What can I do to look after my heart?

What can I do to look after my heart?

We are living in unprecedented times. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the number one cause of death on earth. Four out of 5 cardiovascular disease deaths are due to heart attacks and stroke. One-third of these deaths occur prematurely in people below 70 years of age. We don’t know what course the pandemic will take in the future but we do know that taking care of our hearts right now is more important than ever.

On the occasion of the world heart day, the theme for this year is to use the heart to beat cardiovascular diseases. Use heart is about using your head, your influence, and your compassion for society, your loved ones, and you. Today I want to remind you that the health of your heart is absolutely in your hand.

Please follow these given 10 steps to make your heart from good to great.

• Managing high blood pressure is important by medication and lifestyle changes.
• Diabetes is a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. Patients with diabetes present a higher risk of developing CVD (angina, myocardial infarction, stroke, peripheral artery disease, and congestive heart failure) compared to the general population.
• Keep your cholesterol levels under control
• Reduce your weight if you are overweight/obese.
• stop smoking
• Avoid or limit alcohol.
• Diet consume more vegetables, fruits, fiber-rich food rather than carbs, salty and fried foods.
• Manage stress by meditation or mindfulness or do your favorite activities.
• Hydration – keep yourself well hydrated but avoid sugary drinks.
• Do regular exercise a minimum of 40 min a day like walking, jogging, running, or aerobics.

Become more aware, show compassion, make the right choices, and influence a loved one so that they make healthy choices.

A small change can make a big difference!