Did you know that with the right actions, you can improve your heart health drastically and prevent Cardiovascular Diseases (CVDs)? By now, you have all heard that it is crucial to exercise regularly and follow a cautious diet to keep your heart beating happily. But is that all that needs to be done?
Something as dangerous to your heart as cholesterol is heart health myths! Knowledge is power (and a key to good heart health) and misinformation may just usher in Heart Diseases. Quite a few misconceptions about heart health have been perpetuated by ignorant people and irresponsible media houses. To show your heart the love it deserves, stops believing in these heart health myths right away!
Myth: Heart disease is for men, and cancer is the real threat for women. Fact: Heart disease is a killer that strikes more women than men, and is more deadly than all forms of cancer combined.
Dr. Ashish Bajaj – M.B.B.S, M.D.
Myth 1: Young people needn’t be worried about their heart health
Truth: Unhealthy diet is triggering plaque formation (due to high LDL levels), which in turn is causing hypertension in children and adolescents. Obesity too is on the rise because most of us (children as well as young people) live a sedentary lifestyle. These risk factors manifest as heart diseases in people as young as 20.
Myth 2: My Diabetes is under control, so my heart is safe
Truth: There is some truth to this myth. Unchecked diabetes is a huge risk factor for heart diseases. However, just because you are taking medication for diabetes, does not mean you can rest assured that your heart is taken care of. Diabetes increases your risk of heart disease, even if your blood sugar level is well managed. You need to consult your doctor to see if you need special medication to keep your blood pressure and cholesterol levels within the normal range. Lose weight if you are obese and quit smoking immediately.
Young people also needs to take care of their heart. Not long ago, heart attacks were primarily a problem faced by older adults. It was rare for anyone younger than 40 to have a heart attack. Now 1 in 5 heart attack patients are younger than 40 years of age. Here’s another troubling fact to highlight the problem: Having a heart attack in your 20s or early 30s is more common. Between the years 2000-2016, the heart attack rate increased by 2% every year in this young age group.
Dr. M.G. Kartheeka, MBBS, MD
Myth 3: Cholesterol levels cannot be high among young people.
Truth: Today’s youth gorges on foods that flood our bodies with cholesterol. The amount of cholesterol we need is produced by our bodies and the cholesterol that comes in through foods is in excess of the requirement. The more cholesterol-drenched foods we eat, the more the level rises. Deep-fried foods, cookies, cakes, pizzas, hamburgers and red meat are your heart’s enemies. The excess cholesterol and triglycerides eventually lead to hypertension and then heart attacks or cardiac arrest.
Myth 4: I have a family history of cardiac issues, there’s nothing I can do.
Truth: You can greatly minimize the chances of being diagnosed with Cardiovascular Diseases even if they run in your family by working on the modifiable risk factors like – body weight, lifestyle and dietary changes. Exercising regularly and basing your diet on vegetables, whole grains, fruits, soya products and skimmed milk products. At least half an hour of brisk walking, jogging, jumping rope, swimming or cycling five days a week can improve your heart health. Do not indulge in the habits of smoking and excessive alcohol intake.
Myth: I don’t have any symptoms so I might not have heart disease. Fact: Sixty-four per cent of women and men who die suddenly of coronary heart disease had no previous symptoms, a telltale sign of a heart attack is extreme chest pain which might be absent in a good proportion of heart disease patients.
Dr. Ashish Bajaj – M.B.B.S, M.D.
Myth 5: I am a senior citizen, it is normal for me to have hypertension
Truth: Both diastolic and systolic pressure increase with age. That is why ‘normal blood pressure is not a static figure and it changes with age. Ask your doctor what should be considered a healthy BP at your age. If your doctor thinks your systolic and diastolic pressure is higher than what is normal for your age group, you will have to start taking blood pressure medicines.
Heart Diseases are on the rise. 4.77 million people lost their lives to cardiac issues in 2020. Immediate action needs to be taken. And the first step towards that is awareness and debunking heart health myths. We need to understand that our present lifestyle can ruin our heart health. We need to instil healthy habits to keep cardiac issues at bay.
Also Read: Wheat Berries: Research-Based Guide to Health Benefits and Recipes
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Ref-For a fit body, you need an active lifestyle that is devoid of stress. We all know this, but how many of us actually follow it in this fast-paced and stress-laden life?
High cholesterol is a major trigger for the onset of cardiac ailments and other diseases. It has the potential of interfering with the blood flow and damaging the arteries which may also result in a stroke. Your doctor would tell you that not all the cholesterol in your body is bad and high–density lipoprotein or HDL is actually good for your body as it helps in transporting the excessive LDL out of the body through the liver.
But how do we know what is good and bad cholesterol? Read on to know what Vinata Shetty has to say about cholesterol management in the digital age.
Vinata Shetty is a certified trainer and has trained over 1000 instructors to date. The Reebok University Master Trainer has been a part of the fitness industry for more than 18 years now. She is the brand ambassador to Gatorade, the fitness drink for sports enthusiasts and has been associated with many fitness conventions as a presenter. She has also held many corporate seminars and workshops to make people aware of the benefits of living a fit and healthy life. She is also an avid writer who has been featured in major fitness and health magazines.
Often, high cholesterol level is a condition that doesn’t present itself with symptoms and many are not aware of it till it worsens and causes further damage. While many contributing factors lead to high cholesterol levels, one can definitely manage it with good lifestyle changes and healthy eating habits.
”Cholesterol can be managed by lifestyle management unless you have some genetic predisposition which leads to high cholesterol levels.”
Cholesterol Management for a Healthier Body
In general, cholesterol level above 240 mg/dL is considered high and anything between 200mg/dL and 239mg/dL is considered borderline. There are many contributing factors for this condition, like:
Read More: Recommended & Normal Cholesterol Levels
”There is never one contributing factor and it is very hard to say which the most contributing factor is.”
Impact of High Cholesterol on your body
Read More: Cholesterol Side Effects To Watch Out For
“You should know the root cause of your high cholesterol levels to be able to treat it effectively.”
Eating soy, nuts, oats, barley, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables coupled with an active lifestyle and plenty of rest can help you manage cholesterol effectively. It is always better to avoid developing tendencies of high cholesterol level by managing it through diet, discipline and exercise. Prevention is always better than cure.
Also, read: Cholesterol Diet – Food to Eat & Avoid For High Cholesterol
Child Obesity- Who is at risk?
Of late, it has been observed that many children are way off their normal growth chart and at risk of being obese. When a child’s weight trajectory is not proportional to his/her height it means that he/she has a lot of fat accumulation which is not healthy for their growth. If left unchecked, this might lead to various chronic ailments as they grow.
This rise in child obesity can be attributed to the following factors:
”The growing cases of child obesity are alarming and we must work towards giving our children a fitter childhood.”
Upholding a healthy lifestyle and cholesterol management becomes a natural process if lifestyle habits are taken care of at an early age and kids are educated about the benefits of living healthy. Parents must make more efforts to promote health-conscious eating habits at home. Along with that, families who spend time doing physical activities such as playing sports together, are happier and healthier.
Here are some tips on managing child obesity
”Food high on sugar levels must be an occasional indulgence because what starts as a one-time thing becomes a habit and then it becomes hard to break out of that habit.”
Also Read: What is Spirulina: Understanding the Research-Based Benefits and Uses
Managing your cholesterol levels is very critical for your overall health. An active lifestyle coupled with a good diet is essential to keep your cholesterol levels in check. You must set a good example yourself to raise awareness among your kids so that they start believing in it and practice it as part of their daily routine. There is nothing you don’t know about cholesterol management; it is just about taking it seriously and working towards it. Make short goals and work towards achieving them instead of taking a huge leap and failing miserably.
Read More: 6 Simple Ways to Reduce Cholesterol Levels
Disclaimer: The information included at this site is for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a healthcare professional. Because of unique individual needs, the reader should consult their physician to determine the appropriateness of the information for the reader’s situation.
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