Healthy Heart, Happy Life

Details: Category: Region 9; Published: 03 February 2022

Healthy Heart As we celebrate Philippine Heart Month this February, we need to understand how to take care of our heart health as it is also necessary to raise awareness of this concern all over the country. Most of us are well aware of the danger brought about by any bad condition of this internal organ but do we really do our best to care for our heart? This article will give you an overview of heart health to better understand what we need to know to live longer.

According to the World Health Organization, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the world’s foremost cause of mortality, causing 1 in every 3 deaths. In the Philippines, cardiovascular conditions are moreover the number one cause of death, with a recorded 50,000 dying each year. The cause of heart attacks and strokes are common as a result of the combination of several predisposing factors, such as tobacco use, undesirable diet and weight, physical dormancy and utilization of liquor, hypertension, diabetes, and high level of cholesterol. It is never too late to think and start shifting to a healthier diet and lifestyle. The American Heart Association have developed guidelines we can follow to take care of our heart health and this includes the following:

Smoking. Quit for good! Smoking is the driving preventable cause of death and disability. Cigarette smoking comes about with a much higher risk of dying from coronary heart illness. Smoking victimizes the heart of oxygen-rich blood and increases the impacts of other chance components, including blood pressure, blood cholesterol levels, and physical inactivity.

Blood Pressure. Normal blood pressure is less than 120/80 mm Hg (systolic weight is less than 120 and diastolic weight is less than 80). When blood pressure is higher, your heart needs to work harder. Changes in wellbeing habits such as losing weight, eating less sodium (salt), and getting a charge out of customary physical action can help lower blood pressure. In case you have gotten high blood pressure, maintenance on your medications is critical to anticipate heart attacks, strokes, kidney illness, and heart failure. Monitor your blood pressure as your specialist prompts. Keep a blood pressure diary that can help you track your record.

Weight Control. Keeping your weight on track can help you diminish the chances of developing heart and cardiovascular conditions as it improves cholesterol and blood sugar levels. Also, your waist circumference of not more than 37-39 inches for Asian men and 31-35 inches for Asian women can help us determine whether we need to trim down our weight.

Check Sugar Control. Normal fasting sugar of not more than 100 mg/dL. Blood sugar can contribute to heart conditions most especially when you are obese and with a sedentary lifestyle.

If we want to live longer, we need to live healthily. Proper diet and exercise are the key factors to keep our hearts healthy and in good condition. We need to practice this consistently until it will be part of our routines. Just believe in yourself and you can win over establishing the ideal diet and having regular exercise.

NO II Joanna Marie E. Baltazar, RND

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