Healthy Lifestyle = Healthy Heart
The heart is the most important organ of our body and also the powerhouse of energy. Our heart is responsible for circulating blood as well as necessary nutrients and energy to every organ in our body. Therefore, a healthy heart is the most important factor for the best quality of life.
It has been found that 30% of hospital admissions and deaths are due to heart disease. According to the WHO, heart disease is on the rise in India and will reach its peak between 2025-30. Another matter of concern in India is that the onset of heart disease is at a younger age in the Indian population. People as young as 35 suffer from heart disease. Hence, we should take care of our hearts.
What is a heart?
The heart is a muscular organ about the size of a fist that pumps blood from the mother’s womb to the last breath of our life. If a person lives for seventy years, his heart beats two and a half billion times without getting tired. The incidence of heart disease has increased due to our changed lifestyle in the last few years. This means, if we understand these changes and how to revert them, we can definitely live a healthy life with a healthy heart.
1. Stress free and positive lifestyle: If we can accept the stress that arises in daily life with a positive mindset, mental health remains good and the risk of a heart attack gets reduced.
2. Balanced diet: Healthy and balanced diet is essential for a healthy heart. We should avoid junk food, excessive sugar, and overeating. However, it is not possible to change the way you eat for years in one single day. It is not possible to stop sugar and carbohydrates all of a sudden. Therefore, it is important to control the amount of these ingredients in your diet and avoid overeating. It is also advisable to consume oil and ghee in moderation. Tobacco and smoking are dangerous for the heart and one should stop it.
3. Regular exercise: For a healthy heart, one should exercise for 30 to 45 minutes daily. This may include walking, running, swimming, cycling, yoga, pranayama, etc. Lack of exercise can be harmful to the heart. You should get your heart checked by a doctor before starting high-intensity interval training(HIIT) or marathon running or competitive sports. Also, such exercises should be done under the supervision of an expert. One must remember that simple and easy modes of exercise regularly for 30 to 45 minutes are enough to keep you away from heart disease and make your heart healthy.
4. Regular check-up: A preventive health check-up of the heart is a must before starting training for intense exercise or marathons or competitive sports. Diabetes and blood pressure should be checked once a year after the age of 30. Anyone with a heart condition at home should have a preventive heart health checkup every year. With regular check-ups, high cholesterol, high BP, diabetes, etc. can be diagnosed at an early stage and can be treated properly. This avoids further complications. Even congenital heart disease can be diagnosed through regular checkups.
5. Positive dietary changes and moderate exercise can bring good results, provided you continue it consistently for a long time. There is no need to start heavy exercise at once or introduce sudden changes in your daily diet like stopping sugar or salt at once. Just introduce marginal changes and ensure consistency. These good habits will soon become part of your lifestyle. This slow but sure shift to a healthy lifestyle will head you towards a healthy heart, and a long happy life.
Dr Rhishikesh Umalkar
DM cardiology (Gold Medalist)
Ganeshaa Heart Care Centre
Trinity Hospital, Nagpur.
M: 85112 72373
