As I shoveled the thick, wet snow from my driveway a few days ago, it didn’t take long for me to notice that my breathing, while not labored, was heavier than at rest. It was because of the very nature of the 8-10 inches of snow we received that I actually had to push my snow blower while crossing from the bottom of my driveway to the top. It made me think of the poor souls who have no choice but to use a shovel to clear snow. While the snow blower required some effort from my physically fit body, I know it was going to be a pretty taxing activity for those who only have a shovel to use. Add to that obesity and a sedentary lifestyle, and you have a tragedy in the making.
The American Heart Association urges caution!
The American Heart Association, the world’s leading nonprofit organization focused on heart and brain health for all, recommends being careful when picking up the shovel or even starting the snow blower. Research shows that many people may face an increased risk of heart attack or sudden cardiac arrest after shoveling heavy snow. Snow shoveling and other physical activities can place additional stress on the heart, especially in people who are not used to exercising regularly.
Better health should trump appearance with weight loss!
People often think that losing weight is about changing the way you look, without considering the health consequences that come with being overweight and out of shape. If this is your mindset, you should seriously consider changing it. When you lose weight and increase your fitness level through regular physical activity, you should focus on improving your quality of life. The only thing that seems better is the icing on the cake.
Cold, wintery weather in general can contribute to an increased risk of heart attack. Cold temperatures can increase your blood pressure while constricting your coronary arteries. These two factors, combined with a higher heart rate due to physical exertion, are known to increase the risk of acute cardiac events. There are even studies that show an increased risk of heart attacks among people using automatic snow blowers!
According to Harvard Health, about 100 people – mostly men – die each year during or just after shoveling snow in the United States. Many others are admitted to hospital for chest pain or other heart problems. Think about it: being in your best physical condition can significantly reduce the risk of falling to your death after plowing snow from your sidewalks and driveways. Most heart attacks can be prevented simply by keeping your body in optimal condition.
Also think about it: a sedentary lifestyle combined with the unhealthy food choices that most obese people consume is part of the price you pay for an early funeral.
The correlation between shoveling snow and heart attack is obvious for several reasons.
- Shoveling snow (or perhaps other means of snow removal, including pushing a large snow blower) can increase your heart rate and blood pressure faster and more dramatically than many other types of exercise.
- Shoveling snow requires the use of arm muscles, which for most people is more intense than other exercises.
- Snow removal is carried out in a cold environment. This is important because cold temperatures can cause blood vessels to constrict.
- Many snow shovelers are usually sedentary. This sudden and intense effort could put a strain on a system that is not prepared for it.
How healthy is your cardiovascular condition?
We know that exercise keeps our bodies in good cardiovascular condition. However, if you’re not used to a tough routine and try to do too much too soon, it can disrupt the way your heart pumps blood and oxygen through your system.
When many people are shoveling snow, they may rush to finish it. A sudden effort, such as moving hundreds of pounds of snow after being sedentary for several months, can put a strain on the heart. Unfortunately, tragedies strike too many families every winter due to snow removal.
Cardiovascular disease affects more than 27 million people in the United States and claims more than 600,000 lives each year. An obese person needs a heart that can pump larger amounts of blood, so the size of the chamber (the actual cavity of the heart) becomes larger and the muscle also thickens. Over time, in some people, the heart fails to compensate, and after a while, it begins to lose some of its ability to relax or pump blood to the rest of the body. Both can lead to heart failure. (1)
When we become obese, all that excess weight can put you at risk for coronary heart disease and possibly a heart attack. Losing weight should be the obvious solution, but that doesn’t mean you should try to lose weight too quickly, as this can also make the problem worse. You didn’t gain your excess weight overnight, so don’t think you should lose it overnight. Healthy weight loss is no more than 1 to 2 pounds per week. More quickly, you must be under the supervision of your doctor.
(1) Washington University School of Medicine in Saint Louis