Sherri Dmyterko: News Canada, Information For Life. A recent Leger Marketing Survey has found that Canadians don't seem to be as on top of their health during the festive season. The survey showed that 60% of Canadians exercise less, and 62 % of Canadians admit to making poorer food choices at this time of year. But such holiday activity and indulgence may come at a big price. Dr. Rick Tytus is a Family physician in Hamilton, Ontario.
Dr. Rick Tytus: When we go to parties, what do we do? We make the wrong choices. We have got high blood pressure, we don't make the right food choices, we don't exercise and all this a negative impact on our health.
Sherri Dmyterko: It's estimated that more than five million Canadians are living with high blood pressure. If left unchecked high blood pressure can contribute to an increased risk for heart attack and stroke.
Dr. Rick Tytus: People waking up in the middle of the night or in the early morning hours with severe chest pain, they may think, it may be because of my holiday parting, but people have to realize that waking up in the early morning hours with severe chest pain may be one of the warning signs of a heart attack.
Sherri Dmyterko: Studies have shown that 40% of heart attacks and 50% of strokes happen in the early morning. Sometimes even before people get out of bed, yet 73% of Canadians aren't aware of this early morning risk and 40% wouldn't seek immediate medical attention or call 911 when faced with 5 out of 7 signs of a heart attack or stroke upon waking up. Liz Jewicz of Hamilton knows all too well the importance of understanding those early warning signs.
Liz Jewicz: Had an experience a while ago, where I woke up in the morning with pains in my chest and I thought it was heart burn. I went to work as the day progressed the pain got worse and worse and I just kept thinking it's just heart burn, it's just heart burn but eventually it got to the point where I couldn't take it anymore, so I did go to the hospital and after they went the test, they did tell me it was the heart attack and not heart burn.
Rick Tytus: Lifestyle changes are the cornerstone to treating high blood pressure. If you smoke, stop, if you exercise you should exercise on a daily basis and if you don't have time to go to gym, then you can just go for a walk. Heart healthy food choices are so important. When you are at the party, don't go for the chips, do go for the fried foods, go for the veggies. It's really important if you take blood pressure medication that you take it every single day. In addition, you want to medication that gives you a full 24-hour coverage such as Micardis.
Sherri Dmyterko: Make sure you ask you doctor about the early morning risk period and have your blood pressure checked at each visit. Sherri Dmyterko reporting.
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