Caring Young Heart (English )

When we talk of  heart disease, picture of old people comes to our most mind.Unfortunately, Reports say younger population is also in clutch of heart disease particularly as youn as 30.India already accounts for one -fifth of deaths worldwide, caused by cardiovascular diseases(CVDs)in people. And this reflects in the younger population as well, with an age -standardised death rate of 272 per 1,00,000 population as compared to the global average of 235.                                   This increased risk of heart disease in young Indians is due to a combination of inherited genes as well as environmental factors. Unfortunately, these environmental factors have only worsened the risk over time. Working love long hours, often in stressful jobs and sleeping less has become the new normal in our lives. Modern work setups involve sitting a lot and not exercising  and this can nearly double the risk of  poor heart health.                 58% of people in top cities, between ages 30 to 40,who do not exercise regularly, are at greater risk of heart disease. Despite this 92 percent of them do not consider lack of exercise among the top 3 risk factors for heart disease. This lack of awareness further exacerbates the issue.                      Among younger people, we do see an increasing awareness about the importance of food  in maintaining good health. But reality also is that after a long and tiring day, it has often become easier to order in and give into unhealthy food urges. With less exercise and eating junk food frequently, there is an increased chance of belly fat, which is another major risk factor for heart disease.                 It is pertinent to see that caring for our heart is not difficult. Once you are aware of the risk factors, you can take the right steps to reduce their impact. Making simple changes in our diet and lifestyle  can really make a difference. The most important thing, however, is to be proactive, changes we make in our 30s and 40s can go a long way in keeping us heart -healthy .        In 30s it is a good idea to asses blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar and general health every year. This can let you be aware of symptoms earlier and corrective action can be taken immediately. Develop healthy lifestyle habit like brisk walking for  about twenty minutes a day, atleast thrice a week. Try to take breaks between work  hours for deep breathing exercises. Control stress  with exercise and yoga, rather than emotional /stress eating or staying up late and binge-watching. Make  simple and easy changes to diet, like eating one portion of raw fruits and vegetables during snack time every day. Try to include heart healthy ingredients like nuts, green leafy vegetables, avocados and oats. Using heart -healthy oil can also be a great and easy change we can make. Good lifestyle habits developed early on can help reduce heart risk, positively. So make it a priority  today.