Every heartbeat gives us one more moment to live.
Heart attack is the most common cause of death in the world and India. Age, male sex, family history, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, high cholesterol, smoking, excess alcohol, unhealthy eating habits, lack of exercise, stress and others cause blockages in blood vessels that lead to heart attacks and strokes.
Ten ways to protect our hearts.
Diet:
A balanced diet (60% complex carbohydrates, 20-30% protein and 10% fat of total calories) is the best way to fight heart disease. Choose foods rich in vitamins, minerals, fiber and other nutrients such as vegetables, fruits and whole grains, low-fat dairy products, skinless poultry, fish, nuts, non-tropical vegetable oils and nuts.
Reduce your intake of saturated and trans fats, red and processed meats, added sugars, sugary drinks and sodium. Avoid fast food, junk food, fried meat and red meat.
Physical activity:
At least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity physical activity can help reduce it blood pressurecholesterol, blood sugar and body weight. Brisk walking, running, Jogging, swimming, cycling, lifting light to moderate weights, cardio exercises can burn calories, maintain fitness and muscle mass. Yoga, pranayama, will reduce mental stress.
smoke:
Tobacco in any form is harmful. Nicotine causes damage to blood vessels, causing early blockages. Smoking causes the sudden formation of clots that lead to heart attacks and strokes. More people die of heart attacks and strokes before the age of 50 than of cancer. Motivating friends, partners, colleagues, parents to quit smoking is nothing short of life saving.
Healthy weight: BMI
Our caloric intake should balance our physical activity. A small weight loss of 5-10% of your body weight can help improve blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol.
Every 10 kg of weight loss reduces blood pressure by 10 mm Hg. Losing weight helps with better sugar control with fewer medications.
The sound of sleep
One third of our life is spent sleeping. Adults should aim for 7 to 9 hours of uninterrupted sleep. Have a time table for sleeping. Avoid exposure to bright light, electrical gadgets (mobile, laptop, television, ipad after 8 pm). You can improve the quality of your sleep by being physically active during the day, providing a few hours of sunlight every day, Avoiding coffee, tea and brain stimulants after 6 pm.
Stress
Stress is the new cigarette. Animals will have high levels of adrenaline during fear, fight and flight reactions. But we humans think too much and become unnecessarily tense. Too much ambition, unrealistic expectations, rat race, lack of discipline, lack of sportive nature etc. will lead to a hyperadrenergic state. Increased stress increases blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol. Stress causes smoking/alcohol addiction, binge eating, depression, heart attack and stroke.
Find healthy ways to manage stress, such as hobbies, exercise, reading, exercise, travel, music, art, yoga, pranayama, etc. Make time for friends and family, and practice relaxation techniques.
Alcohol
Excessive alcohol can increase blood pressure, reduce the heart’s pumping capacity (cardiomyopathy), irregular heartbeat, sudden cardiac death, stroke, cancer, obesity, suicide, accidents, liver damage, vomiting blood, gastritis, disrupt glucose levels, increase triglycerides and drug interactions.
If you don’t drink, don’t start. Limit alcohol to no more than one drink. No binge drinking.
Blood pressure
Maintain a blood pressure target of less than 140/90 mmHg. Lifestyle modifications, salt restriction, exercise, weight loss along with appropriate medication and dosage to control blood pressure. High blood pressure can lead to heart attacks, strokes, heart failure, kidney failure, blindness, nosebleeds, ruptured arterial aneurysms and dementia, etc.
Blood glucose
Diabetes is a similar heart disease. Tight blood sugar control is important to prevent diabetes-related large and small vessel disease. Lifestyle modification along with appropriate dose titration is required to achieve an appropriate HbA1c goal.
Simple carbohydrates (regular sugar, bread, biscuits, sweets, excess rice, Maidaetc can be reduced. Whole wheat, millet, nuts, vegetables, fiber rich food can be taken.
Cholesterol
Various factors lead to the deposition of cholesterol/plaque in the blood vessels leading to blockage. Cholesterol in the blood comes from diet, (food from animal sources, red meat, egg yolk, ghee, butter etc) and is also produced regularly in the liver. Some people produce more cholesterol due to genetic factors. These patients should start statins or drugs to control cholesterol in order to reach their LDL targets.
Let us have a healthy lifestyle and a healthy heart.
(Author: Dr. Vithal D Bagi, MD General Medicine, DM Cardiology., DNB Cardiology, FSCAI (USA), Senior Consultant and Interventional Cardiologist, Apollo Hospitals, BG Road, Bangalore)
