1. Unit 1: Understanding Your Health Presenter

2. Session outline Health- What does it mean to you? Health- Different factors influencing your health Heart disease –the risk factors Lifestyle- reducing your risk factors for heart disease

3. Group work What does health mean to you? What influences your health? Has your view of health changed as you have got older? Do you think the environment in which you live influences your health? Do you think social status influences health? What other influences impact on your health?

4. Major determinants of health

5. Group work What is heart disease? What are the risks factors for heart disease? What are the lifestyle factors that may reduce the risk of heart disease?

6. What is heart disease? Diseases of the heart and blood vessel system within the heart Most common cause is narrowing or blockage of the coronary arteries

7. Heart Disease Risk factors We Cannot Influence Gender Age Family History Race

8. Heart Disease Risk Factors We Can Influence Smoking High Blood Pressure Diabetes High Cholesterol Overweight Lack of physical activity Stress

9. Heart Health Quiz

10. Smoking and Health Largest avoidable cause of ill health One of the main risk factors for heart disease 7,000 people in Ireland die from smoking related diseases each year Smokers lose on average 10-15 years of potential life

11. Smoking Smoking Increases the risk of… Heart Attack Lung cancer Chronic Bronchitis Emphysema Other Cancers

12. Other Effects. Smokers skin wrinkles and ages prematurely Puckering your lips on inhalation gives wrinkles around the mouth Discoloured fingernails Yellowing of teeth Bad breath

13. Why is smoking so harmful to the heart? Affects clotting factors in the blood-  risk of heart attack  carbon monoxide in blood  heart rate and blood pressure  need for oxygen  adrenaline and nor adrenaline  electrical disturbances in heart Affects tone of the blood vessels – constricted vessesls

14. Why is smoking so harmful to the heart?  LDL (bad) cholesterol and reduces HDL (good) cholesterol.  risk of heart attacks and strokes in women using OCP

15. There are 4,200 chemicals in tobacco smoke  Nicotine Addictive drug  Carbon monoxide Car exhaust  Tar Cancer causing substance  Acetone Nail polish remover  Cadium Car battery fluid  Formalin Preserves human tissue  Ammonia Floor/toilet

16. Benefits of Stopping Smoking Improved health Longer and better quality of life Healthier children More money Sense of achievement

17. Changes Your Body Goes Through When You Quit 20 minutes Blood pressure and pulse rate return to normal. Circulation improves in hands & feet, making them warmer. 8 hours Oxygen levels in the blood return to normal and your carbon monoxide level will fall

18. 24 hours The chance of you suffering a heart attack and stroke begin to fall 48 hours Nicotine is no longer detectable in the body. The ability to taste and smell is improved. 72 hours Breathing becomes easier as the bronchial tubes relax. Energy levels increase.

19. It Is Possible To Quit ? Motivation/determination are essential Help is available: HSE: Support groups, one to one counselling National Smokers’ Quitline 1850 201 203 Counselling Other pharmacological aids such as Nicotine Replacement Therapy

20. Passive smoking Breathing in tobacco smoke from the air

21. Effects of passive smoking Causes an increase risk in lung cancer by 25% Causes an increase risk in heart disease by 25%- 30% Doubles the risk of stroke Causes respiratory symptoms – cough, phlegm, shortness of breath, chest colds Increases the frequency of asthma Can cause low birth weight in babies

22. What is Blood Pressure ? The force of blood against the walls of arteries Pressure inside your blood vessels can damage the vessels if it remains high over a period of time The higher the blood pressure the greater risk of stroke, heart attack and heart failure.

23. Blood Pressure readings Normal usually 120/80 Systolic: top reading- heart muscle squeezes out the blood from the heart Diastolic:bottom reading-heart relaxes which allows blood to flow back into heart

24. Blood Pressure Increased by Physical inactivity Overweight Diet high in salt Alcohol Not eating enough fruit and vegetables

25. Physical activity and blood pressure Regular physical activity – can help lower blood pressure by between 4 and 9 mmHG Best type of activity -aerobic (works heart and lungs) such as brisk walking, cycling or dancing Blood pressure rises during weightlifting or weight training exercises so if you have high blood pressure it is best to avoid this type Always check with your GP

26. Stress and heart disease Less healthy behaviours Atherosclerosis Clotting in the arteries High blood pressure Work related stress

27. Alcohol If you drink, keep within sensible limits 21 standards per week for men 14 standards per week for women 1 standard drink (10 grams of alcohol) =One half pint of beer, stout or larger =One small glass of wine =One pub measure of spirits (whiskey, vodka or gin)

28. What triggers or prevents individuals from thinking about changing their behaviour?

29. Stages of change-Prochaska & DiClemente 1992

30. Stages of change Pre-contemplation- Not active & no intention of becoming active in the next six months Contemplation- Not active but thinking about becoming active in the next six months Preparation-Plan to start physical activity in the next 30 days Action- doing regular physical activity regularly but only in the last six months Maintenance-Maintained regular physical activity for more than six months Relapse- transition to an earlier stage

31. Physical activity session ~ Understanding Your Health Mini Plan

32. Questions