No longer the disease of the urban rich heart ailments following the path of consumerism into India’s poor sections and villages too.Teen obesity, lack of exercise and unhealthy lifestyle are pushing us towards heart diseases earlier than before. It is no longer uncommon to hear of someone in their 30s or 40 succumb to heart attack as they push themselves on corporate ladder.
About 30 to 50% of cases of heart diseases in India affect people below the age 50. In the West average age is 55. “Most children today get no exercises and spend their time in front of the TV, eating potato chips as they stay up the night to study. They also have big tummies. By the time they touch 40, it all accumulate in the form of heart attack.”
Heart ailments are not longer rich man’s disease. Consumerism and urbanization have ensured that eve villages have access to unhealthy junk food like potato chips. You get rickshaw pullers who have suffered heart attacks. They eat meals cooked in unhealthy oil on the road side.”
The number one reason for heart attack however remains smoking. And among women, smoking and diabetes. Avoid eating Jalebis and kachodi, which are cooked in vanaspati oil. It’s a killer. ‘’The more it is reheated; it gets oxidized and creates Trans fats in the body.”
Making healthy choices:
~ Restrict eating out to once a week.
~ If you’re at business meeting, opt for salads with non-fatty dressings.
~ Introduce fibres in your diet through bran and wheat flour.
~ Snack on flax seeds and walnuts, which are rich in Omega3 fatty acids.
~ Cut down on red meat and egg yolks that are high in cholesterol.
Testing for heart disease for an otherwise healthy individual should begin at the age of 30.Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a genetic disorder characterized by high cholesterol level especially very high levels of LDL or bad cholesterol, leading to early cardiovascular disease.
How can one recognize an impending heart attack? According to experts 60% of patients complain of a typical severe chest pain, accompanied by pain in the left arm, nausea, perspiration. About 15-20% experience indigestion or pain in the back minus any sweating. A jaw pain is more suspect if it’s also accompanied by discomfort in the throat.
WATCH YOUR HEART…
A ‘silent heart attack’ is more common with complaints of gas and indigestion. “If the indigestion is not relieved by antacids and persist for an hour get an ECG done.
TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR LIFE, THE EARLIER THE BETTER. !!