Video Producer/Editor: Garima Sadhwani
Heart diseases account for 28.1 percent of all deaths in India, according to a 2016 Indian Council of Medical Research report presented in the Rajya Sabha earlier this year.
28,449 people died due to heart attacks in 2021 in the country, a National Crime Records Bureau report stated.
This is not encouraging. Especially since this number has only been increasing over the years. Between 2014-2019, deaths due to heart attack increased by 53 percent.
But... the good news is that there are certain things we can do to protect ourselves, to control damage. Here are five things that Dr Saritha Sekhar, Associate Professor and Consultant Interventional Cardiologist at Kochi's Amrita Hospital, wouldn't do as a cardiologist.
Not Eat Junk Food
Having a balanced diet is essential for your cardiovascular health.
And it's no surprise that junk food can cause various health issues.
Not Lead A Sedentary Lifestyle
Exercise keeps us healthy and ensures good physical and mental health. It is especially good for the heart.
Not Take Undue Stress
Here are some things you can do to relieve or manage your stress:
Hearing music
Dancing
Meditation
Yoga
Not Smoke or Consume Alcohol
Smoking causes the development of plaques in the inner lining of our arteries and can pre-dispose us to heart attacks and strokes.
Excess alcohol consumption can cause an increase in our blood pressure. It can also directly affect the heart muscles and result in decreased pumping of blood in the heart.
Not Forgo My Annual Clinical Evaluation
As a routine, you should go for an annual health evaluation. Get these checked:
Blood pressure
Blood sugar
Blood cholesterol
Also get an electrocardiogram (ECG) done. Through these tests, one can realise what risk factor they're most exposed to and take preventive measures.
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