World Heart Day 2023
A healthy heart makes a health person
Let’s join together in a shared mission to protect our heart, the most vital organ in our body. This day is known as World Heart Day, and in the year 2023, it holds even greater significance.
World Heart Day 2023 provides an opportunity for all to collaborate and share knowledge and resources, ultimately working towards a world where heart disease is better understood, more preventable, and effectively treated. On this 29th of September, we remind ourselves and others that simple lifestyle choices can make a world of difference when it comes to heart health.
World Heart Day Theme
“USE HEART, KNOW HEART”
About world heart day, it was first celebrated in 1999 by the idea of Antoni Baie de Lunadea (president of world heart federation in 1999), dedicated to raising awareness of Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) globally. The Theme for World Heart Day 2023 is "Use Heart, Know Heart". The day's main focus is to create awareness about the importance of the heart and its prevention measures. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), in 2019, due to cardiovascular diseases, 17.9 million people are estimated to die which is about 32% globally. We need to pay attention to protect our hearts from this killer disease.
What Are The Risk Factors For Cardiovascular Disease?
The risk factors increase the chances of developing heart or cardiovascular diseases are listed below. Let’s discuss it.
- Family history: Genetic factors play a vital role in an individual's health. Family history of high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, or high blood pressure can increase a person’s risk of cardiovascular disease.
- Diabetes: High blood glucose levels can increase the risk of heart problems by causing harm to the walls of the arteries.
- High blood pressure: High blood pressure is a "silent killer," usually it does not show any symptoms which causes the heart muscle to become thick and stiff by increasing the workload and risk of the heart and it also affects the kidney and brain.
- High blood cholesterol level: High levels of bad cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein) in the body can lead to the deposition and build-up of fatty substances in the walls of the artery, which can cause cardiovascular disease and various problems in a person.
- Smoking: The habit of smoking can cause severe damage to the arteries of the blood. There is a high risk of heart attack and chest pain (angina pectoris) in person who smoke compared to the person who don’t smoke.
- Alcohol: High levels of alcohol consumption is harmful to health and can lead to various heart-related problems, which significantly increase the risks of cardiovascular well-being.
- Physical inactivity: Physical inactivity is an important factor which leads to obesity and high blood pressure, these can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.
- Obesity: Obesity or being overweight can lead to various health problems especially, it might cause heart disease even if you don’t have other risk factors.
- Stress: Stress increases the risk of developing heart attack by increasing the heart rate and blood pressure.
- Diet: Having junk food every day increases the risk of heart disease by causing obesity and high cholesterol level.
Top 7 Tips To Prevent The Risk Of Cardiovascular Disease
Various prevention measures can prevent cardiovascular diseases which are given below.
- Stop smoking: Smoking plays a vital role in damaging cardiac health. It also affects the lung by causing lung problems and even cancer. If you are a chain smoker, then quit the smoking habit by today. If you don't smoke, don't start it and don’t allow your friends and family to smoke.
- Maintain low cholesterol level: A low cholesterol level in the body helps to prevent the risk of heart disease, for that you must eat a nutrition rich and healthy diet with low cholesterol, trans fat, saturated fat, carbohydrates and sugar.
- Controlling high blood pressure and diabetes: Abnormal levels of blood pressure and glucose level can be controlled by eating healthy food that helps to lower blood pressure and blood sugar level. Taking your medications on time, exercising regularly to maintain your weight, and managing your stress levels are also helpful to prevent cardiovascular disease (CVD).
- Limit your alcohol intake: To maintain a healthy heart it is better to quit drinking alcohol or limit your alcohol consumption.
- Physical activity: You can maintain a healthy heart by doing regular physical activities like walking, jogging, swimming, skipping, or yoga for 15 to 20 minutes, which helps to reduce obesity and control blood pressure and glucose level.
- Eat a healthy diet: A diet rich in nutrients and low in sodium, sugar, trans, and saturated fats are important to maintaining your heart health.
- Stress management: Stress is the main cause of all cardiovascular diseases. It can be reduced by relaxation techniques such as yoga, meditation, and guided imagery, as well as deep breathing. Stress management therapies and counselling can help you to maintain optimal heart health.
Myths And Facts About Heart Disease
Myth: Men are more susceptible to developing heart problems.
Fact: Not only men but also women over 65 years old are also dying from heart disease. It is recommended to ask your doctor to conduct a baseline heart checkups like cholesterol and BP checkups and follow your doctor's advice.
Myth: You may eat whatever you want if you take cholesterol-lowering medication.
Fact: The drug which you take won’t be effective in lowering the cholesterol level if you take excess food that contains high cholesterol plus saturated fat. You should limit your cholesterol and saturated fat intake to get the best result from the drug.
Myth: Risk of heart disease can be reduced by taking vitamins and supplementation
Fact: Having vitamins and other supplements is good for health. However, no such confirmed clinical evidence exists for vitamin and supplementation's effect in reducing heart disease.
Future Aspect To Approach Cardiovascular Disease
Improvement in the field of science and research helps to treat and diagnose heart diseases. The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) conducted a study and found that blocking (proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 serine) enzyme helps to overcome the risk of heart disease by reducing the bad cholesterol levels (low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol).
Start Caring About The Health Of Your Heart
World Heart Day 2023 is an opportunity to increase knowledge about the significance of cardiovascular health. Today, we pledge to raise awareness about heart disease and its prevention measures. It is important to raise awareness about the risk factor of heart disease which can be life threatening. Everyone should make sure to adhere to all preventive measures and to encourage our family and friends to do the same.
"Love your heart. Live smart."
