Heart health useful links

Heart Foundation

www.heartfoundation.org.au

The website of Australia’s peak heart health organisation has a wealth of information about heart conditions – what they are, how to treat them and, most importantly, how to prevent them with exercise and healthy living, including numerous easy recipes, some with video demonstrations.

Heart Foundation Heartmoves

http://heartmoves.heartfoundation.org.au/

Most people know that regular physical activity is good for your health, but you don't have to exercise at a vigorous level to achieve health benefits. To help, the Heart Foundation has developed a low-to-moderate intensity exercise program called Heartmoves, designed for people who are living with health conditions. The program “rollout” is in its early stages and there are a limited number of onsite classes at the moment, but DVDs and video versions are available for home or Shed-based exercise.

Heart Foundation Walking

http://www.heartfoundation.org.au/sites/walking/Pages/default.aspx

This is Australia’s largest network of free community-based walking groups, led by volunteer walk organisers. Heart Foundation Walking makes being active easy, even for those not used to being active, and caters to a variety of fitness levels and needs. The website provides details for existing walking groups in all states, as well as information on how to start a new group.

The Better Health Channel – Heart Health

http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/

A Victorian Government initiative which provides health and medical information intended to improve health and well-being. The website has a range of medical information about heart conditions, as well as a good section on healthy living.

Department of Veterans’ Affairs Heart Health Program

http://www.dva.gov.au/health_and_wellbeing/health_programs/vvcs/services/Pages/heart_health.aspx

This is a free 52-week program run by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs. It aims to help you increase your physical health and well-being through practical exercise, nutrition and lifestyle management support. It includes two physical activity sessions per week that are tailored to meet your needs and 15 health educational seminars.

The program covers a range of topics, including setting healthy goals, eating well, lowering alcohol consumption, communication and stress management, quitting smoking, taking care of your body, solving problems and maintaining a healthy heart.

The program is offered in two formats – the Heart Health Group Program and the Outreach Heart Health Program.

Heart Health Group Program : delivered in groups of between 10 and 15 people. The group meets at a designated gym for weekly activity sessions and educational seminars. Experienced exercise and health professionals provide participants with a structured and supervised fitness training schedule.

Outreach Heart Health Program: Veterans living in rural, remote and outer metropolitan areas can access the Heart Health Program via correspondence.