On World Heart Day and every day - Be Heart Smart

We are living in unprecedented times. We have hopefully come out of the pandemic and now we do know that taking care of our hearts is more important than ever. World Heart Day – 29 Sep - is meant to inform people all over the globe that cardiovascular disease (which includes heart disease and stroke) is the world's number one killer claiming 17.5 million lives every year. The day - created by the World Heart Federation - aims to educate the masses that controlling important risk factors like tobacco use, physical inactivity, and unhealthy diet can help to prevent at least 80% of premature deaths caused by heart disease and stroke. This is the need of the hour in India since the incidence of heart and vascular diseases is high. Additionally, the past Covid infection has directly attacked the heart (to cause heart attacks, cardiomyopathy, and a tendency for blood to clot) and we do not yet know the possible long-term sequelae in the survivors is known.

The theme for 2022 is to use an opportunity for everyone to stop and consider how best to use hearts for humanity, nature, and for yourself. Beating the cardiovascular disease is something that matters to every beating heart. MAKE THE CAMPAIGN YOURS. Prevention and management of CVD globally is our goal for Word Heart Day 2022.

Look after your heart by eating a healthy diet, saying no to tobacco, and getting plenty of exercise.

USE HEART TO LISTEN TO YOUR HEART

Make sure you attend your regular check-ups. And never avoid calling the emergency services if you need to - the medical profession is there for you.

The key message is : Use Heart in all their actions. To think differently, to make the right decisions, act with courage, help others, and to engage with this important cause. It also resonates with the professional heart doctors who dedicate themselves to looking after all ALL OUR HEARTS.

Some Startling Facts about Cardio Vascular Disease (CVD) in India: Every minute, four people die of a heart attack in India and the age group affected is usually 30 to 50 years. It is unfortunate indeed that according to the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study - 25% of heart attack deaths in India occur in people below 40 years of age – this has been unfortunately highlighted in recent times by well-known media and social site personalities being attacked by the disease. The growing burden of CVD in India can be attributed to an increase in the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors like hypertension, diabetes, physical inactivity, tobacco use, obesity, and dyslipidemia. In order to ensure optimum heart health, it is important to deal carefully with the risk factors that predispose us to CVD.

Smoking & Heart Disease

Cigarette smoking is responsible for 10% of all CVD cases. Smoking leads to increased fatty deposits in arteries, increases clotting of blood, has an adverse effect on blood lipid levels; promotes the spasm of coronary arteries, and causes damage to the lining of blood vessels. In addition, Nicotine present in cigarettes raises blood pressure and accelerates heart rate.

High BP & Heart Disease

Constant excess blood pressure on the walls of arteries weakens them and makes them more susceptible to atherosclerosis.

High Cholesterol and Heart Disease

Cholesterol is a fat-like waxy substance that the body uses for building cell walls and for making several essential hormones. Normal levels are essential for health. When the lipid levels are abnormal arteries can get blocked.

Diabetes and Heart Disease

Diabetes predisposes a person to heart disease. The risk of heart disease in diabetic men is 2-3 times more than in non-diabetic men, whereas diabetic women are 3-7 times more prone to heart disease as compared to non-diabetic women.

Diet & Heart Disease

Diet can play a significant role in either protecting or predisposing us to heart disease. It has been seen that a diet high in animal fat and low in fruit and vegetables increases the risk of heart disease. In addition, high consumption of alcohol also has an adverse effect on heart health. Consuming a low-fat diet (rich in fruits, vegetables & whole grains) has a protective effect on the heart over the long term.

Stress

Chronic stress, anxiety, depression, and social isolation increase the risk of developing CVD and are important factors nowadays.

WHAT YOU CAN DO - TAKE ACTION TO PROTECT YOUR HEART

The good news is that it is possible to prevent CVD to a great extent by taking a few simple steps like consuming a healthy diet, quitting smoking, and getting more exercise. Small changes in lifestyle can have a powerful impact on your heart health.

Being in self-quarantine in Covid times did lead people to adopt unhealthy eating habits. Working online from home can have unwanted negative consequences. To avoid stress and exhaustion, make sure you follow a daily schedule and maintain a healthy lifestyle :

• Continue doing exercise, eating a balanced diet, and getting adequate sleep
• Maintain your social network even remotely and communicate with your friends and family on a regular basis – facetime, zoom, WhatsApp video calls, etc are great methods of communication
• Limit the information you consume about heart disease on social media and the time you spend on it, and only trust reliable sources
• Avoid using coping strategies involving alcohol or drugs
• Try and soak in some sunlight on your rooftop, verandah, etc
• Have well naturally lighted rooms

WHO recommends 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity per week. These can be achieved even at home :

• Take short active breaks during the day
• Follow an online exercise class
• Walk, avoid sitting for long periods
• Check your weight regularly, wear your trousers to see if they still fit – one can miss this if one is in lounge/sportswear all the time at home

You can keep your heart charged and maintain good health by following these steps-

1. Make a commitment to your heart health - 30 minutes of physical activity every day helps in preventing heart attack and stroke. Our own Bhangra and Giddha are excellent cardio exercises !

2. Quit Smoking-The ashes you leave behind may be your own

If you quit smoking, your risk of developing CHD will become half within a year and return to normal over time.

3. Make heart-friendly dietary choices- Consume a predominantly vegetarian diet that consists of fresh fruit, vegetables, whole grain products, lentils, and plenty of fiber. Avoid foods like desi ghee (up to a teaspoon a day is OK…in fact it is good for you) and butter that contains excess saturated fats; avoid excess sugar & salt and processed foods (which often contain high levels of salt). You should either avoid alcohol or drink in moderation.

4. Watch your weight- Maintaining a healthy body weight will lower your risk of developing CVD.

5. Regular tests are important- Get your blood pressure, blood glucose levels and cholesterol checked regularly. Abnormal levels can be easily controlled.

If we don't take immediate action, we may be the first generation in the history of mankind to have a longer lifespan than our children.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are of the author and not of the Medical Dialogues. The Editorial/Content team at Medical Dialogues has not contributed to the writing/editing/packaging of this article.