World Heart Day was last September 26th. The theme for 2010 is "Work place wellness". Cardiovascular diseases are the world's largest killers, claiming a total of 17.1 million lives a year. Health Care centres' on the globe was aiming for a massive health education for early detection and proper diagnosis and management as well as prevention.
The risk factors of the heart diseases was basically of the lifestyle of each individual such of this are the massive cigarette smoking, harmful level of alcohol consumption , unhealthy diet and sedentary life style.
The World health Federation has given 10 simple steps to have a healthy and a healthy life.
1. Healthy food intake: Eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day and avoid saturated fats. Beware of processed foods that in most cases have high level of salt contents. Previously written in my Health and Wellness article I have mentioned that eat raw veggies 2 to 3x a day. You may also refer on my previous article on proper preparation of vegetables as to retain the necessary antioxidants needed on your body.
2. Get active and take heart: Strenuous exercises are not necessarily recommended. Those in the gym were neither discouraged but according to the study that only 30 minutes of regular brisk walking is already a milestone in prevention of heart attacks and strokes.
3. Say no to tobacco: Cigarette smoking will put you at risk halved within a year. You are also at risk in some form of cancer.
4. Maintain a healthy weight: Maintaining your Body Mass Index (BMI) is important. Your weight in relation to your height gives an estimate of how much of your body is made up of fat.
Overweight people are more likely to get heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and some forms of cancer. Maintaining and losing excess weight can improve your quality of life and self confidence
Here's how to take your BMI: Take your weight in kilograms (Kg) and divide it by your height in meters (m) and then divide whatever you get by your height again. BMI is measured in kilograms per square meter.
5. Know your numbers: Visit a Healthcare professional who can measure your blood pressure, cholesterol, and glucose levels, together with waist- to- hip ratio and your body mass index (BMI).
Once you know your overall risk you can develop a specific health plan of action to improve your heart health.
6. Limit your alcohol intake: Restrict the amount of alcoholic drinks that you consume. According to some study, 1 or 2 shots in a day are ok. The health benefits of alcohol consumption still a controversial issue since the risk outweighs the good effects.
7. Insist on a smoke- free environment: More countries now banned smoking in the public. Ensure your workplace is 100% smoke free
8. Bring exercise to the workplace: Include physical exercise in your working schedule -take the stairs, go for a walk during breaks, stretching your legs and arms at interval, and exercising your neck while at work are some common examples.
9. Choose healthy food options: Watch on your food selection. What you eat is what your body receive.
10. Encourage a stress-free moments: though studies shown that stress has no direct risk fact on heart disease and stroke but it leads to some bad habits such as cigarette smoking, excessive alcohol consumption and unhealthy eating.
Have a good regular break during the day, try stretching or exercising for 5 minutes twice a day. Deep breathing exercise will increase your sense of wellbeing and will get you back to equilibrium.
Prevention is better than cure. Try to develop living a happy life and it slows your aging process.
Additional good tips for a total healthy life.
1. Eat raw veggies 2 to 3x a day (a good consumption of 80% veggies and fruits)
2. Drink green tea without sugar instead use pure honey as sweetener
3. Drink only purified water
4. Take anti-oxidant vitamins (especially for 30 to 60 age group)
5. Exercise daily include deep breathing regularly
6. Try to use sea salt instead of purified process salt for food seasoning
7. Use unsweetened soy milk
8. Eat fish and a little chicken
9. Consume whole grains, seeds, nuts, beans, and sprouts
10. Sleep regularly 7 to 8 hours the most
Source of information:
Times of Oman Newspaper
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