Keeping fit for the heart

Red River Coun. Brian McKinnon says busy schedules can often get in the way of exercise, but he does his best to hit the gym on a regular basis.

More people in Northwestern Ontario should follow his lead said Tara Monteith, area manager of the Heart and Stroke Foundation, presiding over a Fit for Heart event at a local gym in support of national heart month.

"Here in Thunder Bay we have very high rates of death by heart disease and stroke. We have about 2,800 people a year that are hospitalized for heart disease and stroke issues. So we are working diligently at trying to find ways to prevent these issues in our community," Monteith said.

"We’re also looking at opportunities to support the people who are suffering and surviving from heart disease."

Getting out of a sedentary routine and into a regular physical activity regimen is one way people can stave off the dangers for a Friday afternoon fundraiser.

"We’re encouraging people to walk the talk, to get involved in being physically active in whatever way they can; maybe take a little look at their nutrition, maybe making some more healthy choices in their eating and actually coming out and having some fun to raise money for the Heart and Stroke Foundation."

McKinnon, who took a turn on the exercise bike to show his support, said it’s not always easy to stick to an exercise plan, but the key is making sure you don’t let it go too long if you happen to slack off.

"I sometimes let myself go, but I get back to it and I feel better. I know my heart rate goes down, I’m able to climb stairs without breathing too hard, so I would encourage everybody to get out and do some kind of exercise," McKinnon said, acknowledging heart and stroke disease is the No. 1 killer of people in Northwestern Ontario.

"It doesn’t have to be hard on your body, just even walking briskly or something of that sort."

Monteith said 59 per cent of people in the region are overweight or obese, including a surprisingly high percentage of children over 12 with high blood pressure.

Also worrying is the fact that 28 per cent of people still smoke daily in Thunder Bay.