World Heart Day

About the World Health Federation –

World Heart Federation (WHF), a nongovernmental organization, is based in Geneva, Switzerland. An International Society of Cardiology was founded in 1946 and International Cardiology Federation in 1970. Both organizations were merged to form the International Society and Federation of Cardiology (ISFC) in 1978. Later the name of the International Society and Federation of Cardiology was changed to the World Heart Federation in 1998.

It is a united community, of around 200 member organizations, only the global body in the world dedicated to lead this fight against heart diseases. This federation brings together the strength of various medical societies and heart foundations all over the world (more than 100 countries from Asia-Pacific, East Mediterranean, Europe, the Americas, and Africa).

The World Heart Federation motivates the health care professionals, medical societies, policymakers, patients, organizations, and other healthy individuals to come forth and participate actively in the campaign to reduce the fear of heart disease and stroke as well as ensure people for longer and better lives.

History of World Heart Day

It was launched in 2000 by the World Heart Federation as an annual event that was planned to be taking place every last Sunday of September. However, in 2011 they decided to fix it on every 29th day of September and it has been celebrated on that day ever since.

 Why Celebrate –

Some of the most dangerous risk factors leading to heart disease and stroke are high blood pressure, high level of bad cholesterol, increased glucose level, smoking habit, inadequate intake of diet, fruit, and vegetables, increased weight, and obesity.

It motivates people to get participated and take some knowledge, go through the proper heart check-ups, and follow other control measures all through life. It is a perfect day when many people do promises to themselves to quit smoking, get involved in daily physical activities, start eating a healthy diet, etc in order to keep their heart in good working order.

It is a day when people realize about overeating, unhealthy diets, lack of exercise, bad lifestyle, etc causing heart ailments. It brings some hope to people that heart problems can be prevented and controlled for the whole life by following a healthy lifestyle.

Customs and Celebrations –

Both governmental and non-governmental organizations celebrate this day from all over the globe. They do this by organizing activities like marathons, walks, public talks, fitness sessions, exhibitions, and science fairs. Some landmarks, monuments, and famous buildings choose to go red on this day as a show of cardiovascular disease awareness.

Any person interested in celebrating this day is advised to do so by being more attentive to their heart health. There are several ways one can do that, including partaking in physical exercises, stopping smoking, quitting alcohol, and starting eating a healthy diet. Also, have your heart, blood pressure and cholesterol checked frequently.

The aim of this campaign is to motivate people for active participation in a huge number to make this campaign successful and world free of heart diseases. There are many ways people can be involved in the celebration such as planning their own ways, sharing healthy heart selfies on Twitter, Facebook pages, and other social media sites to boost the campaign, keep an eye on the website of world heart federation regularly for current updates and information.

Get Involved –

There are numerous ways you can get involved apart from taking part in the events. You can plan your own event or share tips and encouraging messages on social media. Keep your heart healthy and help others do the same.

There are certain foods that you should include in your diets, to ensure the smooth and healthy functioning of our hearts. At the same time, there are foods that harm us and lead to a number of health complications and illnesses and our hearts are better off without these. This World Health Day, let us all take a pledge to purge our diets of foods that are unhealthy for our heart and eat more foods that make it healthier.

List of Foods start adding to your diet for healthy Heart:-

A. Amla or Indian Gooseberry: The Indian gooseberry is rich in vitamin C, which is one of the best nutrients to consume for a healthy heart. Other vitamin C rich foods include oranges and lemons.

B.  Soy: Foods made from soy, including tofu and soy milk, etc., are also great for the heart, as these are rich in essential vitamins and minerals, as well as proteins and polyunsaturated fats. The last nutrient, in particular, helps in lowering the levels of LDL or bad cholesterol in the blood, reducing the risks of heart diseases.

C. Berries: Blueberries, strawberries, acai berries, etc., are extremely rich in antioxidants, which help in reducing inflammation and reduce risks of heart diseases. Blueberries contain anthocyanins, which are antioxidants important for lowering cholesterol levels.

D. Fatty Fish: Omega 3 fatty acids are essential for a healthy heart. Fatty fish like salmon is rich in this essential nutrient and including it in your diet is great for your heart. Some common vegetarian sources of omega 3 include chia seeds, hemp seeds, flaxseeds, walnuts, etc.

E. Oatmeal: This basic breakfast might just help in preventing a potentially fatal condition by protecting your heart. Oats are very rich in soluble fiber, which is key to maintaining a healthy heart. Oats also contain beta-glucan, which fights the build-up of fats or lipids in the body.

F. Nuts: Almonds, walnuts, etc., are rich in vitamin E, which fights increase in bad LDL cholesterol in the blood, reducing risks of cardiovascular diseases.

G. Olive Oil: Your cooking oil makes a world of difference to your heart health and using olive oil for cooking is great for your heart due to the presence of high amounts of MUFA or monounsaturated fatty acids in it.

H. Spinach: Green vegetables are generally healthy for you, as they help in management in your weight, but spinach is particularly great for your heart. It is rich in carotenoids that fight oxidative stress in the body, as well as folic acid,I. which prevents the hardening of arteries.

I. Pumpkin Seeds: Magnesium-rich pumpkin seeds can protect your heart by keeping the heart rhythm steady and lowering blood pressure, besides maintaining other heart functions.

J. Apple: An apple a day may keep your heart functioning well because this humble fruit contains the flavonoid quercetin, which has anti-inflammatory properties and fights plaque build-up.

Diet has a big role to play in the well-being and health of the heart. What you eat lays the foundation for a healthy or unhealthy heart, which may ultimately end up determining your overall well-being and longevity.

Foods Heart patients must avoid:-

1. Processed Grains and Carbohydrates: Not all carbs are bad for your health. In fact, whole grains may actually protect the heart and maintain its health. But processed grains contain unhealthy carbs, which are very likely to give your heart a hard time. This is because processed grains have very little nutritional value, as a high level of processing strips the grain of healthful components. These also contain harmful ingredients like trans fats, sodium, and sugars. So keep away from pizzas, pasta, and starchy foods like white bread, potatoes, white rice, etc.
2. Soft Drinks or Sugary Drinks: These also include energy drinks, which often contain high levels of sugar, which is harmful to any heart patient. These soft drinks contain a high amount of calories, which leads to a spike in the levels of blood sugar. These drinks also increase your chances of weight gain. So the next time you feel like quenching your thirst, along with meals, simply opt for water or other naturally hydrating drinks like coconut water and skip that soda. This is particularly important for heart patients to follow.
3. Red Meat: Heart patients are often advised to stay away from all sources of red meat. This type of meat contains high amounts of saturated fat, which is harmful as it raises levels of Low-Density Lipoproteins (LDL) cholesterol in the blood. Common sources of red meat include lamb, pork, and beef. It would be better to switch red meat with white meat from chicken, turkey, and fish.
4. Salty Foods: Commonly packaged snacks like chips and crisps contain high amounts of salt, which is again harmful to the health of heart patients. Too much sodium intake in the body can raise blood pressure. Although it’s not necessary to chuck salt out of your diet, completely, one should certainly be mindful of their daily salt intake and keep it well within the recommended daily requirement.
5. Trans Fats: Again, most packaged snacks, as well as junk foods contain this harmful ingredient. Trans fats, sometimes labeled as hydrogenated oils on processed foods, is the ultimate nemesis of a heart patient and should always be kept at an arm’s length. Chocolates, cookies, chips, and other common snacking foods contain trans fats and hence, should be avoided by heart patients.

 Risk factors are conditions or habits that make a person more likely to develop a disease. They can also increase the chances that an existing disease will get worse. Important risk factors for heart disease that you can do something about are:

• High blood pressure
• High blood cholesterol
• Diabetes and pre-diabetes
• Smoking
• Being overweight or obese
• Being physically inactive
• Stress
• Alcohol
• Having a family history of early heart disease
• Having a history of preeclampsia during pregnancy
• Unhealthy diet
• Age (55 or older for women)

 Some risk factors, such as age and family history of early heart disease, can’t be changed. If your father or brother had a heart attack before age 55, or if your mother or sister had one before age 65, you are more likely to get heart disease yourself. For women, age becomes a risk factor at 55. After menopause, women are more apt to get heart disease, in part because of their body’s production of estrogen drops.

Women who have gone through early menopause, either naturally or because they have had a hysterectomy, are twice as likely to develop heart disease as women of the same age who have not yet gone through menopause.

Another reason for the increased risk is that middle age is a time when women tend to develop risk factors for heart disease. Preeclampsia is another heart disease risk factor that you can’t control. However, if you’ve had the condition, you should take extra care to try and control other heart disease risk factors.

You can make the changes gradually, one at a time. But making them is very important. Other women may wonder: If I have just one risk factor for heart disease—say, I’m overweight or I have high blood cholesterol—aren’t I more or less “safe”? Absolutely not. Each risk factor greatly increases a woman’s chance of developing heart disease. But having more than one risk factor is especially serious because risk factors tend to “gang up” and worsen each other’s effects. So, the message is clear: Every woman needs to take her heart disease risk seriously—and take action now to reduce that risk.