Regular exercise key to healthy heart - The Hindu

The Hindu Skaters participating in the World Heart Day rally on the Beach Road in Visakhapatnam on Saturday. Photo: C. V. Subrahmanyam

According to the recent decadal survey, the incidence of coronary heart disease (CHD) has increased to 40 per cent among men, women and young adults. And it has gone up by 10-15 per cent among women below 40 years of age.

World Heart Day is being celebrated on Sunday with the World Heart Federation theme: A life-course approach to the prevention and control of cardiovascular disease (CVD) with a focus on women and children. Sedentary lifestyle, obesity, use of tobacco, stress, unhealthy diet patterns and lack of exercise are major factors causing the disease. Right attitude towards life and setting achievable targets play a role in maintaining healthy heart.

The risk of CHD is relatively low among women till menopause due to the presence of protective hormones like estrogen and progesterone, Head of cardiology of Care Hospital C.V. Rao said. “Appropriate understanding of society and the life that revolves around you go a long way in leading stress-free life. There is a thin line between being ambitious and over ambitious. If we are able to balance between these two aspects and set achievable targets, our stress can be managed better,” he added.

Workout and diet

Senior consultant interventional cardiologist of Apollo Hospital D.K. Baruah said: “The secret to stay healthier, happier and younger is to work out regularly. Understanding its importance starts from home. Regular exercise followed by healthy diet help women and the community maintain a healthy heart. Parents should educate their children on the aspect and lead by example.”

Cardiologist of Queen’s NRI Hospital M. Bhaskar Rao said obesity and smoking among children lead to CVD at an early stage. “I have treated patients suffering from heart ailments at the age of 18-20 years. Sedentary lifestyle, unhealthy food habits and tobacco consumption are some of the top reasons for premature coronary heart disease,” he said and suggested isotonic exercises for children to fight obesity.

Awareness walk

On the eve of the World Heart Day Indus Hospitals team of cardiologists – V. Sujatha, Sudeer Chandra Sinha and Anil Kumar Mahapatro – organised a cycle rally which was flagged off by Joint Collector Praveen Kumar, on the Beach Road on Saturday.

Apollo Hospital is organising an awareness walk from Kali Matha Temple to YMCA on the Beach Road at 6 a.m. on Sunday.