A Heart Healthy Prescription

According to Padma Shri Awardees, Dr A Marthanda Pillai Indian Medical Association (IMA) and Dr KK Aggarwal Honorary Secretary General IMA and President Heart Care Foundation of India, “The number of heart patients in India can be drastically reduced if every individual lives a healthy and balanced lifestyle and immediately makes necessary lifestyle modifications whenever heart disease symptoms are reported. People often get fooled by misconceptions about heart diseases and hence, it becomes really important to understand the facts associated with your heart. For instance women often continue to believe that they can never suffer from heart disease. However, this is a myth. Similarly, it is often believed that heart disease only happens in those above the age of 55. The reality is that in the present day and age, heart disease is increasingly common in people in the age group of 30-40 years.”

“Heart disease prevention and education must from the very onset because the seeds of heart disease are sown in teenagers and young adults. Over the years, the plaque in the wall of the arteries continues to clog them causing heart attacks and episodes of sudden cardiac arrest. Hypertension, diabetes, and obesity must be kept under check since they all can lead to heart attacks”, he added.

According to reports,more women have died from heart attacks than men in past 30 years. Doctors recommend that everyone regardless of their gender get regular cholesterol level and blood pressure checked as in the case of women,they rarely experience conventional symptoms such as heartache or pain in the chest.

Lifestyle modifications are key for the reversal of CAD. If you have to consume alcohol, drink in moderation. Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol causes raised blood pressure, which is one of the most important risk factors for having a heart attack or a stroke. Increases in your blood pressure can also be caused by weight gain from excessive drinking. Obesity too leads to cardiovascular ailments.

Additionally, the difference between good and bad cholesterol must be understood. While some fat is good for the body, consuming a high-trans-fat diet can cause plaque deposit over the long runA healthy and balanced diet is key for a healthy heart. An over-dependence on junk food, consumption of saturated and trans fats, food containing high salt and sugar levels cause obesity, high cholesterol, hypertension and diabetes, all key risk factors for heart disease. A healthy diet must consist of items, which have low levels of saturated fats, fresh fruits and vegetables.

You should immediately break away from the thinking that ‘exercising is too risky if you have a heart disease’ as doctors recommend regular exercises to people with heart issues. Also, Regular exercise is important to strengthen one’s, heart, lower blood pressure, keep obesity under control, burn off stress, boost your self-esteem and help you sleep better. By regularly exercising for at least 30 minutes three to four times a week, one can keep their heart healthy. Aerobic exercise particularly is beneficial for patients with a tendency to get heart disease.

Heart’s care continues for as long as you live. In addition to this, heart disease can develop again after you have got yourself treated. Many individuals suffer heart attacks twice or thrice in their lives. But the best remedy to totally undo all the damage is by start following a healthy regime that will make you less prone to all the heart casualties.

Formula of 80 to live a healthy life till the age of 80 years

1. Keep your abdominal circumference less than 80cm
2. High blood pressure and its risks, keep the lower reading at 80
3. Keep your blood sugar below 80mg
4. Bad cholesterol levels should be lesser than 80mg
5. Keep the pulse lower than 80 beats per minute
6. Eat a balanced diet and avoid cereals for 80 days in a year
7. Walk 80 minutes a days and brisk walk 80 minutes a week
8. Do not consume alcohol and if you do consume alcohol in moderation, not more than 80 grams in a week for men and two weeks for women