World Heart Day is celebrated on the 29th of September every year. The campaign aims to drive action to educate people that by controlling risk factors such as tobacco use, an unhealthy diet and physical inactivity, at least 80% of premature deaths from heart disease and stroke could be avoided.
Take a look at the following steps:
1. Exercise: Adults need a minimum of 30 minutes of exercise five or more days a week. This can be done by breaking it up, such as a 10 minute walk, a lunchtime workout or riding your bike with the kids. It is important to get the heart rate up.
2. Food Intake: This is important because your health is based on 80 percent diet and only 20 percent exercise. Simple changes to your diet can help your heart. This can be done by limiting bad fats, cutting down on salt, adding vegetables to most meals, and going for grains.
3. Reducing stress: This may seem impossible, but it is a factor which is vitally important. Carve out time for yourself regularly. Walk away from the computer, the phone, and other distractions. Make time to recharge your batteries in order to find both energy and calm.
4. Quit Smoking: This is one of the hard ones. Smoking increases the chances of having a heart attack. The damages caused by smoking are well-known by many and it’s important not to ignore them. There’s no best way to quit smoking. Medicine, support groups, counselling, or a combination of all three may be what it takes to help you quit. Reach out and get help.
5. Check-Ups: It is important to have your annual check up to check your blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol. High blood pressure and high cholesterol are “silent” ,which means that you won’t know that you have them unless you have your check-up.
It isn’t easy to change your lifestyle. Yet, by making the change, you could reduce the chances of heart disease and live a happy and healthy life. Read up on our medical gap cover and find out how we can help you.
