Cardiovascular diseases are the number one cause of morbidity and mortality after the age of 40 years worldwide. In India, heart disease starts much earlier than in western countries, mainly because of our genetic tendencies and diet patterns. Only a few people in India exercise regularly and consume a consistently healthy diet. Indore, in particular, is a paradise for food lovers starting with poha, namkeens, sev and meals like dal bafla that are served with lots of ghee and served with other fried toppings. Moreover, we often see awareness programs and talks on diseases like TB, Malaria, and HIV but a person mostly comes to a cardiologist only after he suffers from a Heart attack.

Here are some common advice: Immediately consult your doctor if you see any change from your general routine like getting fatigued on activities previously done with ease e.g. Breathlessness, palpitation, or perspiration on walking the same distance as you used to earlier.

Any new symptom when your body undergoes basic exertion like heartburn while walking, choking, jaw pain, consistent pain in the left shoulder, left arm, bilateral shoulder, bloating, pain in back, nighttime uneasiness, perspiration, oedema on feet or on face- eyelids, unexplained headache, especially after exertion etc.

The ‘Simple 7’

Here are some simple tips everyone must adopt in their daily routine,

• Stop Smoking
• Eat Better
• Get Active
• Lose Weight
• Manage Blood Pressure
• Control Cholesterol
• Reduce Blood Sugar

According to the American Heart Association people who followed at least five ideals from Life’s ‘Simple 7’ metrics had a 78% reduced risk of heart-related deaths as compared to people with no ideal metrics.

Today there are numerous queries related to diet and exercise. Simplified dietary advice for all is to reduce your overall fat content i.e. reduce consumption of fried and junk foods, sweets and bakery items; and increase the intake of fresh fruits, vegetables, salads and protein-rich foods like milk, soybean, dal, eggs, boiled or microwave cooked non-veg foods.

Exercise Advice Based on Age

Exercise advice is usually different across varying age brackets.

• Age group 40 to 60 years: Moderate intensity physical activity like brisk walking, aerobics, and doubles games like badminton, and tennis for 30 minutes a day at least five days/week.
• Age group of above 60 years: Light-intensity physical activity like walking, or gardening. 15-20 minutes a day or 75 minutes a week and at least 5 days per week. The intensity can be higher if you have been a sports person or have been following a consistent exercise routine even before reaching this age bracket as well.

To assess your fitness level an easy calculator is the Body Mass Index [BMI] which is calculated by dividing the weight in kg by height in meter square. An ideal BMI is below 25 whereas between 25-30 is considered obese and above 30 is a morbid severe form of obesity.

For the coming year 2021 make a promise to yourself and your heart. Apply the ‘Simple 7’ tips to your everyday life. Share your promise with your friends, and colleagues and be an inspiration to them by abiding by your promise….Dil se !!