World Heart Day is an international campaign held on 29th September annually to educate people on cardiovascular diseases (CVD), including their prevention and to sensitize people that by controlling the risk factors such as smoking, unhealthy diet, lack of exercise can greatly reduce the risk of developing heart diseases and stroke.
According to the World Heart Federation, cardiovascular diseases, including heart diseases and stroke, is the world’s leading cause of death, claiming 17.9 million lives each year. At least 80% of heart disease and stroke could be avoided. World Heart Day plays a crucial role in changing all of these.
Below are some measures you can take to lower your risk of developing heart diseases;
Don’t Smoke: If you do smoke you should consider quitting, smoking raises your blood pressure and increases your risk for heart attack and stroke.
Limit alcohol intake: Drinking too much alcohol adds extra calories, which may cause weight gain. Too much alcohol can also increase your blood pressure, hence putting you at higher risk for heart attack.
Control your cholesterol level: High levels of cholesterol can cause blood vessels such as arteries and veins to clog and increases your risk of a heart attack.
Eat Healthy Diet: Fresh vegetables and fruit should make the majority of your diet, too much fatty food (saturated fat), sugar should be limited in your diet. Saturated fat increases cholesterol levels.
Exercise regularly: The benefits of exercise are numerous, including improving your circulatory system, help you stay in a healthy weight, strengthening your heart. It also reduces your blood pressure and cholesterol level.
Get enough sleep: Adults are supposed to sleep for an average of 7 hours per day. Insufficient sleep increases stress, blood pressure, and increases your risk of developing a heart attack. Contact a health care provider should in case you have a sleep problem. Don’t compromise your sleep at the detriment of your heart.
The probability of developing a heart disease varies in;
Family history: You might be at greater risk of having heart disease if you have close relatives who have heart diseases or who have died from heart diseases. For example, your father passed away due to heart problem and your uncle or brother is suffering from heart problems, you should consider going for a heart screening to check your heart. Don’t wait until you start developing symptoms of heart problems before you go for a check-up.
Age: Your risk of developing heart problems increases as you get older. Above age 45, men are likely to have heart disease while above age 55 women are likely to have heart diseases.
Gender: Some diseases are more likely to cause heart diseases in one gender than the other. For example, diabetes increases the risk of heart diseases in women than in men.
“Save the stress of always having a rendezvous with a health care provider due to heart problem by simply practicing the above mention measures.”
GUARD YOUR HEART JEALOUSY
