The heart is the most important organ in our body and diseases related to the heart can be fatal. Even during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, heart patients have been considered the most vulnerable to infection. What is more concerning is the increasing number of younger heart patients, who suffer from fatalities due to heart attacks.
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the world’s number one killer, resulting in 18.6 million deaths a year. It has many causes: from smoking, diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity, to air pollution, and less common conditions such as Chagas disease and cardiac amyloidosis. Thus, harnessing the power of digital health to improve awareness, prevention and management of CVD globally is our goal for World Heart Day 2021.
Therefore, to acknowledge the concerns related to heart health, which we usually ignore, every year on 29th September, World Heart Day is observed, to make people aware of heart complications and how they can be prevented. This year, the message to the world on the occasion of World Heart Day is “Use Heart To Connect”. The day was first established by the World Heart Federation (WHF) in association with the World Health Organization (WHO), in the year 1999.
Who Is Likely To Have CVD?
Several factors define your chances of developing heart disease, including age and heredity. Here are some other risk factors:
- Smoking
- Obesity
- Stress
- High blood pressure
- High blood cholesterol
- Diabetes
- Family history
- Sedentary lifestyle
- Excessive alcohol intake
- Unhealthy food habits, etc.
How To Prevent?
Doctors and experts believe that if a person experiences any symptoms related to heart, breathlessness, or any unusual symptoms, he/she must immediately consult a doctor. Apart from this, regular health check-ups are also very important. Because if heart diseases are diagnosed at an early stage, there are higher chances of its treatment and recovery.
Imbalanced diet, lack of exercise or physical activity and an unhealthy lifestyle are considered to be responsible for heart problems. Here are some tips to keep your heart healthy and prevent heart diseases.
- Adopt a healthy lifestyle and maintain a proper routine.
- Consumed a balanced and nutritious diet. Avoid excess oily and spicy food, because high-fat food increases the level of bad cholesterol in the body. Cholesterol accumulates in the arteries in the heart and creates blockages.
- Consume a protein and fiber-rich diet in the morning and avoid eating anything after 6 or 7 pm, in the evening.
- It is important to consume fresh, seasonal fruits every day to have a healthy heart.
- Do not skip an exercise routine. Cardio exercise is considered better for heart health. Brisk walk for 40min every day is considered good. Apart from this, exercises like swimming, jumping rope, running, and cycling are also beneficial.
Also Read: Eat Chocolate Once A Week To Keep Your Heart Healthy
