These 4 things can improve your heart health in 60-minutes!

September 29 is the World Heart Day.

Do you take a one-hour lunch break? If you don’t, you should start. With statistical evidences showing 1 in 5 workers don’t take a lunch break and that more than 60% employees eat lunch at their desk, the trend could be doing more harm than good to their health. This holds true as the rising cases of heart diseases in India are attributed to unhealthy eating habits and a sedentary lifestyle.

Since most of us spend around 9 hours a day at our workplace, utilizing this time to improve our health is not a bad idea! To start with it, the most effective and important measure is to convert your lunch-breaks into a heart-healthy one hour. Here are few tips on how you can go about it and improve your heart health in simple yet effective way.

Never eat lunch at your desk

Currently, most jobs involve desk work or sitting long hours in front of the computer, which is not good for health. This is because, sitting for long hours might increase the risk of various health problems such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes and obesity. Standing or actively moving, triggers biochemical processes in the body which helps in the breakdown of fats and sugars, thereby aiding in energy production. Hence if you have the habit of lunching at your desk, change it immediately. You can instead, have your meals at your office canteen. By doing so, the muscles in your body  are stimulated and blood circulation also improves. Hence, the risk of health complications associated with long-hours of sitting are lowered and your lunch-breaks become healthy ones. 

Go for a walk after lunch

While most of us eat our lunch and immediately start working, experts say that it is not a good move. The main aim behind taking one hour lunch break is that you can utilize this time in a more productive way, such as going for a five-minute walk — be it in your office premises or around the office itself. When walk the exposure to some fresh air not only makes you feel fresh but also helps you burn calories, improves digestion and relaxes your mind. Apart from that, it also improves your overall productivity at work and helps lower your risk of lifestyle diseases such as obesity and heart disease.

Chat with your colleagues

Instead of checking your Facebook updates have a chat with your colleagues during your lunch-breaks. Interaction, laughing, joking and sharing thoughts with your colleagues not only relieves stress but also improves blood circulation and brain activity. Spending quality time with your office buddies during your lunch breaks is far more effective in lowering work related stress.  

Take a power nap 

In case you feel stressed or are unable to go for a walk, take a quick power nap during your lunch-break. A 10-minute nap can work wonders on your overall well-being, in addition to boosting your mental activity and eliminating stress. The additional health benefits include lowering eye strain, relaxing you physically and mentally and improving your heart health by reducing stress levels in the body.

Try to follow at least one of these simple yet effective tactics to convert your lunch-breaks into heart-healthy ones. Eat healthy, stay hearty and live happily!

Image Source: Getty Images

You may also like to read:

• Is over-exercising bad for the heart?


• Do your heart a favour, get some sleep!


• Suffering from heart disease? Here are foods you should avoid

For more articles on heart disease, visit our heart disease section. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for all the latest updates! For daily free health tips, sign up for our newsletter. And for health-related queries, visit our Questions and Answers section.

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Heart-healthy recipe — tomato and cinnamon soup

Soups make for good appetizers and also pack in various nutrients in one bowl. Make this quick tomato and cinnamon soup before your main meals. Here’s the recipe. 

Ingredients

• 3 tomatoes                                          


• 2 cloves garlic                                    


• 1 onion                                               


• ½ tsp cinnamon powder


• ½ tsp coarsely grounded pepper


• 4 full walnuts

 Method

Chop all vegetables and add water, garlic, walnuts  and boil.
Grind and sieve.
In the same water add pepper, cinnamon and boil before serving.

Image source: Wikimedia Commons

You may also like to read:

• Healthy recipe: Pumpkin Raita


• Healthy recipe: Italian bean soup


• Navratri Special Recipe: Navratan kurma

For more articles on world heart day, visit our world heart day section. Follow us on Facebook andTwitter for all the latest updates! For daily free health tips, sign up for ournewsletter. And to join discussions on health topics of your choice, visit our Questions and Answers section.

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Heart-healthy recipe — barley (jau) roti

Switch from wheat rotis to barely ones which are more nutritious and have a distinct taste too. If you cannot eat them every day, make sure you have them once a week and reap in their benefits. 

Ingredients

• 100g barley (jau) atta


• ½ chilli paste


• ½ cup chopped coriander


• Salt to taste

Method

Take water in a vessel put it on a medium flame.
As it starts boiling, add barley atta, chilli paste and coriander, and leave it for 2 to 3 minutes. Do not stir.
Take it off the flame. Stir with a wooden spoon so that lumps are not formed.
After it is mixed well, cool for five minutes and transfer it to a flat plate.
Knead well.
Roll it into rotis just like thin wheat rotis.
Apply ¼ tsp ghee if desired.

Photo source: Wikimedia Commons 

You may also like to read:

• Healthy recipe: Organic almond and broccoli soup


• Healthy recipe: Italian bean soup


• Navratri Special Recipe: Minted fruit kebabs

For more articles on world heart day, visit our world heart day section. Follow us on Facebook andTwitter for all the latest updates! For daily free health tips, sign up for ournewsletter. And to join discussions on health topics of your choice, visit our Questions and Answers section.

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Heart-healthy recipe — grilled vegetables with walnut sauce

Vegetables pack in a healthy punch of nutrients and vitamins in your diet. The addition of walnut sauce with it makes for a yummy salad. Here’s the recipe. 

Ingredients

For grilled vegetables: 

• 1/2 kg assorted vegetables – broccoli florets, zucchini, and bell peppers (red and yellow)


• 1 tbsp lemon juice


•  Salt and pepper for seasoning


• A few drops of olive oil

For the walnut sauce

• 100g roasted walnuts


• 1 tbsp garlic paste


• 1 tbsp chopped parsley/oregano


• 1 tbsp olive oil


•  2 tsp lemon juice roasted sesame seeds to garnish

Method

Cut vegetables into wedges, brush with lemon juice and add a few drops of olive oil and seasoning.
Grill until vegetables are tender.
Garnish with sesame seeds.
To prepare walnut sauce, grind walnuts, garlic and herbs together.
Gradually add the oil and lemon juice.
Season well and serve with grilled vegetables.

Image source: Wikimedia Commons

You may also like to read:

• Navratri Special Recipe: Methi paratha with sweet potatoes


• Healthy recipe: Organic almond and broccoli soup


• Healthy recipe: Smoked chicken biryani

For more articles on world heart day, visit our world heart day section. Follow us on Facebook andTwitter for all the latest updates! For daily free health tips, sign up for our newsletter. And to join discussions on health topics of your choice, visit our Questions and Answers section.

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Heart-healthy recipe — basil pesto

Make bland food interesting by making a yummy basil pesto which can be had as a dip or simply mixed with dishes. Here’s how to make it. 

Ingredients

• 100g basil


• 50g walnuts, lightly toasted


• 2 cloves of garlic


• Salt and pepper 


• 40g parmesan, grated

Method

Put everything except the oil and cheese in a food processor and blend to a coarse puree.  
Add half the oil and the parmesan and blend again for a few seconds.
Transfer the pesto to a jug or a bowl and stir in the rest of the oil, or as much of it as you think is the pesto needs. Different dishes need their accompanying pesto at different consistencies.
Store the pesto thick and dilute with olive oil when and as you wish. Keep a thin film of olive oil on top of the stored pesto to help preserve the colour.
For basil pesto dressing, simply take a few spoons of pesto, dilute it to a pouring consistency with olive oil, and then add some lemon juice to taste.

Image source: Wikimedia Commons

You may also like to read:

• Healthy recipe: Apple cucumber smoothie


• Healthy recipe: Italian bean soup


• Navratri Special Recipe: Minted fruit kebabs

For more articles on world heart day, visit our world heart day section. Follow us on Facebook andTwitter for all the latest updates! For daily free health tips, sign up for ournewsletter. And to join discussions on health topics of your choice, visit our Questions and Answers section.

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Heart-healthy recipe — spinach raita

Keeping your heart healthy does not mean you have to eat something bland and boring. Here’s a heart-healthy recipe for you. 

Ingredients

• 500 ml curd (prepared from skimmed milk)


• 1 cup spinach leaves (palak)


• Coriander


• Green chilli


• ¼ tsp roasted cumin seed powder   


• Salt to taste


• 2 tsp roasted sesame seeds (white Til)


• Walnut, 6 full


• 2 tbsp date paste ( khajur)

Method

Finely chop spinach and coriander. Chop walnuts into small pieces.
Stir the curd and add palak and coriander to it.
Add green chillies, salt, jeera powder,  date paste and walnut to it. 
Serve chilled.

Photo source: Wikimedia Commons

You may also like to read:

• Healthy recipe: Pumpkin Raita


• Healthy recipe: Date Shake


• Navratri Special Recipe: Navratan kurma

For more articles on world heart day, visit our world heart day section. Follow us on Facebook andTwitter for all the latest updates! For daily free health tips, sign up for ournewsletter. And to join discussions on health topics of your choice, visit our Questions and Answers section.

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World Heart Day 2014: Max Super Speciality Hospital encourages citizens to walk for a healthier heart

September 29 is World Heart Day 2014

As a run-up to World Heart Day (29^th September 2014), Max Super Speciality Hospital, Patparganj- leading healthcare service provider of East Delhi organized a 3 kilometres Walkathon today from Max Super Speciality Hospital, Patparganj to Madhuvihar and then back to Max Hospital. The Walkathon witnessed participation from approximately 1,700 people. Many of the participants were cardiac patients who have been treated or are still undergoing treatment for their heart problems. The participants were gifted goodie bags including t-shirts, caps and first-aid kits. The Walkathon was aimed to encourage the residents to make heart healthy choices by adopting a healthier lifestyle and hence minimising the risk of heart diseases.

According to Mr. Neeraj Mishra, Vice President – Operations, Max Super Speciality Hospital, Patparganj, ‘With lifestyle roadblocks like smoking, alcohol intake, erratic schedules increasing annually, it is essential for each one of us to ensure that we work towards a remedy. 90% heart attacks can be prevented simply by controlling blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes; keeping control on your diet and eating high fibre-low fat food; not smoking; and managing psychosocial factors such as stress. It is never too late to start looking after your heart. So on the occasion of World Heart Day, we all must pledge for a healthy heart today to get a healthier life tomorrow. Only such steps can help people evade the epidemic of heart ailments that is facing India today.’

 He further added, ‘Walking is the simplest and most accessible form of physical exercise. Just 30 minutes of walking every day significantly reduces the risk of dreaded life style diseases. The Walkathon represents the step that each person can take today on the occasion of World Heart Day towards a healthier life tomorrow’.

 An estimated 17 million people die of cardio-vascular diseases, particularly heart attacks and strokes, every year. There are many overlooked facets related to heart disease which can go unnoticed if vigilance is not maintained, for example- stress which is a common risk factor for heart ailments. Though stress is a part of life today and one can’t avoid it, but a half an hour of walk or exercise at home or office, five days a week can do wonders and can contribute largely towards getting a healthy lifestyle and a healthy heart.

Some facts about heart disease you should know

• Studies have shown that exposure to passive smoking during your childhood can causes irreversible damage to the structure of children’s arteries, which means that these children will be at a greater risk of heart attacks and strokes in later life

• Smokers not only develop myocardial infarction (MI) earlier but are at a two-fold increased risk compared to non-smokers and at a four-fold-increased risk of sudden death due to MI. The corresponding risks are higher in smoking women.

• According to a study published in the noted journal Lancet, 30million Indians were reported obese in 2013 making the country just behind the US and China in the global hazard list of top 10 countries with highest number of obese people

• Each year 7 million people are reportedly have gone to the emergency room with heart attack symptoms and 4.6 million of these people reportedly were diagnosed with chest pain

• Four people die of heart attack every minute in India and the age group is mainly between 30 and 50

• 3.5 million people die annually in India of a heart disease and 7-13% of the deaths are in urban areas

• For younger women, the combination of birth control pills and smoking boosts heart risks by 20%

• Over 90% of heart disease depends on one’s lifestyle, stress eating habits and activeness

• Exercise for at least 30-40 minutes each day combining aerobic exercises, weight training and stretching

• Losing more than 10% or more of body weight lowers blood pressure and blood fat

• Heart attacks are commonly misdiagnosed as heart burn, acid reflux, bronchitis, pneumonia, or anxiety attack

You may also like to read:

• Suffering from heart disease? Here are foods you should avoid


• Why going vegetarian may be better for your heart


• Add olive oil to your diet for a healthy heart

For more articles on world heart day, visit our world heart day section. Follow us on Facebook andTwitter for all the latest updates! For daily free health tips, sign up for ournewsletter. And to join discussions on health topics of your choice, visit our Questions and Answers section.

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World Heart Day 2014: How to care for a baby with congenital heart disease

29th September is World Heart day

Heart disease is often thought to be a problem that only adults face, but that is not entirely true. Often, it is infants or newborns that may also suffer from heart related ailments. Although these ailments are not due to the known risk factors of heart disease (like an unhealthy lifestyle, eating junk food or obesity) the condition, known as congenital heart disease, is usually caused due to malformations in the child’s heart during its formation. In this post Dr Vanita Arora, Associate Director and head Cardiac Electrophysiology lab and Arrhythmia Services, Sr.Consultant Cardiac Electrophysiologist and Interventional cardiology tells you about the condition and how a child with congenital heart disease can live.

What are the various types of congenital heart disease?

Broadly, they can be characterised as cynotic heart disease (blue baby) and acynotic heart disease.

What kind of care should parents take of such kids?

Early diagnosis of these patients is very important for them to live a good life. The antenatal check-up of the pregnant mothers plays an important role in avoiding such problems to occur as they are more likely related to infections in the mother during pregnancy, causing defects in the heart. Once diagnosed in the early stages of pregnancy  proper measures can be taken to better the condition. 

Can a child play sports and live a normal life with such a disease?

Some of the congenital heart disease diagnosed and treated in time gives children a near normal life style. However, if treatment is delayed then even normal activities of the child can be compromised. 

Do all the types have the same prognosis or are there some that a child can live with?

Prognosis of complex congenital heart disease and the ones with genetic abnormalities is not good. However, some children with congenital heart disease treated in time with intervention or surgery do absolutely wonderful.

Is there any diet or other lifestyle restrictions that the child will have to follow?

The patients with complex heart disease have a restricted activity pattern and need to be on normal, small frequent diet.

Is there a chance of the child suddenly suffering from a heart failure or attack if he/she does any certain activities?

Some complex congenital heart disease patients may have sudden heart failure if they do aggressive activities. A heart attack can occur in young individuals with a congenital problem (LCAPA) and can cause sudden cardiac death.

Are there any specific tips that you would like to give the parents of such children?

Parents need to understand that their child is a child with special needs hence they have to be taken care of more. They should be in regular contact with their paediatric cardiologist for further care and better life for their child. 

You may also like to read: 

• 7 symptoms of congenital heart disease


• Congenital heart disease – your queries answered


• My son had a heart problem when he was born. Will he develop normally?

For more articles on heart disease,  visit our heart disease section, respectively. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for all the latest updates! For daily free health tips, sign up for our newsletter. And for health-related queries, visit our Questions and Answers section.

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World Heart Day 2014: Exercise tips for people with heart disease

September 29 is World Heart Day. 

People suffering from heart disease may find it difficult to keep up with their fitness routine. However, they must realise that it is vital that exercise be a part of their daily life to keep their condition in-check. But there are certain modifications they may have to make to ensure they do not overexert themselves. We ask celebrity fitness expert Radhika Karle to share tips on how to exercise the right way for people with heart disease.

Exercise is not just to stay in shape or get six-pack abs. It is essential for your overall health and wellbeing. ‘Cardiovascular exercise is important especially for people with heart disease as it exercises the most important muscle in your body – your heart,’ says Radhika.

When one works out their heart muscle, they ensure that it functions better in the long run. While diet too plays an important in role when it comes to monitoring heart disease, exercise is also a major player. However, one needs to be careful of what exercises they do in order to ensure that they do not put too much pressure on the heart.

Radhika recommends the following:

Surya Namaskar – It is one of the best ways to keep your heart rate up. You can use your body weight for resistance and increase flexibility too.

Pranayam – Another good way to ensure that you get ample oxygen in your body. The good thing is, you don’t need any equipment for this and can be done sitting anywhere at any time.

Swimming – It is the best combo of cardio and resistance training without putting any strain on your joints. You work out your entire body and feel energised after the session, without really sweating.

Tai Chi – Not a common choice but it is great for calming one’s breath, increasing flexibility and sharpening one’s concentration levels.

Apart from the above mentioned workout, Radhika says, ‘Do what you enjoy, just move and stay active. Listen to your body as well – slow down if you are getting tired or feeling any serious discomfort.

‘If you keep your fitness routine to something you enjoy – be it golf (walk the greens, don’t take a golf cart), dance, swimming, or a good group Zumba class – you will stick to it as you are having fun!’

Things to keep in mind

A person suffering from heart disease should refrain from lifting very heavy weights and exercise in a manner which is safe yet effective. One can consult their doctor and fitness expert to make sure what they can and cannot do.

Ensure that you are breathing properly throughout the exercise sessions and holding your breath while exercising can cause blood pressure to increase therefore putting more strain on the heart and blood vessels.

A heart rate monitor is a good tool to ensure you are staying within the recommended heart rate during exercise.

Also, check your recovery rate from time to time – this is the amount of time (minutes or seconds) it takes for your heart rate to return to its resting rate after exercise. The shorter the recovery time, the better your fitness levels.

Even if you have heart disease, you can manage to stay in shape with the right food and fitness plan. Don’t give up and begin a healthy routine from today.

 Image source: Getty images

 You may also like to read:

• Physical exercise could save overweight women from heart disease


• Is too much exercise bad for your heart?


• Not exercising before their 30s can give women heart disease

For more articles on heart disease, visit our heart disease section. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for all the latest updates! For daily free health tips, sign up for our newsletter. And to join discussions on health topics of your choice, visit our Questions and Answers section. 

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World Heart Day 2014: Reversing Ischemic heart disease is possible with yoga

September 29 is World Heart Day 2014

The prevalence of coronary heart disease is on the rise in India for the last several years and is expected to assume epidemic proportions soon. Advances in treatment like angioplasty, stenting and by-pass surgery effectively address the problems of individual patients. However, they are expensive and beyond the reach of majority of the patients in India.

Also, while these procedures focus on treating the manifestations of the disease, yoga focuses on the underlying causes of the disease. Yoga based lifestyle modifications have earlier shown beneficial effects in a small number iof patients with coronary artery disease. To further enunciate this, the 95-year old Yoga Institute, at Santacruz (E), Mumbai, conducted a study.

The objective of the project was to study and determine whether a family based yoga lifestyle intervention program would help thwart the progression of heart disease. The study zeroed in on various risk factors such as stress, anxiety and depression that lead to coronary heart disease. It evaluated the role of lifestyle modification based on yoga techniques, stress management and dietary modifications.

What the study found

The study found that yoga based lifestyle modifications help in regression of coronary lesions and in improving myocardial perfusion. After practicing yoga for a year, the patients were found to have a significant drop in overall cholesterol levels, especially bad cholesterol. The progression of the disease was stalled and, in some cases, the patient’s improved. They also found that the overall anxiety levels of people dropped and they were more equipped to handle stress and anger.  

Sounds interesting doesn’t it? Well, here’s how you and your family can start using this natural way to keep your heart healthy. 

How can a family start the yoga based yoga way of living? Could you give us a few tips on where a family can start and what are the aspects they will have to start?

Parents should have some health awareness timetable or routine. The first step towards this would be to wake up before sunrise, drink a glass or two of warm water in the morning, take care of necessary morning ablutions and do some asanas before starting any other activity. It is only when parents lived a disciplined and a healthy life that their children will watch and develop good habits themselves.

Parents should go for morning walk for half an hour in the morning. They should have a wholesome healthy breakfast before eight in the morning. It is best that they do some asanas before eating their first meal of the day. Parents should also practice and inculcate the practice of meditation in themselves and their children.  It is also recommended that everybody in the house should sit together and discuss relevant topics that interest everybody in the household. Engaging in interactive recreational activities is also very important as it helps develop togetherness among all member of the family. When elders in the family work towards staying fit and healthy, even children automatically become aware of it. So, the idea is to maintain a very conducive and warm atmosphere at home. However, parents must not be too strict with the children. Discipline is good but children must also be allowed to have some fun.

When is it the right time for children to start practicing yoga?

Yoga starts from the womb itself. The movement a man and woman bond with each other and commit by getting married, they have to stay together, accept each other with all the positives and negatives they have, respecting each other and care for each other. This automatically develops a very positive ambiance. Now when a couple who looks after each other well decides to start a family of their own and have a child that child is automatically exposed to a positive perspective. Right from childhood the children should be taught the yoga way of life. When the child gets restless, parents who make him sit quietly, ask him close his eyes and let him a take deep breathes. Children should be encouraged to be physically active and they can always be made to do some basic asanas like sukhasana, makarasana, vajrasana, etc. When children have any problem, parents should take some natural care like jalneti , use sun bathing, etc. 

Finally, it is essential for parents to realise that children learn and imbibe whatever their parents do. Their home and parents are their first teachers and they should be guided to live a healthy life. Remember, you are your child’s first guru, lead by example and watch your child be healthy and strong. 

You may also like to read: 

• Yoga for your heart – 20 poses to keep it healthy


•  How yoga can prevent and combat heart disease


• Anulom vilom pranayam – beat diabetes, heart disease and high cholesterol with this yoga asana

For more articles on yoga, visit our yoga section. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for all the latest updates! For daily free health tips, sign up for our newsletter. And for health-related queries, visit our Questions and Answers section.

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World Heart Day 2014: Celebrate this year’s theme, ‘Creating heart-healthy environments’

The prevalence of heart disease in India has increased four-fold in the last four decades. Predicted to become the leading cause of death and disability by 2020, heart disease currently accounts for 29% of all deaths in the country. The worst part about the disease is that in India, people are succumbing to heart disease and stroke in the most productive years of their lives, almost a decade earlier compared to the West. Both the government and the business community are waking up to this threat.

Keeping in mind the need for increased awareness about heart disease, World Heart Day was founded in 2000 to educate people globally about the dangers of heart disease and stroke, which form the world’s leading causes of death, claiming 17.3 million lives each year. The last Sunday of September, recognised as the World Heart Day, calls for collaborative efforts to reach as many people as possible for increasing heart disease awareness.

The World Heart Federation organises events to increase awareness about the disease in more than 100 countries. These events including health checks, organised walks and runs, fitness sessions, public interaction, stage shows, scientific forums, exhibitions, concerts, carnivals and sports tournaments.

In order to achieve a healthy, powerful and prosperous India, government and non-government sectors, industries, policy makers, the media, city planners and economists, everyone needs to come together, and collaboratively put in efforts along with the health sector, to engineer India’s growth through health.

To highlight each and every aspect of heart disease, each year’s World Heart Day celebration have has a different theme that reflect important issues and topics related to heart health. This year’s theme is –Creating heart-healthy environments. It revolves around, taking a look at places around our work, home and play that increase our risk of heart disease. Today, people find it hard to make heart-healthy choices due to environmental factors, such as the availability of healthy food or smoke-free zones. This year, we’ll recognise those issues and focus on transforming our environment into a heart-healthy one. 

Here are our specials on World Heart Day

Things at work bad for your heart

Working in shifts:  If you think accepting a job that requires you to work in shifts is a good decision to save time, you’re wrong. Shift work could instead reduce your lifespan by increasing your risk of suffering from lifestyle diseases like type 2 diabetes and sleep disorders that increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. Rotating shift employees like doctors, nurses and those working in BPOs not only report higher job stress but also show clinical signs of progression towards heart disease. A study by Wong IS and colleagues^[1]showed that people who worked in shifts had increased levels of biomarkers usually found in those suffering from heart disease. They exhibit high levels of daily cortisol and a reduced function of endothelial cells lining the blood vessels.

Having a desk job: A typical 9am to 6pm job, involving hours in front of the computer screen apart from a few hours in the conference room and the rest of the time answering calls, is a perfect set up for heart disease. Desk jobs make people lethargic and ruin dietary habits in numerous ways.

Nature of work: It’s not only corporate employees who should be worried about their heart health. The more stressful your job is, the greater is your risk of suffering from health problems. According to findings from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, those working in the wholesale trade were identified with a greater risk of heart disease, while people working in finance and insurance sector had the lowest rate of heart disease.

Expert tips to reduce stress and keep your heart healthy

Dr Vineet Sankhala, Consultant Interventional Cardiologist, Care Institute of Medical Sciences (CIMS) and Hospital, Ahmedabad offers a few tips to reduce the risk of heart disease through a stress-free life. 

Decide to change your lifestyle: Somewhere down the line, we all know we need to change our lifestyle but we don’t act upon that thought. Think about what changes you need to make and target them one by one. Changing your lifestyle in a positive way can help you cope up with the expectations of people around you.

Eat a balanced diet: Good nutrition is a powerful weapon to deal with stress. Your nutrition requirement shoot up when you’re under stressful situation. Your body needs extra B vitamins, vitamin C and zinc for building resistance against infections. Eat a balanced diet, with adequate amount of complex carbohydrates that keep you energised for a long time and prevent mindless eating along with proteins and healthy fats. Eat fresh fruits and vegetables to meet your nutritional requirement. (Read:

Women and heart attacks

Crushing pain in the chest and shortness of breath are the typical tell-tale signs of a heart attack. But the symptoms are what usually men experience. Women are at a higher risk for mortality from heart attack than men because they do not recognise the signs of a heart attack and therefore neglect it.

Both men and women may have classic heart attack symptoms such as chest pain and pressure radiating to the arms, shoulders, and neck, and shortness of breath. Stress and exertion make the symptoms worse. 

With inputs from Desidieter.com

You may also like to read:

• World Heart Day 2014: 10 things that may increase your risk of heart attack


• Which of these 6 risk-factors of heart disease do you have?
  


•  6 heart-healthy diet tips for people with heart disease

For more articles on world heart day, visit our world heart day section. Follow us on Facebook andTwitter for all the latest updates! For daily free health tips, sign up for ournewsletter. And to join discussions on health topics of your choice, visit our Questions and Answers section.

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World Heart Day 2014: Work harder to increase heart disease awareness, appeals Harsh Vardhan

September 29 is World Heart Day 2014

The World Heart Day was founded in the year 2000 with an aim to educate people all around the world about the dangers of heart disease and stroke, which form the world’s leading causes of death, killing about 17.3 million people every year. The last Sunday of September, recognised as the World Heart Day, calls for collaborative efforts to reach as many people as possible for increasing heart disease awareness.

On Sunday, Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan made an announcement about a series of government campaigns focusing on major communicable and non-communicable diseases. These campaigns involve efforts from NGOs, religious organisations, educational institutions, medical professionals of the government and private sectors, clubs and related social forums as means to developing a social movement over health.

The Minister Vardhan made an announcement saying, ‘A specific day in a year will be specially dedicated to create awareness about a particular disease.’ Earlier, Vardhan had announced that November 7 would be observed as National Cancer Awareness Day, apart from February 4 which is already marked as World Cancer Day. ‘We will use such occasions to educate citizens about the particular disease at the prevention and curative levels, the importance of timely check-ups and other matters.’ 

Harsh Vardhan also mentioned the governments’ plan to mark special days for diabetes, anaemia, hypertension, blindness, deafness, malnutrition, obesity, mental conditions and issues related to infant and maternal mortality. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an event, ‘Walk away from heart attack’, to mark ‘World Heart Day’ which falls on Monday, September 29, the Union Minister said social mobilisation was essential to making public health work. He lauded the initiative and thanked the organisers -Delhi Medical Association, Rotary Club (District 3010), Saket City Hospital, New Delhi Municipal Committee, Resident Welfare Association of East Delhi, United RWA Joint Action and some city schools.

He observed, ‘Every human body is a stakeholder in the country’s health system. If each body can be kept healthy through balanced diet, avoidance of smoking, drinking and substance abuse, and, put through at least half an hour’s exercise and walk each day, then the entire disease burden of the country would drop dramatically and the Health Ministry’s budget will be optimally utilised.’

After participating in a walk, held in the inner circle of Connaught Place, Dr Harsh Vardhan appealed to all doctors, health workers and NGO activists to work harder to make people aware about the dangers of cardiovascular diseases -the single biggest cause of premature death. ‘Heart disease and strokes are becoming more common in our society than before. I see younger and younger people falling victim to this killer. There is widespread ignorance of the simple fact that it is preventable,’ he said.

Dr Harsh Vardhan also advised NGOs to dedicate some of their energies to training neighbourhood people with knowledge in how to administer Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR). He pointed out, ‘Half the number of fatalities from heart attack is caused by delayed transportation to hospital, yet many of these deaths can be avoided by timely CPR. For this I urge DMA, the RWAs and like-minded groups to conduct camps to train people in such techniques.’

‘The government can lay out hospitals but it would never be possible for it to do enough without the help of developing health resources among common people in awareness generation for disease prevention as well as skills in first aid,’ he remarked. World Heart Day was conceptualised to inform people around the world of the danger of heart disease and stroke. The World Heart Federation, in collaboration with World Health Organisation, uses the occasion to spread the message that at least 80 percent of premature deaths from this quarter can be avoided if the main risk factors -tobacco, unhealthy diet and the sedentary lifestyle – are abandoned.

Here are some natural foods to prevent heart disease

Flaxseed

Mahatma  Gandhi once observed, ‘Wherever flaxseed becomes a regular food item among people, there will be better health.’ It is a tiny seed but yet so powerful when it comes to health. Flax or ‘alsi’ may be relatively new as a health food but its history is very old. 10 years ago almost every western nutrition book I read, talked about one thing – flaxseeds or linseeds (it has two names) and their vital importance for healthy heart functioning. It is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, preventing inflammation, thus protecting heart health. It is a wonderful way to lower cholesterol due to its amazing antioxidant properties as well as omega-3. Sprinkle it on your salad, make a chutney out of it, boil it with water or have it raw — it helps in any form. 

Lemon

Vitamin C is a very powerful antioxidant that helps lower cholesterol and thereby keeps the heart healthy. It helps the utilisation of fat, thereby preventing cholesterol from clogging your arteries. Lemon juice helps in keeping the blood pressure low, reducing your risk of cardiovascular diseases. It is worth squeezing a lemon to make a fresh-fruit drink because lemon ranks high as a health food and contain very few calories. Read more about 5 natural foods to prevent heart disease

With inputs from ANI

Photo source: Getty images

You may also like to read:

• Suffering from heart disease? Here are foods you should avoid


• Why going vegetarian may be better for your heart


• Heart disease in India — 6 shocking facts you should know

For more articles on heart disease, visit our heart disease section. Follow us on Facebook andTwitter for all the latest updates! For daily free health tips, sign up for ournewsletter. And to join discussions on health topics of your choice, visit our Questions and Answers section.

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World Heart Day 2014: Reduce daily salt intake to less than 5 grams per adult, recommends WHO

September 29 is World Heart Day 2014

Over the past few decades, the incidence of heart disease has increased tremendously and it seems to have surpassed all the boundaries of uncontrollable risk factors that earlier were associated with increased risk of heart disease. Today, controllable risk factors like diet, physical inactivity and stress largely determine the risk of heart disease. One such diet-related risk factor that is associated with heart disease is salt intake. 

On the occasion of World Heart Day 2014, the World Health Organisation (WHO)  Sunday recommended salt reduction to prevent and control non-communicable diseases as high salt intake leads to increased blood pressure and is associated with heart disease and stroke. ‘The WHO recommends a daily salt intake of less than five grams per adult or just under a teaspoon. The recommendation is even lower for children, depending on their energy needs,’ Poonam Khetrapal Singh, WHO regional director for South-East Asia said in a message on the occasion of World Heart Day.

High salt intake increases the risk of high blood pressure and is associated with heart disease, stroke and other diseases. According to Singh, about 2.5 million deaths could be prevented every year with mere reduction in global salt intake to the recommended level. It is a simple, cost-effective public health intervention that just needs more awareness and a multi-sectoral approach in which everyone has to contribute.

Governments have a critical role to play and must create awareness and develop policies that enable populations to consume adequate quantities of safe and healthy diet, with low salt content, she added.
The food industry needs to be engaged to reduce salt content and provide healthy food options by reformulating processed foods to reduced salt options, said Singh.

Here are some suggested ways for you to reduce your salt intake.

• Add less salt to food while cooking


• Removing salt dispenser from the dining table


• Limit the availability of high salt ready-to-eat food


• Increase the intake of fruits and vegetables


• To reduce the intake of processed, salty foods, guide children’s taste buds through a diet of mostly unprocessed foods without adding salt 

Here are some heart-healthy diet tips for people with heart disease

Cut down the intake of saturated and trans fats

Both saturated and trans fats raise bad cholesterol level (LDL), which can increase risk for heart attack and stroke. So, all foods made from partially hydrogenated oils or deep-fried foods are loaded with bad fats. Apart from that, whole-fat dairy or red meat also contain saturated fats.

It would be best if you replace all bad fats with good heart healthy fats like:

• Omega-3 fatty acid sources like salmon, trout, or herring and flaxseed (alsi), canola oil, and walnuts all contain polyunsaturated fats that are vital for the body.


• Omega-6 fatty acid sources like vegetable oils, soy nuts, different types of seeds all contain healthy fats.


• Monounsaturated fat sources like almonds, cashews, peanuts, pecans and butters made from these nuts, as well as avocadoes. They are all great sources of ‘good’ fat.

Choose foods that lower cholesterol

The best way to lower cholesterol is to choose foods rich in unsaturated fats, fibre and protein. Fibre naturally lowers the level of bad cholesterol in the body. Some of the best cholesterol regulators include fruits, vegetables, fish, beans, nuts and seeds. The best foods for lowering cholesterol are oatmeal, fish, walnuts (and other nuts), olive oil and foods fortified with sterols or stanols —substances found in plants that help block the absorption of cholesterol. Read more about 6 heart-healthy diet tips for people with heart disease

With inputs from IANS

Photo source: Getty images

You may also like to read:

• Suffering from heart disease? Here are foods you should avoid


• Why going vegetarian may be better for your heart


• Add olive oil to your diet for a healthy heart

For more articles on world heart day, visit our world heart day section. Follow us on Facebook andTwitter for all the latest updates! For daily free health tips, sign up for ournewsletter. And to join discussions on health topics of your choice, visit our Questions and Answers section.

Read More