Regular physical activity is key to a healthy heart   

The latest statistics from the National Population Health Survey suggest that more than half of all Canadian adults are not getting enough exercise to achieve optimal health benefits. Young people, in particular, lag behind when it comes to regular physical activity.

By not exercising regularly, you have a higher risk of obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke and coronary heart disease. One quarter of all deaths due to heart disease are a direct result of inactivity. Studies show that physical inactivity is on a par with smoking a pack of cigarettes each day.

Some of the benefits of regular physical activity include :

• Improves heart function
• Helps lower bad cholesterol levels
• Helps raise good cholesterol levels
• Helps reduce blood pressure
• Burns calories

Endurance activities help your heart, lungs and circulatory system stay healthy and give you more energy. Thirty minutes of intense exercise three or four times a week is sufficient. If you are uncertain about your health, you should seek medical advice before starting an intensive exercise regimen. However, most people can begin building physical activity into their daily life immediately.

• Add walking to your daily routine
• Take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator
• Find an exercise buddy and meet regularly for a swim or game of tennis
• Get involved in an organized sport

Remember, daily physical activity will significantly improve your health.

For more information about getting active and heart health, visit HealthyOntario.

Steps are being taken to strengthen and restore confidence in our public healthcare system as Health and Long-Term Care Minister George Smitherman presented public hearings on Bill 8, the Commitment to the Future of Medicare Act, 2003 to the Standing Committee.

"These hearings are crucial in enabling the committee to recommend amendments to improve this important legislation,” said Smitherman. "Public hearings give people a chance to voice their opinions and they remind us of the essence of democracy. Our government promised the people of Ontario real, positive change — and we value their contributions to improving medicare.”

Introduced last November, the Commitment to the Future of Medicare Act would make universal, public medicare the law in Ontario and include accountability as a central principle.

The proposed legislation has three components :

• It would create an Ontario Health Quality Council to monitor and report on important healthcare indicators for Ontarians including access to priority health services, health human resources and population health status;
• It would strengthen the prohibition of "two-tier" medicine by proposing amendments to existing Acts that would close legislative loopholes that allow queue-jumping and extra billing;
• It would entrench accountability as a central principle in Ontario's healthcare system by establishing accountability agreements with publicly-funded healthcare providers that sets out performance measures.

"By working to keep our people healthy we are protecting our most precious resource,” Smitherman said.

The public hearings of the Standing Committee opened in Toronto, and end on February 26 in Niagara Falls, with hearings scheduled in Sudbury, Ottawa, and Windsor.

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