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Heart diseases rank among one of the top most causes of death globally according to WHO (World Health Organization). Deaths due to heart diseases have doubled in India, its 28% now as compared to 15% in 1990s, as per a report published in Lancet Journal. In the light of growing modern technology, not only the new and young “smartphone generation” but also everyone else is facing more devastating consequences due to their comfortable yet fast paced and stressful lifestyle. This is leading to spike in heart diseases and lifestyle disorders. And to further the situation is the fact that cardiovascular disorders are very unpredictable, they begin slowly but lead to sudden serious disturbances of heart and ill health. We cannot change the causative factors of cardiovascular diseases like family history of heart diseases, gender or age but that does not mean we should not do our best to bring about changes in our lifestyle that can help in lowering the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Proper lifestyle, diet, exercise with appropriate medical interventions can help delay the problem or even put a stop. Here are the pointers of the governance for a better Heart and actions to be taken: Stress One word, one cause that can be the root for different health disorders is stress. In times when technology and support was not abundant activities such as house cleaning, gardening, taking children and pets to play and walk, climbing stairs, doing household work manually were daily physical activities. These activities even though sedentary, were helping people to keep their body fit and also assist to reduce the occurrence of high blood pressure, high sugar levels, high cholesterol and thus, check the overall strain on the heart, to a certain level. Today’s fast moving lifestyle has literally reduced all these small yet essential de-stressing physical activities. Thus resulting in increase of oxidative stress and free radicals in the body that are detrimental for the heart. Coping with stress in unhealthy way like binge eating, eating at irregular intervals or anorexia nervosa causes further negative impact on heart health. The key is to find alternative ways of managing and reducing stress using various relaxation techniques like meditation, yoga, pranayama, 30 minutes of physical activity preferably cardio exercise done 5 days a week, aerobics or brisk walking and more. These activities offer great benefits like increasing the oxygen levels in the body, enhancing blood circulation to all parts of the body, toning of muscles and nerves and much more resulting in better inner health of the body and the heart. Sleep Getting quality sleep for appropriate amount of time is missing in this generation where most of the population is addicted to mobile phones and laptops, working in night shifts, late night binge watching, hectic work schedules. Sleep apnoea, breathing troubles are conditions which if persist for a considerable amount of time lead to disturbance in sleep-wake cycle that can further lead to increase in the risk of heart diseases. Sleep is one of the major function during which the body goes into repair, maintenance and rest mode. Making sleep a priority in life and sticking to a schedule is the solution. Most adults need 6 to 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep daily to feel fresh, stay health and to wake up energised. Diet A diet lacking in fruits and vegetables devoid the person of the micronutrients and trace elements essential for body. Consuming too much sugar, salt, high-fat food, processed foods are a threat to heart health. Fast foods and ready-made foods are rich in trans-fats, hydrogenated and saturated fats. Food products like red meat, palm oil, crackers, chips, cookies, deep fried food, baked foods and all food types categorized as ‘junk food’ are detrimental in long run especially when consumed in excess or regularly. These can lead to accumulation of fat or sugar in the body and can lead to heart trouble. The increased exposure of chemicals and pesticides to the cultivated crops is also a major culprit for toxin build up. Substance misuse – Alcohol, smoking, consumption of drugs When it comes to these habits, occasional and moderate usage of Alcohol is fine, but smoking, substance misuse and excessive alcoholism are immensely detrimental to the cardiovascular (heart) health of your body and are direct causes of heart disease. Chemicals in tobacco damage blood vessels, causing plaques (fat deposition inside blood vessels). It also narrows the arteries leading to atherosclerosis and myocardial infarction (cardiac cell death). These symptoms have increased over the years and so has the risk of coronary artery disease (CAD), even in non-smokers in last few years. Smokeless tobacco, low nicotine cigars, low tar cigar, second-hand smoke (passive smoking) can also be dangerous and increase the risk of heart disease even if it is social smoking only with friends. Especially Women are at a greater risk if smoking while consuming contraceptive pills. Getting regular health check-ups and medical consultation is advisable. As regular and early screening can help in detecting the diseases in time and hence can be better monitored and managed to reduce the risk to life. Wishing you a very Happy and Healthy Life. Take care.   Check tests & Profiles for Heart here Contributed by Dr. Chaitra Avinash, an expert on lifestyle disorders, dietary intervention and hair-skin care.

CHOLESTEROL sounds more like a threat call than an important molecule in the body. “Chole” come from a Greek word for Bile and Sterol are a collective group of molecules. We all Have Liver and Liver produces about 1-2 grams of cholesterol daily based on our intake of cholesterol. In case the intake of cholesterol rich food is less than the production increases and vice versa. Cholesterol is important for the production for Vitamin D, Hormone production, bile juice, cell membrane. Cholesterol being a fatty molecule it cannot mix with blood hence a transport agent in the form of Lipoproteins is used by the body to travel in our blood. These lipoproteins are what we call the HIGH-DENSITY LIPOPROTEINS_HDL AND LOW-DENSITY LIPOPROTEINS_LDL. The HDL brings the excess cholesterol to liver from all over the body for disposal hence its termed as GOOD CHOLESTEROL. On the other hand, LDL transports cholesterol and fat from Liver to all over the body and we call them BAD CHOLESTEROL. The LDL has the bad name as its associated with plaque formation and heart diseases. However another group of Lipoproteins called LP(a) are responsible for plaque formation on damaged artery sites (due to oxidation- when we breath air). Cholesterol has several metabolic functions, high cholesterol is equal to muscle growth, muscle repair and it’s a precursor for reproductive hormones. So, cutting it down does not really help. For people on plant-based diets the potassium manganese ratio can alter the blood cholesterol and low levels of sodium can increase LD. What would help is lifestyle changes that help bring a balance in the levels of cholesterol. 1. Reduce stress- More the stress more cholesterol 2. Eat at least 1 cup of whole grains a day- More fiber less cholesterol 3. Eat at least 1/3 rd cup of nuts and seeds- Good fat kills bad fat 4. Include herbs and spices in your cooking- Aids in Digestion of the fat 5. Aim for 45 mins of concentrated activity or exercise everyday 6. Avoid processed foods-Anything that has a shelf life longer than natural foods 7. Eat at least 5 -7 servings of fruits and raw vegetables a day 8. Improve sleep quality by practicing yoga nidra - Sleep is an excellent healer 9. Use cold pressed oils for cooking- Groundnut, coconut, mustard or sesame oil Change of lifestyle can bring a balance, reduce the levels of LDL. Fats can help us stay full and focused for longer time compared to carbs and proteins. Do not shun them in the name of cholesterol. Instead they will help you maintain a balance in the levels. Since it’s naturally produced by the body, we now know that its not harmful but beneficial in the moderate amounts. Keep a track of your heart by doing regular health checkup. To know more, click here Go ahead and keep your heart healthy!! Stay Happy and Healthy!! Contributed by Anitha Narayamurthy, Dietitian and Clinical Nutritionist

Heart, the little organ sitting in our chest, works continuously throughout our life. It keeps on pumping and circulating blood in our body. While our heart works tirelessly to keep us going, we do our bit by damaging it in every possible way -many a times subconsciously. On World Heart Day which falls on 29th September, let us come together and make conscious efforts to know this very important organ and vow to take care of it. What is heart and what are its functions? The heart is a muscular organ that pumps blood and circulates it throughout our body, making up the circulatory system. The blood carries oxygen and nutrients to the body tissues which is the basic requirement of survival. What are the different ailments of heart? Heart failure is the deadliest among all the heart problems but to reach to that point the heart goes through a number of phases. It starts from Angina or chest pain due to blockage in the blood vessel supplying blood to the heart muscle. If remained untreated it may eventually lead to Myocardial Infarction or Heart Attack in common terms which happens because of death of cardiac muscle cells. Other ailments in this cycle are LVH (Left Ventricular Hypertrophy), IHD (Ischemic Heart Disease) and CHD (Congestive Heart Disease). Other ailments like Valve diseases and Cardiomyopathy are also common in the Indian Population. The most common of them all which leads to high rates of mortality and hospitalization, is Heart Attack. Let us understand what the possible indicators of the onset of heart attack could be. Signs and Symptoms of heart attack: Many people, who have a heart attack, pose with some warning signs while some remain totally asymptomatic. The early warning signs of a heart attack include: Breathlessness Cold Sweat Palpitation Pain in upper body parts Severe signs and symptoms include High to very high chest pain Severe pain in upper body parts, mainly shoulders and upper arms Nausea and Dizziness Heavy Breathing What are the risk factors of a heart attack? A heart attack can occur to anyone but there are some risk factors that enhance the susceptibility to an attack. They are categorized into Uncontrollable and Controllable risk factors. Uncontrollable risk factors: Age- In Today’s fast-moving world people as young as 35 years of age are also vulnerable, however the prevalence is more common in age group of 60+. Sex- Men are more susceptible as compared to women. However, post menopause, women become more susceptible. Race- People of African descent are more susceptible. Family History- People who have a family history of heart ailments are at a greater risk. Controllable risk factors: Smoking Alcohol consumption Obesity High cholesterol Unhealthy diet Lack of exercise High Sugar Levels Stress How can you prevent a heart attack? There are many risk factors that are not in your control but of course, there are risk factors which we can control.  Following are some basic tips that keep away the chances of a heart attack. Adopting a healthy lifestyle should be the first step in dealing with the possible chances of a heart attack. Quitting the awful habit of smoking should be on top priority. Other things that can be done to improve the health of the heart are: Maintaining a heart-healthy diet There are many heart-healthy foods that cut off the chances of a heart attack. The best foods for heart health include: Fishes with high omega-3 content like salmon, mackerel, trout, herring, and tuna Nuts like almonds and walnuts Dark beans like black beans or kidney beans Berries like blueberries, cranberries, raspberries, and strawberries Red, orange, and yellow vegetables like carrots, red peppers, sweet potatoes, etc. Fruits like papaya, oranges, etc. Dark chocolate Flax seeds Tofu Regular workout Working out regularly is a must. Indulge in any physical activity like running, swimming, yoga, or a sport. Quit alcohol and smoking Alcohol consumption and smoking do irreparable damage to the heart. Quit them as soon as possible. Regular Check-ups Regular heart check-up is really necessary. Keep a tab on your lipid, sugar and weight levels. Consult your doctor at regular intervals. The Bottom Line Maintaining a proper heart health is the only thing that could keep us going. On this World Heart Day, come together and pledge that we will know our hearts and will always take care of it. https://www.youtube.com/embed/rlzFwUQhfHU

Heart Healthy FoodsNutritional ValueGround FlaxseedOmega 3 Fatty Acids, Fibre, phytoestrogensAlmonds & WalnutsOmega 3 Fatty Acids, Vitamin E, Magnesium, Mono and Polyunsaturated fats, phytosterolsBlack or Kidney BeansB Complex Vitamins, Niacin, Folate, Magnesium, Omega 3 Fatty Acids, Calcium, Soluble FibreOatmealOmega 3 Fatty Acids, Magnesium, Pottasium, Folate, Niacin, Calcium, Soluble FibreBrown RiceB Complex Vitamins, Fiber, Niacin, MagnesiumBroccoliBeta Carotene, Vitamin C & E, Pottasium, Folate, Calcium, FibreSweet PotatoBeta Carotene, Vitamin A, C & E, FibreOrangesBeta Cryptoxanthin, Beta and Alpha Carotene, Lutein and Flavones, Vitamin C, Pottasium, Folate, FibreSpinachLutein, B Complex Vitamins, Magnesium, Potassium, Calcium, FibreTomatoesBeta and Alpha Carotene, Lycopene, Lutein, Vitamin C, Pottasium, Folate, Fibre