable ways. Boredom, loss, regrets and search for new meaning may come to the forefront.
It is also a time when good health can no longer be taken for granted. Hypertension, diabetes or climbing blood cholesterol may be noted during a routine annual physical.
Some adults encounter for the first time serious health problems, which can impact the rest of their lives.
Regular physical exams and blood cholesterol screening can help identify problems early, so effective treatments can be initiated while there is time. Preventive medical attention can help reduce the likelihood of irreversible heart damage.
At this age, it is especially important to maintain a health-promoting diet as well as regular physical activity. Monitoring calorie and fat intake is a must. So is cutting back on sugar and salt. Alcohol consumption should be kept at moderate levels and smoking should be completely out of the question. There is still plenty of fun left for the middle-age crowd – they just may have to look elsewhere.
Senior years
As we get older, lifestyle changes occur naturally. However, it is important for both physical and mental health to continue a full and active life, even in retirement. Healthy aging means foremost maintaining good health for as long as possible − by eating properly and by staying fit. That includes reducing calorie intake to adjust to changes in the metabolism.
Sports and physical activities should be pursued in an age-appropriate manner. Those who have never run a marathon before should not consider it as a retirement hobby. Accepting one’s own limitations is part of the wisdom gained with age. Efforts to stay healthy should not so much focus on age defiance, but rather on health preservation. There is a difference.
A major concern in the senior years is the heart. Fatal and near-fatal heart attacks are more likely to occur at age 65 and older. The risk factors of heart disease are similar to those of younger people, but the damage can be more severe due to the overall aging process.
For older people who live alone, it can be difficult to maintain a heart healthy diet. Many seniors don’t know how to cook, don’t have the space for a functioning kitchen, or don’t have easy access to quality food outlets. This can be a serious problem. Nutritional deficiencies make the aging process only worse. Relatives, neighbors and friends should keep an eye on older people to keep them from becoming undernourished.
Elder years
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2004, 12 percent (36.3 million) of all Americans were over 65. By the midcentury, people 65 and older will comprise an impressive 21 percent (86.7 million) of the American population. The number of people living over eighty, ninety and even a hundred years is growing dramatically year after year.
Not only physical health, but also mental and emotional health are to be considered when people live that long.
The goal now is to maintain good health in terms of mobility and independence. Staying active and involved in the life of family and community are important. Living in isolation is not healthy at any age, but it is especially devastating for the aging.
The nutritional needs of elder adults can be more difficult to meet. The digestive system has slowed down and nutrient absorption is reduced. Protein, calcium, iron, B-vitamins and a number of trace minerals may need to be increased in the diet to counterbalance the lower absorption. Nutritional supplements, like a daily multivitamin and calcium, will cover many of the gaps and avoid nutritional deficiencies. Extra protein intake with slightly larger portions of fish, lean meats, skinless poultry, beans and legumes can also help.
Care givers must be aware of the different nutritional requirements of elderly people. There is no point in serving up heavy meals or fatty and sugary foods – just because you mean well and want to give grandma or grandpa a special treat. Small and slow is the right approach and it honors the body’s natural path.
