Be Heart Healthy Today !

1.Your heart beats about 100,000 times every day, pumping about 2,000 gallons of blood. Your heart pumps blood through the 10000 km network of blood vessels which is almost 60,000 miles !

2.Did you know that the signs of heart attack are a lot less evident among women?
Research believes that women tend to show other minor symptoms of heart attacks like nausea, shoulder pain, etc. instead of the chest pain more commonly found in males.

3.Your sex life directly impacts your heart health. An active sex life can reduce the risk of heart diseases to half.In fact activity of any sort helps !

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) or Heart disease is the cause of nearly half of all deaths in the world  due to Non Communicable Diseases thus making it the world’s number one killer.

World Heart Day is celebrated every year on the last Sunday of the month of September since the year of its establishment in 2010.
World Heart Day is a global campaign during which individuals, families,communities and governments around the world participate in activities to that promote a more heart friendly lifestyle and to educate people about the risk factors that can put them at risk of CVD.

HOW TO KNOW IF YOUR ARE AT RISK OF HEART DISEASE

1. Check your blood pressure – After the age of 40 a Blood pressure less than 150/90 mm Hg is considered normal.
High blood pressure is the number one risk factor for CVD. It’s called the ‘silent killer’ because it usually has no warning signs or symptoms, and many people don’t realize they have it.
2. Check your blood glucose levels – Blood Glucose fasting levels (>110 mg/100ml) are considered high.
High blood glucose (blood sugar) can be indicative of diabetes. CVD accounts for 60% of all deaths in people with diabetes .If left undiagnosed and untreated, the risk of getting a stroke or Coronary disease will stay high.
3.Body mass Index (BMI)  and Waist/Hip ratio (WHR)
The BMI is defined as the body mass (in Kgs)  divided by the square of the body height (in Meters).A BMI score of more than 25 indicates an increased risk of cardiac disease and other diseases linked to obesity.
A WHR above 0.90 for males and above 0.85 for females is considered an indicator of increased risk of heart disease .

4. Blood Cholesterol Levels – This is done through checking fasting blood samples.High levels of LDL ,VLDL and Triglycerides in your blood implicate a raised risk of Heart disease.

SIMPLE MEASURES THAT CAN DRASTICALLY REDUCE YOUR RISK OF CVD
                                                   

 1. EATING HABITS  :
Cut down on sugary drinks – choose water or unsweetened juices instead.
Whenever you crave sweets, have fresh fruits rather than a sugary dessert.
Try to eat 5 portions (about half a cup each) of fruit and vegetables every day.
Restrict alcohol to one or two drinks in a week.
Try to limit the intake of processed and ready to eat foods because they are mostly high in salt, sugar and fat content.
Pack home-cooked meals for your school and office lunch.

2. EXERCISE
                                                        
              
Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity like walking 5 times a week
Or at least 75 minutes spread throughout the week of vigorous-intensity activity –like playing, running dancing –everything counts as activity as long as it revs up your heart rate and circulation.
Be more active every day – whenever possible take the stairs, walk or cycle instead of driving

Exercise with friends and family – you’ll be more motivated and it’s more fun!

Download an activity tracker app that can help you stay on track.

3. QUIT SMOKING 

                                         
                                           
Promise to say NO to smoking, even moderate smoking is injurious.
Do you know that within 2 years of quitting, the risk of CVD is reduced quite significantly .
And within 15 years of quitting,your heart and lungs become as good as that of a non-smoker.
Exposure to secondhand smoke is also a cause of heart disease in non-smokers .You can improve the health of those around you by quitting smoking (or not starting in the first place).

4. BE PREPARED 

Understand the signs and symptoms of a heart attack from your health care provider because statistics show that more than  70% of all cardiac emergencies  occur in the home in the early morning hours when a family member is present and could help a victim.
When a loved one gets a heart attack, every single minute counts.
                         
                                         

Learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) , so that precious time is not wasted when you suspect a cardiac emergency at home.
Also, giving two Aspirins immediately on suspecting a cardiac emergency can delay or prevent a fatality.

START TODAY 
Join us now, and make a promise to yourself to start taking care of your heart .If you already are following a heart healthy lifestyle, join us in motivating others to adopt healthier lifestyles and give themselves the gift of a healthier and fitter life !