The burden on India’s heart!
World Heart Day
By: Dr. Satyavan Saurabh
There is an increasing trend of cardiovascular problems among the young population today. Heart attacks and other heart diseases have always been major health issues around the world. According to experts, many factors are responsible for heart attacks, including diabetes, and blood pressure, lifestyle factors such as smoking, drinking alcohol, and an unhealthy diet, as well as excessive stress which makes the heart sick and leads to cardiovascular problems. Makes it hypersensitive. There is also an increasing trend in diseases like diabetes, hypertension, obesity, etc. in the younger age population.
The factors responsible for heart diseases in the young population are not one but many lifestyle factors such as physical inactivity, smoking, drinking, sedentary lifestyle, lack of sleep, etc. Family/genetic history is also responsible for lifestyle diseases. Rising pollution levels and stress play the most important role in a person’s mental well-being. Adulterated food, improper diet, and nutritional deficiency are other reasons to further increase the risk. The assumption is that unhealthy eating will not have much of an impact on physical health, even at a young age.
The major reason responsible for disease variation in the younger population is the neglect of symptoms, it has been observed that most patients ignore the first symptoms of heart failure such as chest pain, etc. It is often confused with indigestion. By the time the severity of the symptom is observed, it becomes a major attack causing damage to the organs and sometimes leading to the death of the patient. Globally, sugar consumption has increased more than ten times. Sugar causes inflammation which in turn is responsible for heart diseases, diabetes, and changes in the pH level of blood which disrupts electrochemical processes.
Some foods are a net negative in nutrition, they absorb and use the vitamins, minerals, and amino acids of a healthy body. Consumption of refined food such as express carbs which get converted into sugar very quickly after digestion. The low glycemic index carbs found in vegetables and pulses have been significantly reduced in the diet. After the Industrial Revolution, there was a heavy reliance on wheat and rice as a staple food and a decline in the consumption of coarse grains such as millet. The increasing popularity of convenience foods like biscuits and potato chips and the trend of light snacks, work lunches, and unhealthy junk dinners is a result of a poor lifestyle.
The exercise system also has a role in heart diseases, nowadays it is seen that people get cardiac arrest in the gym. The growing trend of the ideal physique often results in young enthusiasts going overboard and following a regimen of strenuous exercise. Due to insufficient guidance regarding the desired heart rate, high-intensity workouts can make the condition worse. Also, people hide their cardiovascular history from their gym trainers/trainers. The exercise regime is often supplemented by heavy doses of steroids and food supplements to enhance physical appearance. This can have a serious impact on people’s health
There is a need to promote health concepts and preventive health check-ups. Everyone should have at least one ECG done every year. An index of doubt should be raised and public awareness programs should be organized at various levels. The fundamentals of nutrition education should not be made a specialization and should be included in the curriculum of schools and colleges. In the part of eating habits, sugar should be replaced with natural sweeteners like honey, jaggery, raisins, dates, etc. A good and balanced diet should be followed by including more natural food (fruits and vegetables) instead of artificial food supplements.
Everyone should understand that exercise is a continuous process and that shortcuts should be avoided. Exercise should be started slowly and should not be overdone. The importance of biological clocks/circadian rhythms should be respected. Guidelines should be set for all gym trainers to ensure a good exercise regimen. They should promote preventive health check-ups before changing exercise patterns and even a well-informed exercise routine at desired intervals of time. Ensure proper and proper quality of sleep. World Heart Day is observed and observed annually on 29 September, to raise awareness about heart diseases and how to control them to negate their global impact. The international holiday was established by the World Heart Federation in collaboration with the World Health Organization.
Health is a combination of social, mental, and physical health and therefore all aspects should be adequately considered for a healthy lifestyle. Too much of anything can cause more harm than good. As life has become more sedentary with fewer options for socialization and physical activity, doctors have observed an increase in the prevalence of diabetes, high blood pressure, smoking, alcohol consumption, and an unhealthy lifestyle over the past two years. Indians have a genetic predisposition, smaller coronary arteries, a dietary pattern with excessive consumption of trans fats, and a sedentary lifestyle that places them in a high-risk category for heart attacks.
The writer is Research Scholar, Poet, Independent Journalist, and Columnist, All India Radio and TV Panellist.
