One in three heart attacks is thought to be stress as the main cause. The best anti-stress weapon is physical activity. The French Federation of Cardiology is organizing the Bien Vivre festival on Saturday to show that you can heal your heart and have fun.
There are well-known ways to protect your heart from any cardiovascular accident. The French Federation of Cardiology (FFC) sums them up in a simple equation: “0 + 5 + 30 = the winning trifecta for your heart”, which refers to “0 cigarettes”, “5 fruits and vegetables” and “30 minutes d ‘physical activity’ per day. It remains to be applied and this is where the shoe pinches because sedentary lifestyle and junk food are gaining ground. This is the reason why the FFC decided to organize on Saturday September 6, in Paris, the 1er Living well festival.
The purpose of this event, including why actor is a partner, is very clear: “We want to positively impact prevention,” explains Prof. Claude Le Feuvre, president of the French Federation of Cardiology. Indeed, healthy lifestyle advice is often seen as constraints, and only as constraints. With this festival, we would like people to realize that “living well” one’s health is possible and it can even be enjoyable. “
Cooking class, introduction to Nordic walking …
To succeed in this tour de force and transform prevention into a health walk, the FFC is setting up its “Bien vivre” village on the Place de la République, in Paris. During one day, educational and fun activities will follow one another around three key themes for cardiovascular health: diet, physical activity and stress. Visitors will therefore be able, in the same day, to take cooking lessons, Nordic walking or even learn gardening, and of course benefit from the advice of cardiologists.
If the tone of this FFC festival is above all fun, the stakes are still high. “The rate of infarction in young women has doubled in 15 years,” says Professor Le Feuvre. It is clearly the result of a change in lifestyle. It is urgent to turn the tide! “
Why actor will therefore devote three articles to the Festival du Bien Vivre of the FFC: one on the heart and physical activity (Friday), a second on the heart and food (Saturday) and from today, we are opening the series with a focus on stress management.
1 in 3 heart attacks due to stress
Stress is the body’s natural adaptation to a situation. Deeply linked to our environment and the people around us, this stress can be good or bad. In the world of theater, an actress who is nervous before entering the stage will often say that this stress galvanizes her. Sarah Bernhardt also once said to one of her sisters, “stage fright, don’t worry, it will come with talent. “
But stress can also be very negative and lead to many physical and psychological problems, especially for the heart. On a daily basis, stress can be the cause of an increase in heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate … For example, studies have shown that there is an increased risk of stroke 2 hours after an excess of anger. And it is estimated that a third of heart attacks have stress as the main factor.
Pr Claire Mounier-Veiher, cardiologist at the CHR de Lille and 1st vice-president of the FFC, and Clément Requier, president of the association The Faubourg of know-how tell us more about their methods, and give advice to anyone under stress. You can find these two professionals at the Festival du Bien Vivre.
 Pr Claire Mounier-Veiher, cardiologist at the CHR in Lille. What are the techniques to manage and fight stress? Prof. Claire Mounier-Veiher. Physical activity is the best way. Not only does it help you relax, it also reduces stress-induced weight gain. These are the endurance sports that lend themselves best: dancing, jogging, swimming, cycling. Breathing exercises are also very effective: they consist of inhaling and exhaling strongly for 5 minutes, 3 times a day for a de-stressing effect of 6 hours. The other method is “mindfulness meditation.” »It frees the mind and inhibits the frontal cortex, part of the brain that stores negative thoughts and makes us ruminate over unpleasant events from the past. This meditation consists of concentrating on a pleasant and enriching activity for the mind: reading a book, visiting an exhibition, gardening … “Jtry to visit Do you apply these principles to yourself? Prof. CM-V. Absoutely. I do my breathing exercises every day. In the metro, at the office. I also bought the book “Mindful Meditation”, and I try to visit as many exhibitions as possible. I also discovered relaxing herbal teas. I don’t drink that anymore! On the other hand, I leave the gardening to my husband.
Prof. CM-V. First of all, it is better not to resort to drug treatments, except in cases of acute stress, which can trigger a myocardial infarction. Behavioral methods are gentler and sometimes even more effective in managing stress on a daily basis. Watching your diet well and eating a balanced diet are of course essential. Do not overdo caffeine and avoid diluting it, as the effect of caffeine is much stronger when it is mixed with water. And finally, sleep at least 6 hours a night. |
 Clément Requier, founder and president of the Faubourg des savoir-faire association which offers gardening, sewing and home cooking classes. How can gardening help manage and fight stress? Clement Requier. Quite simply for natural, biological reasons: contact with nature allows you to breathe and therefore soothes body and mind. But it also allows you to get out of stressful activities and classic everyday situations. Gardening is fun! Also rewarding: we make something while feeling directly connected to nature. “I stand in front my plant“ What are you doing to deal with stress? Clement Requier. Lots of sport and as often as possible. This is how I manage to manage all of my professional responsibilities. But I also need to relax in my apartment, which I have transformed into a real haven of peace by arranging plants. When I need to take a step back from a situation, I stand in front of my plant and it helps me think and relax.
Clement Requier. Create a green space in your home even if your space is small. Diversify your activities, turn your daily routine upside down whenever you have the chance. And most importantly, take the time to get it right. Organizing yourself well in your time and in your work allows this. It is enough to have a more positive and more efficient approach in the management of daily tasks, both in the professional field and in the private field. |
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