Billions of rupees are spent each year on hospital, medical and doctor bills, yet in spite of this expense people are still suffering and dying of coronary artery disease (blockage of the arteries of the heart).
Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the single most important disease entity, in most of the nations - both in terms of morbidity and mortality. Imagine, if a drug was invented that could prevent CAD.It would surely be hailed as the wonder drug of the century.This "magic cure" already exists, its all around us and it is totally free of charge. The simple truth is that the human body has an amazing ability to sustain vitality and good health provided it is treated with respect.
By making certain life style changes and avoiding risk factors, one can greatly reduce the risk of heart disease and pre mature mortality.Risk factor reduction is the primary clinical approach to prevent CAD. The life style changes required are not difficult to achieve and even relatively small "Dos & Do nots" can have a significant effort over the years.
Risk Factors
Cigarette Smoking: If you smoke, Stop !!!
Cigarette
smoking is the most important preventable cause of premature death.The risk of
a heart attack for a smoker is more than twice that of a non smoker in both men
and women.In people with CAD, those who continue to smoke have a higher death
rate than those who quit. It has been shown that long term exposure to second
hand smoke or passive smoking may increase the risk of heart disease. However,
the risk of a second heart attack decreases with smoking cessation.In one study
of people who had a heart attack, the risk of second heart attack fell by half
with in one year of stopping and became the same as for non smokers within 2
years of smoking cessation.
Smoking constricts your arteries,
makes your blood sticky and more likely to form a clot, robs your body of
vitamins and costs you a small fortune.
So quit smoking for a healthy heart.
Obesity:
Modern
day epidemic. Loose weight if you are over weight. Obesity is linked with CAD
because it has an effect on blood pressure, diabetes and blood cholesterol. It
is important to know that loosing weight is associated with a decrease in heart
disease risk.If you are over weight, see your doctor to evaluate your
additional heart disease risks and ask your doctor for a safe and effective way
to loose weight.
High Blood Cholesterol:
If you do not know your cholesterol
levels, you should.If it is high,work to bring it to the target.The higher our
intake of fat, particularly animal and dairy fat, the higher your blood
cholesterol level will be. This in turn leads to build up of fatty plaques on
the walls of your arteries.
So Aim for fitness
Build - A healthy base
Choose - sensible diet………. For good health
Build - A healthy base
Choose - sensible diet………. For good health
Increase your intake of:
All
types of fruit.
Vegetables, root vegetables, leafy green vegetables, brightly coloured vegetables (carrots, Tomato etc)
Vegetables, root vegetables, leafy green vegetables, brightly coloured vegetables (carrots, Tomato etc)
Reduce your intake of:
- Meat of all types
- Dairy products
- Processed food, much of which contains high levels of salt and sugar
- Foods containing "hidden fat" such as cakes, pastries, pies
- Salt
High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure is a well known
major risk for CAD. Because high blood pressure usually does not cause
symptoms, many people do not know that they have it and that is why its called
the "Silent Killer". Have your blood pressure checked, if it is high,
follow your doctors advice for bringing it down to normal.
High blood pressure causes damage to
the lining of the arteries and accelerates the build up of fatty plaques in the
arteries. Also it causes extra stress on the heart by forcing it to work harder
to pump blood.
Taking regular exercise, adopting a healthy low
salt diet and management of a stress can all help to reduce high blood
pressure.
Diabetes Mellitus
If you have diabetes, work with your
doctor to keep it under control. Having diabetes increases the risk of heart
disease two times in men and three times in women.
Once it was almost invariably fatal, but can now
be treated through insulin injections and oral tablets to control the symptoms.
Physical inactivity:
Being
physically inactive is a major risk factor for CAD.It may also contribute to
development of obesity, high BP and low level of HDL (good) cholesterol, all of
which are additional heart disease risks. Exercise has many beneficial effects
by increasing your level of HDL (good) cholesterol, reducing blood
pressure and causing weight loss. Host of the health benefits can be gained by
moving from a sedentary life style to a modest exercise programme. Just 30
minutes per day of walking can reduce risk of heart disease substantially
Stress
In some ways the most difficult
problem to solve. Very often a stress sufferer does not realize that they have
a problem. This produces hormones in the blood stream that constricts the
arteries, unfortunately if you already have narrowing of the arteries,the
effect is multiplied by chronic stress.
Nevertheless, it is a vital area which we ignore
at our peril, for not only does it have an impact on physical self, it may
affect our entire sense of well being - our happiness.
Genetic Factor
There is not much one can do about
ones genetic inheritance.
The risk factors multiply together. So if you
are doing everything else right, there is less chance of the genetic factor
coming into play.
The Good News
You
don’t need anyone's permission to change your life.In such matters you have no
boss and it will not cost you any thing. You can change your life for the
better and in doing so in some way, you will be changing the world as well
Source:
O.P.Yadava -Chairman
Dept.of Cardiac Surgery
Dharma Vira Heart Centre
Sir Ganga Ram Hospital
New Delhi
&&
Indian Medical Association
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