Burnley man to star in new healthy heart campaign (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Burnley man to star in new healthy heart campaign

10:00pm Monday 15th June 2009 in

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A BURNLEY man is to star in a new DVD to help people with learning disabilities strengthen their hearts.

Ian Greenwood was asked to feature in the new informative film “live with a healthy heart” which will be distributed across across the country, by the British Heart Foundation.

Ian, 47, was chosen because members of his family have suffered from heart disease, leaving him more at risk from the condition.

He said: “Both my father and grandm-other suffered a heart attack. I have high blood pressure so I’m trying to keep my heart healthy by doing regular exercise and I have also joined a walking group.

“The DVD and booklet are really useful because they helped me to understand how to lead a healthier lifestyle and how important regular exercise and eating the right foods is for my heart health.”

The documentary follows the stories of six people with learning disabilities as they learn to live a healthier life.

Tips include cutting out fatty food and eating more healthy vegetables as well as getting more exercise. Information on how to quit smoking and control blood pressure are also featured in the project.

Cathy Ross, cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation, said the DVD was a great way of getting the message home by using real people and seeing how they turned their lives around.

She said: “The risk of heart disease can be reduced if people have the right knowledge, support and resources.

“Whilst information about heart disease and its risk factors is widely available to the general public it’s not easily accessible for people with learning disabilities.”

Heart disease is the second biggest killer of people with learning disabilities according to statistics and 73per cent of women and 56per cent of men with learning disabilities are obese – one of the major risk factors for heart disease.

To order a free copy of ‘Live with a healthy heart’ go to www.bhf.org.uk/publications or call 0870 600 6566.