The World Heart Federation (WHF) is a global health organization based in Geneva, Switzerland which focuses on encouraging the general public and governments to pay heed to improving and preserving cardiovascular health. This initiative however holds special significance for India, as we are 2-4 times more likely to get affected by cardiovascular disease (CVD) due to our unique genetic makeup. Making sensible and long-lasting changes to our daily lifestyle is a definitive way to prevent CVD.
The Importance Of Celebrating World Heart Day
South East Asia has a high disease burden when it comes to dealing with CVD- a little less than a million deaths occur annually, which can place significant stress on the healthcare apparatus of the country, and cause loss of life and income for many families in rural areas especially. The age group of 30-70 years is the most affected and the numbers are higher if these individuals have comorbidities like diabetes or hypertension. The theme for this year is ‘Use Heart for Action’, and this means we can all take proactive measures to better heart health, and ask health ministries to make necessary policy changes concerning research and implementation, while also encouraging healthcare professionals to take an active part in this whole set-up.
Celebrating World Heart Day in India means trying to educate the populace about heart health and some measures have already been systematically taken in this regard- like trying to reduce the amounts of trans-fats containing products in the market, making better care available for diabetes and hypertension a priority and educating people about the dangers of excessive consumption of salt in their diet.
Heart-Friendly Practices For Your Perusal
Since CVD is mostly preventable and is highly dependent on our lifestyle, it makes sense to be prepared. Let us look at some ways that genuinely work and help in reducing CVD disease burden on a national scale-
● Eating the right kinds of food- fresh fruits, vegetables, grains, and other constituents as part of a balanced diet can help the best.
● Physical activity of any kind is a good addition to your day- go for a long walk in the park, a nice swim in a pool, or a run or dance away your woes. Whatever you choose to do, just don’t sit tight. That’s all.
● Keep an eye on how much salt you consume in a day- as sodium content should always be on the lower side. Sodium is not found only in salt but in almost everything we eat, and the amounts tend to build up throughout the day. Too much consumption over a long time can cause hypertension.
Don’t drink too much and stop smoking if possible. This will help your arteries profoundly.
Don’t drink too much and stop smoking if possible. This will help your arteries profoundly.
● Get yearly health assessments done for you and your loved ones. This will give you some values to work with- like cholesterol levels, triglycerides, lipids of different kinds, hormones, protein metabolism, etc. If some levels seem high, then talk to your doctor about what can be done.
● Maintaining mental fitness is as important as physical health, so come up with ways to manage stress and make getting quality sleep a priority.
Regular health assessments also provide a way for preventive care to take over when needed.
Regular health assessments also provide a way for preventive care to take over when needed.
Conclusion
Heart health is very important as all of our organ systems are heavily dependent on it. Taking good care of your heart can translate to better kidney, gut and brain health too. Being mindful of what you eat and drink, how much you move and sleep properly can greatly help reduce the pressure on your heart. So, let us make a pact- heart health translates to better overall health. Amen.
FAQs
1) How important is World Heart Day?
It helps us understand more about heart disease and preventive measures. It also tells us to make healthier choices in our daily routine. This is a great platform to stress the very much preventable nature of CVD too.
2) How can I make sure my heart health remains on good terms?
A good diet, some exercise, low sodium consumption, and sleeping well are daily routine-related measures you can take. Also, make annual health assessments a priority. If your health parameters are good, you can continue doing whatever you have been doing all these days, but any abnormal values can serve as a wake-up call of sorts, which is still a good thing, right?
3) Who organizes World Heart Day?
The World Heart Federation organizes various events on this day. This year it is planning on lighting many world monuments red in colour, and spreading awareness among the masses.
4) What are the risk factors for heart disease?
Comorbidities like diabetes, hypertension, chronic stress, or obesity can all be risk factors for CVD.
5) Why is World Heart Day celebrated on 29 September every year?
The WHO and the WHF jointly decided to hold the celebrations on 29 September, and this has become an annual occurrence from 2011. It was however first celebrated on the last Sunday of September for a few years. Whatever the day, the message remains the same- heart health is important, so do something concrete about it.