Lonodon: Heart diseases have become a major cause of concern in the country but the right treatment and healthy lifestyle can help to keep them at bay.
Modern science, through improved sanitation, vaccination and medical attention, has eliminated the threat of mortality from infectious diseases. This means that lifestyle diseases, such as coronary elements and diabetes, are now the primary cause of deaths.
The situation is quite alarming in India. The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified the country as one of the nations that will have several lifestyle disorders in the near future. Nowadays, not only are lifestyle disorders becoming more common, but they are also affecting younger population, even less than 30 years old. Already considered as the diabetes capital of the world, India now seems to be heading towards becoming the capital of lifestyle diseases.
WHO has predicted that by 2030, India alone will account for 60% of world cardiac patients, nearly four times its share of world population. In the past five years, heart diseases have replaced communicable diseases as number one cause of death in India (about 19%) in both urban rural area, among males and females and across age groups.
Heart diseases are caused due to several factors. Many Indians are predisposed to greater risk of heart diseases because of genetic abnormality. Other risk factors include conditions such as blood pressure and diabetes and life style choices like smoking, physical inactivity, excessive alcohol consumption, and poor diet.
Prevention and cure of cardiovascular diseases are not just a medical necessity but also a social imperative for sustainable growth and development of India. Here are some things you can do right away:
Maintain healthy weight: Reduce your caloric intake and get more exercise.
Quit Smoking: Nicotine constricts blood vessels and forces your heart to work harder. Carbon oxide reduces oxygen in your blood and damages the lining of your blood vessels.
Control blood pressure: Monitor your blood pressure regularly.
Control Cholesterol: Check your Cholesterol regularly. Try to take fewer cholesterol monitoring medications.
Keep diabetes under control: If you have diabetes, monitor your blood sugar level regularly. This will help slowdown the progression of coronary artery disease.
Get Moving: Exercise helps you achieve and maintain a healthy weight and control diabetes, elevated cholesterol level and high blood pressure. Try for 30 – 60 minutes of physical activity most days of the week.Eat healthy food: A heart healthy diet based on fruits, vegetables and whole grains and low in saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium can help to control your weight, blood pressure and cholesterol. Reducing fat and cholesterol in your diet will reduce chances of developing additional blockage in your arteries. One or two serving of fish a week can also help protect your heart.
Manage stress: Avoid stress as much as possible, practice exercise that help in managing stress like muscle relocations, yoga, meditation and deep breathing.
The article has been contributed by:Dr. Dinesh Raj, Director & Chief Interventional Cardiologist, Plexus Institute of Cardiac Sciences, Rajkot.
