World Heart Day 2015: Create healthy heart environment!

Irengbam Jenny

Every year on 29th of September, World Heart Day is celebrated throughout the world. It is an annual international campaign initiated to spread awareness among the people about heart related diseases and how to prevent from it.

World Heart Day was first created in 2000 by World Health Federation to let people know that heart related disease can be prevented. Around 17.3 million lives are claimed by heart diseases every year.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has stressed on the need to reduce consumption of salt as it is linked to approximately 2.5 million people dying annually from heart diseases.

World Heart Day is celebrated with different theme every year that reflects key issues and topics relating to heart health. The theme for this year is 'creating heart-healthy environments'.

The aim of this initiative is to improve health globally by encouraging people to make lifestyle changes and promoting education internationally about ways to be good to your heart.

Lack of exercise, overeating, unhealthy eating diet, high blood pressure and cholesterol are some of the factors that increase the risk of heart diseases.

Sign and symptoms of heart diseases

It is not necessary that all heart problems will come with a warning signs. Not everyone has the same warning signs and symptoms of a heart attack.

For some, it can begin with a sudden chest pain while it may happens slowly with mild pain or discomfort to some. Those who have had a heart attack in the past will not experience the same symptoms the next time.

Here are a few signs and symptoms of heart diseases:

• Chest pain or discomfort
• Upper body pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach
• Shortness of breath, which may occur with or without chest discomfort
• Nausea, vomiting, light-headedness or sudden dizziness, or breaking out in a cold sweat
• Sleep problems, fatigue, or lack of energy

How to prevent heart diseases

Nowadays one cannot make heart-healthy choices because the places in which we live in and work increase the risk of heart diseases due to environmental factors, such as the unavailability of healthy food or smoke-free zones.  

But if we are careful, heart diseases can be prevented if we take proper care of our heart through healthy diet and proper physical activities. Little changes in lifestyle like smoking cessation, healthy eating, exercise, proper sleep and managing diabetes, blood pressure and stress, regular check ups, etc. can reduce the risk of heart disease.

Heart disease and stroke not only affect older people but also children because of poor diet and physical inactivity. One should create a healthy heart environment to prevent oneself from heart related diseases.