Features
‘Use heart for every heart’
World Heart Day 2022
By Dr.Mohan Jayatilake
Consultant Cardiologist
Former President of Sri Lanka Heart Association
Every year, on September 29th, people all over the world celebrate Heart Day as a way to draw attention to cardiovascular illnesses, their management as well as the worldwide toll they take on society. World Heart Day was created in the year 2000 to inform people around the globe that Heart diseases and Stroke are the world’s leading cause of death, claiming 17.9 million lives every year. According to WHO statistics, 82% of deaths occurring in low and middle-income countries are due to lack of resources.
Together with members of the World Heart Federation, we need to spread the news that at least 80% of premature deaths, from heart disease and stroke, could be avoided if the main risk factors, heavy smoking, unhealthy diet, reduced physical activity, and alcoholism, are controlled.
Increased high blood pressure, increased blood sugar levels, being obese, or overweight, are all side effects of living a bad lifestyle that may harm your heart.
The world was battling the Covid-19 pandemic for the last two years. Unfortunately, patients, with CVD, are more vulnerable and have become high risk groups. Heart patients are susceptible to get a more severe form of Covid-19 infection which could make matters worse.
National activities such as public talks, cardiovascular screening, walks, runs, concerts or sporting events are organised worldwide by members and partners of World Heart Federation.
Global leaders have recognised the urgency to give priority to prevention and control of heart diseases with other non-communicable diseases (NCD) which include cancer, diabetics and chronic lung diseases.
This year also, according to the theme, we ask people to take charge of their home’s heart health by taking steps to reduce the burden of the following risks:
Stop smoking
Stop smoking to improve your own and your children’s heart health.
Cigarette smokers are 2-4 times more prone to get heart disease and strokes, than non-smokers. Stopping smoking dramatically reduces the risk of heart disease, strokes and deaths.
A Few steps for successful cessation
Find your reason – strong motivation will help.
Line up support in advance – medical assistance
Lean on your loved ones
Find new ways to relax/unwind – stress can make a person fall back to smoking. Music, meditation, yoga or any other activity will help to alleviate stress.
Try and try again
– you only need to try again and again to achieve your target, even though you are unsuccessful in your first attempt.
Avoid alcohol and other triggers.
Physical exercise always helps to alleviate stress and avoid triggers of smoking.
Healthy diet at home
Unhealthy diet is at the root of many health issues, especially obesity, diabetics and CVD. Rapid urbanisation, changing lifestyles and easy accessibility of fast foods have made our dietary patterns unhealthy. Following are some healthy food patterns:
Limit saturated and trans fats
Limit salt
Limit sugar
Plenty of fruits and vegetables
At least five portions of fruits and vegetables per day should be a norm of your dietary habits. You should opt for low fat milk and dairy products.
Animal products, mainly beef, pork, poultry with skin, mutton, lard, butter, cheese carry a lot of saturated fat. Trans fats are contained in baked, processed and fried food items, certain margarines and spreads. In order to cut down saturated and trans fats, consume lean meats, poultry without skin, low fat dairy products, fish and nuts. Vegetable oils should be in moderation.
Regular Exercises
It is recommended that adults should do at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity or at least 75 minutes of high intensity physical activity per week.
Families should limit the amount of time spent in front of TV to less than two hours per day.
Exercise should be a regular part of your life. Due to the Covid pandemic, public exercise facilities are closed and most of the time movement of people is restricted. Therefore, home-based exercises were adopted to make exercises an enjoyable task.
Lose Weight
The world is now facing visible epidemic of obesity. It not only adversely affects your cardiovascular health, but also can affect your mental well-being.
The ways to lose weight effectively,
Do not skip meals – it will make you hungrier and go for more snacks.
Plenty of fruits and vegetables
Get active
– exercise burns off excess calories.
Use a smaller plate – eating smaller portions definitely reduces weight.
Do not ban foods
– you can enjoy an occasional treat otherwise you crave them more.
Cut down on alcohol
– it can make you gain weight.
Manage Stress
Psychological health and well-being can affect your cardiovascular health. Regular exercise, practising relaxation, being with your family and friends sometimes, adequate sleep, various hobbies, and maintaining positive attitudes towards life.
Know your numbers
Visit your doctor or healthcare professional.
Know your blood pressure which is one of the risk factors for CVD. Check regularly and take steps to control it including salt intake, exercises and medication.
Know your cholesterol – high cholesterol is another major risk factor for CVD. It should be checked regularly and controlled with dietary measures and medication.
Know your blood sugar – diabetics, conditions with high blood sugar levels multiply CVD risk. Diet control and medication required to control it.
Know your warning signs
Recognising symptoms of CVD can help you survive because earlier the treatment better the chances of survival.
Chest pain of tightening or burning in nature with pain radiating down the upper limbs or to the neck or back associated with sweating and nausea is the typical presentation of heart attacks. Sometimes heart burn or burning tummy pain could be due to a heart attack rather than gastritis or indigestion.
Sudden weakness of limbs, slurring of speech, mouth deviation or double vision could be due to a stroke. Knowing these symptoms and seeking medical assistance allow you to get treatment early and prevent complications which can be life threatening most of the time.
Take your medicine regularly and correctly
If you are already diagnosed with a heart disease or stroke, taking your medication, without fail, will reduce the chances of getting another attack of stroke or heart disease
Measures during pandemic
The Covid-19 pandemic has created havoc, globally. People with CVD fall into very high risk category.
Therefore it is important to,
Continue your medication uninterruptedly
Follow medical advice
Continue exercise and balance diet.
Maintain your social network and
Do not hesitate to take vaccination.
By doing the household steps, mentioned above, you and your family can reduce the burden of heart diseases.
Breastfeeding and lifelong health
Breastfeeding is the best form of nutrition for newborn and infants, according to WHO. Increasing public awareness is important. Infants who are breastfed tend to have lower cholesterol and blood pressure as well as lower rates of overweight and obesity all of which improve cardiac health.
Both undernourished and over nourished, early in life, can increase the risk for developing CVD. Evidence suggests that children who are undernourished while in the uterus and at childbirth bear a higher CVD risk later in life.
Maternal obesity during pregnancy has been associated with obesity in children which also increases the risk of developing CVD in life.
As always, our emphasis will be on improving heart health across all nations in adult male and female, as well as children.
By adopting lifestyle changes, people all over the world can have longer and better lives through the prevention and control of heart disease and strokes.