Resources

Being physically active means:

Engaging in structured exercise

Adding more intentional movements to your daily life

Immediate benefits include:

Improved mood (anxiety and depression)

Increased energy and focus

Improved blood pressure

Improved blood sugar control

Long-term benefits of regular physical activity include:

Reduced risk of heart disease and stroke by 20-30%

Reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 25-60%

Reduced risk of certain cancers

Reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia by 40%

Reduced risk of premature death by 31-50%

Reduced risk of osteoporosis by slowing the rate of bone loss

Physical Activity Targets:

150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous exercise per week in bouts of at least 10 minutes at a time

Sit less and move more throughout the day

Every bit counts! Exercise in bouts shorter than 10 minutes still produces health benefits.

Eating well means:

Giving your body the nutrients it needs to let you move, heal, think, and function properly

Eating a variety of heathy foods every day

• Plenty of fruits and vegetables
• Whole grain foods
• Protein-rich foods

Being mindful of your eating habits

Having regular meals, in the company of others whenever possible

Limiting foods that are high in fat, sodium and sugar

Moderating alcohol consumption

Benefits include:

Improved sense of well-being

Increased energy and focus

Improved ability to fight illness

Improved blood sugar control

Improved blood pressure

Long-term benefits of making nutritious choices include:

Adding one extra serving of fruit or vegetable every day can lower your risk of a cardiac event by 4%.

Eating fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy every day can reduce your systolic blood pressure (top number of your blood pressure reading) by 8-14 mmHg.

Substituting red meat with unsalted nuts, low-fat dairy products, poultry or fish can reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes by 35%.

Eating plant-based meals and replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats can reduce your risk of developing chronic diseases.

Healthy Eating Targets:

Include 5 servings or more of fruits and vegetables in your meal plan, every day

Include whole grains in your meal plan to increase your daily fibre intake

Include beans, peas, lentils, tofu, and other plant-based protein as part of your daily protein sources

Healthy eating is a skill you can learn and pass on to your loved ones. Healthy food can be delicious too!

Becoming tobacco-free means:

Learning to face relapse as a part of the journey

Learning to conquer addiction

Benefits include:

After 8 hours, oxygen levels in your blood start to rise

After 2 days, your sense of taste and smell get sharper

After 6 days, your lung capacity and function improve

After 3-12 weeks, your blood circulation increases

Long-term benefits of staying tobacco-free include:

After 6 months, coughing, congestion and shortness of breath improves

After 1 year, your risk of developing heart disease is cut in half

After 5 years, your risk of stroke is reduced to match the risk of a non-smoker

Add 6 to 10 years to your life expectancy

After 15 years, your risk of heart attack is roughly the same as non-smokers

Tobacco Reduction Targets:

Staying or becoming tobacco-free

Cutting down is a great first step

For many, it takes 30 or more attempts to quit successfully. Each attempt gets you one step closer!

Managing stress means:

Recognizing the stressors in your daily life

Learning and adopting stress management techniques

Giving your body opportunities to move

Giving yourself opportunities to rest

Benefits include:

Improved sense of well-being (anxiety and depression)

Increased energy and focus

Improved ability to fight illness

Improved blood sugar control

Improved blood pressure

Long-term benefits of effectively managing stress include:

reduced risk of high blood pressure, and the progression of plaque in your heart’s arteries, leading to a reduced risk of heart disease and stroke

Reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia

Reduced risk of premature death

Stress Management Target Strategies:

Find ways to reduce or manage your stressors

You may not be able to change the sources of stress in your life, but you can change the ways that you cope with stress:

• Practice relaxation techniques such as mindfulness, meditation, deep breathing, yoga to reduce your physical reactions to stress
• Be more active since regular exercise reduces feelings of stress
• Get more sleep since a lack of sleep increases your body’s response to stress

There are many different ways to manage stress. Try different things and find those that work best for you!

Being Physically Active

• ParticipAction
• Physical Activity Line
• Canadian Association for Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation
• Public Health Agency of Canada

Becoming Smoke-Free

• Heart and Stroke Foundation (search for “smoke free”) or call 1-888-473-4636
• Health Canada or call 1-800-622-0632
• Smokers Help Line or call 1-877-513-5333
• CAMH – Centre for Addiction and Mental Health

Moderating Alcohol

• The Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse 
• Alcohol and Health in Canada: A Summary of Evidence and Guidelines for Low-Risk Drinking
• National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

Healthy Eating

• Cardiac College
• Canada’s Food Guide
• Eat Right Ontario
• Sodium 101
• Dietitian Services at HealthLink BC

Understanding Health Risks

• Prevention in Hand
• Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire for Everyone
• Cancer Care Ontario – My Cancer IQ
• Heart and Stroke Foundation Risk Assessment
• Cardiovascular Risk Profile
• Heart and Stroke Foundation Healthy Weight Action Plan
• Heart Stress Risk

Keep learning and exploring. Ask questions. Learning is good for your health too!