World Heart Day 2011 Team Up for Healthy Hearts

World Heart Day 2011

Team Up for Healthy Hearts

World Heart Day is celebrated annually on the last Sunday of September, and encourages healthy heart awareness. It Will be celebrated on 26th September this year, with the theme ‘Team Up for Healthy Hearts’. It works on the idea that getting together and teaming up can be great way for promoting heart health. As individuals, all of us strive to maintain our health
and wellness. But only few know that by teaming up and working
Together, this can happen better and also a great deal faster. This
year’s campaign underlines the role of families and communities in
helping individuals reduce the risk of heart attack and ensure a sound
heart health. This can happen at a variety of levels: be it your
family, school, workplace or even your neighbourhood. So, instead of
doing it alone, team up to eat right and exercise.

How to team up for a healthy heart?

A
healthy heart is vital for healthy living, regardless of one’s age or
gender. One can prevent major cardiovascular risks, like heart attacks
and strokes by choosing a healthy diet, being physically active and not
smoking. This year’s campaign focuses on the need to team up and work
together for a healthy heart. If there is no such existing group, try
to identify others around you who also have an interest in
cardiovascular health and disease prevention and start your own!

Mantra for a healthy heart:

Exercise:

Physical
inactivity is a significant contributor to the ageing of heart, as it
can lead to excess weight gain and obesity, diabetes and hypertension.
Regular exercise helps in:

• Slow down the narrowing of arteries to the heart and brain
• Encourage the body to use up excess stored fat, so it is crucial in helping weight loss and fighting obesity
• Improve
  cholesterol levels by increasing the level of good cholesterol (HDL or
  high density lipoprotein cholesterol) in the blood
• Maintain normal blood glucose levels in order to manage diabetes
• Reduce high blood pressure
• Smokers to quit - smokers who exercise are twice as successful in their attempts to stop smoking

Being active also improves the overall health, gives more energy,
reduces stress, builds stronger bones and muscles, and improves
balance, strength and mobility.



Eat right:

To help
maintain a young heart for life, calories consumed must be balanced
with calories burned. It is therefore recommended to combine exercise
with a balanced diet including plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole
grain products, lean meat, fish and pulses, as well as low-fat and
fat-free products, unsaturated soft margarines and oils such as
sunflower, corn, rape-seed and olive oil.

No smoking:

Smoking,
or any use of tobacco, is another important risk factor of heart
disease. Quitting using tobacco lowers blood cholesterol and
low-density lipoprotein “LDL” cholesterol (bad cholesterol) levels,
reduces blood clotting and the chance of a sudden blockage of an
artery. Setting a good example by not using tobacco gives a clear,
consistent message about the dangers of tobacco to children.

‘Go Red’ for Women


In
2005, roughly half of the 17.5 million victims of heart disease and
stroke - the world’s biggest killer - were women. This year there is a
special Go Red for Women international campaign, which aims to reduce
cardiovascular disease in women through improved prevention, early
diagnosis and treatment. The number of deaths and disability from heart
disease and stroke in women can be reduced by: saying no to tobacco,
eating healthy and doing more exercise.

Workplace Wellness

Your
work and workplace environment has a significant impact on our
physical, mental and social health. It has been seen that a number of
chronic diseases impact people in their “working” years, reducing
productivity and increasing costs. An unhealthy work environment is
characterised by stress, depression, chronic back problems, unhealthy
eating habits due to lack of time and decreased opportunity for
physical activity. A healthy work environment works to:

• improve employee health
  
  

• reduce employee stress
  
  

• reduce workforce turnover
  
  

• improve employee decision-making ability
  
  

• reduce organisational conflict
  
  

• reduce absenteeism

Heart Facts

• Forty per cent patients with heart attacks in India are less than 40 years of age.
• Regular
  exercise for at least 30 minutes every day, consuming 5 to 6 servings
  of fruits and green vegetables protect against heart attacks.
• Smoking
  more than 20 cigarettes per day increase the risk of heart attack by 5
  times, 10 to 19 cigarettes increases the risk by 3 times.
• If you are a diabetic your chance of having a heart attack in the next
  7 years is 10 times more than a non-diabetic, everything else remaining
  the same.
• The first few hours after sustaining a heart
  attack are crucial for recognition and treatment. Treating a heart
  attack within first 2 to 3 hours can reduce the chances of dying from
  15 per cent to 3 per cent.
• 
  
  The normal blood pressure at all
  ages is less than 120/80 mm Hg. Every 20 mm increase in systolic and 10
  mm diastolic pressure beyond this level doubles the risk of a heart
  attack and stroke.

Chest Pain Causes

Heart Attack Causes

A heart attack is caused by coronary heart disease, or coronary artery disease. Heart disease may be caused by cholesterol buildup in the coronary arteries (atherosclerosis), blood clots, or spasm of the vessels that supply blood to the heart.

Risk factors for a heart attack are:

• high blood pressure
• diabetes
• smoking
• high cholesterol
• family history of heart attacks at ages younger than 60 years, one or more previous heart attacks, male gender
• obesity
• Postmenopausal women are at higher risk than premenopausal women. This is thought to be due to loss of the protective effects of the hormone estrogen at menopause. It was
  previously treated by hormone supplements (hormone replacement therapy, or HRT). However, research findings have changed our thinking on HRT; long-term HRT is no longer recommended for most women.
• Use of cocaine and similar stimulants.

Angina Causes

• Angina may be caused by spasm, narrowing, or partial blockage of an artery that supplies blood to the heart.
• The most common
  cause is coronary heart disease, in which a blood clot or buildup of
  fatty material inside the blood vessel (atherosclerosis) reduces blood
  flow but does not completely block the blood vessel.
• Angina can be triggered by exercise or physical exertion, by emotional stress, or by certain heart rhythm disorders (arrhythmias) that cause the heart to beat very fast.

Aortic Dissection Causes

• Aortic dissection may be caused by conditions that damage the innermost lining of the aorta.
  • These include uncontrolled high blood pressure, connective-tissue diseases, cocaine use, advanced age, pregnancy, congenital heart disease, and cardiac catheterization (a medical procedure).
• Men are at higher risk than women..
• A similar condition is aortic aneurysm. This is an enlargement of the aorta that can rupture, causing pain and bleeding. Aneurysms can occur in the aorta in the chest or the abdomen.

Pulmonary Embolism Causes

Pulmonary embolism risk factors include:

• sedentary lifestyle,
• obesity,
• prolonged immobility,
• fracture of a long bone of the legs,
• pregnancy,
• cancer,
• history or family history of blood clots,
• irregular heartbeat (arrhythmias),
• heart attack, or
• congestive heart failure.

Women who use birth
control pills and smoke cigarettes are at higher risk than women who
have only one or neither of these risk factors (especially over the age
of 35).

Spontaneous Pneumothorax Causes

Spontaneous pneumothorax
(collapsed lung) occurs when the pressure balance between the sac that
contains the lung and the outside atmosphere is disrupted.

• Injury to the chest that pierces through to the lung sac is the most common cause of this condition.
• This can be caused by trauma, as in a car wreck, bad fall, gunshot wound or stabbing, or in surgery.
• Some very thin
  and tall people may suffer a spontaneous pneumothorax due to stretched
  lung tissues and abnormal air sacs in the upper portions of their
  lungs. It is possible for these abnormal air sacs to rupture with even
  a sneeze or excessive coughing.
• Other risk factors for pneumothorax include AIDS-related pneumonia, emphysema, severe asthma, cystic fibrosis, cancer, and marijuana and crack cocaine use

Perforated Viscus Causes

Perforated viscus may
be caused by direct or indirect injury. Irritation to the diaphragm in
this case comes from below the chest. The diaphragm is the muscle that
allows us to breathe. It is located up under the ribs and separates the
chest and abdominal cavity. Any irritation to the diaphragm, even from
below it, can cause pain to be felt in the chest.

Risk factors not related to trauma are:

• untreated ulcers,
• prolonged or forceful vomiting,
• swallowing a foreign body,
• cancer,
• appendicitis,
• long-term steroid use,
• infection of the gallbladder,
• gallstones, and
• AIDS.

Pericarditis Causes

Pericarditis can be
caused by viral infection, bacterial infection, cancer,
connective-tissue diseases, certain medications, radiation treatment,
and chronic renal failure..

• One life-threatening complication of pericarditis is cardiac tamponade.
  • Cardiac tamponade is
    an accumulation of fluid around the heart. This prevents the heart from
    effectively pumping blood to the body.
  • Symptoms of cardiac tamponade include sudden onset of shortness of breath, fainting, and chest pain.

Pneumonia Causes

Pneumonia may be caused by viral, bacterial, or fungal infections of the lungs.

Esophagus Related Causes

Chest pain originating from the esophagus may have several causes.

• Acid reflux (GERD) may
  be caused by any factors that decrease the pressure on the lower part
  of the esophagus, decreased movement of the esophagus, or prolonged
  emptying of the stomach. This condition may be brought on by:
  • consumption of high-fat foods,
  • nicotine use,
  • alcohol use,
  • caffeine, pregnancy,
  • certain medications (for example, nitrates, calcium channel blockers, anticholinergics, estrogen, progesterone),
  • diabetes, or
  • scleroderma.
• Esophagitis may be caused by yeast, fungi, viruses, bacteria, or irritation from medications.
• Esophageal
  spasm is caused by excessive, intensified, or uncoordinated
  contractions of the smooth muscle of the esophagus. Spasm may be
  triggered by emotional upset or swallowing very hot or cold liquids.

Follow the mentioned tips to lead a healthy and a happy life.

ALWAYS LISTEN TO YOUR FAMILY DOCTOR

~*~Quit Smoking Tips~*~

~*~Quit Smoking Tips~*~s

13 Tips to Quit Smoking

No. 1: Know Why You Want to Quit

So you want to quit smoking, but do you know why? "Because it's bad for you" isn't good enough. To get motivated,
you need a powerful, personal reason to quit. Maybe you want to protect your family from secondhand smoke. Maybe the thought of lung cancer frightens you. Or maybe you'd like to look and feel younger. Choose a reason that is strong enough to outweigh the urge to light up.

No. 2: Don't Go Cold Turkey

It may be tempting to toss your cigarettes and
declare you've quit, plain and simple. But going cold turkey isn't easy to do. Among those who try to stop smoking without therapy or
medication, 95% end up relapsing. The reason is that smoking is an
addiction. The brain depends on nicotine. In its absence, the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal occur.

No. 3: Try Nicotine-Replacement Therapy

When you stop smoking, nicotine withdrawal may make you frustrated, depressed, restless, or angry. The craving for "just one
drag" may be overwhelming. Nicotine-replacement therapy can reduce these feelings. Studies suggest nicotine gum, lozenges, and patches can help double your chances of quitting successfully when used with an intensive behavioral program. But using these products while smoking is generally not recommended.

No. 4: Ask About Prescription Pills

To ease nicotine withdrawal without using
products that contain nicotine, ask your doctor about prescription medications. There are pills that reduce cravings by altering the areas of the brain affected by nicotine. This change may also make smoking less satisfying if you do pick up a cigarette. Other drugs can help reduce troubling withdrawal symptoms, such as depression or inability to concentrate.

No. 5: Don't Go It Alone

Tell your friends, family, and co-workers that you're trying
to quit. Their encouragement could make the difference. You may also want to join a support group or talk to a counselor. Behavioral therapy is a type of counseling that helps you identify and stick to
quit-smoking strategies. Combine behavioral therapy with
nicotine-replacement products or medication to boost your odds of
success.

No. 6: Manage Stress

One reason people smoke is that the nicotine
helps them relax. Once you quit, you'll need another way to cope with stress. Try getting regular massages, listening to relaxing music, or learning yoga or tai chi. If possible, avoid stressful situations during the first few weeks after you stop smoking.

No. 7: Avoid Alcohol & Other Triggers

Certain activities may boost your urge to smoke. Alcohol is
one of the most common triggers, so try to drink less when you first
quit.. If coffee is a trigger, switch to tea for a few weeks. And if
you usually smoke after meals, find something else to do instead, like brushing your teeth or chewing gum.

No. 8: Clean House

Once you've smoked your last cigarette, toss all of your ashtrays and lighters. Wash any clothes that smell like smoke and clean your
carpets, draperies, and upholstery. Use air fresheners to help rid your home of that familiar scent. You don't want to see or smell anything that reminds you of smoking.

No. 9: Try and Try Again

It's very common to have a relapse. Many smokers try several
times before giving up cigarettes for good. Examine the emotions and circumstances that lead to your relapse. Use it as an opportunity to reaffirm your commitment to quitting. Once you've made the decision to try again, set a "quit date" within the next month.

No. 10: Get Moving

Physical activity can reduce nicotine cravings and ease some
withdrawal symptoms. When you want to reach for a cigarette, put on your inline skates or jogging shoes instead. Even mild exercise is
helpful, such as walking the dog or pulling weeds in the garden. The
extra calories you burn will also ward off weight gain as you quit
smoking.

No. 11: Eat Fruits & Veggies

Don't try to diet while giving up cigarettes ' too much deprivation is
bound to backfire. Instead, focus on eating more fruits, vegetables,
and low-fat dairy products. A Duke University study suggests these
foods make cigarettes taste terrible. This gives you a leg up in
fighting your cravings while providing disease-fighting nutrients

No. 12: Choose Your Reward

In addition to the tremendous health benefits, one of the
perks of giving up cigarettes is all the money you will save. Reward
yourself by spending part of it on something fun.

No. 13: Do It for Your Health

There's more than the monetary reward to consider.. Smoking cessation has immediate health benefits. It lowers your blood pressure and reduces your pulse after only 20 minutes. Within a day, oxygen and carbon monoxide levels in your blood return to normal, and risk of a heart attack decreases. Long-term benefits include a reduced risk for coronary heart disease, stroke, lung cancer, and other cancers.

Walking is Good Medicine

Walking is Good Medicine

I have two doctors my left and right legs

Your heart is a muscle that beats 24 hours a day for a lifetime but like all muscles it needs to be exercised so that it can pump more blood with each beat and save you energy. An unfit heart has more work to do.

Then even simple tasks like walking to the shops or carrying the shopping can become quite tiring. if you exercise aerobically, then your muscles use oxygen more efficiently, your heart pumps more blood with each beat and it does not beat as fast. Aerobic exercise is vital for your heart.

Walking is the safest and most effective aerobic exercise for your heart because it is easy to begin a walking programmed and easy to keepit up. Walking is an exercise that you can safely do for the rest of your life.

“Brisk walking is an excellent stamina-building exercise” says the Health Education Authority in its Look after your Heart campaign. ‘Your heart will benefit most from the kind of activity that builds up stamina.

The vigorous effort ofmovingyourmuscles rhythmically creates a greater demand for oxygen in the blood, and more work for the heart and lungs. Regular walking improves the balance of fatty substances in the bloodstream, lowers the resting blood pressure level and strengthens the heart muscle’

An early reseach suggests similar benefits from brisk walking after a meal. It seems that brisk walking helps clear dangerous fats from the blood and cuts the risk of clogged arteries.

WALKING

protects the heart by increasing its size and strength so it can pump more blood with fewer beats, increases the size and number of blood vessels for better and more efficient circulation, increases the amount of oxygen delivered to all tissues and cells, increases the efficiency of exercising muscles and blood circulation so that muscles andblood can process oxygen more easily, increases HDL (good) cholesterol which protects heart and blood vessels from fatty deposits,increases the ability to cope with stress which means that you will be less prone to heart disease,decreases triglycerides ( sugar fats)

so they are not deposited on the lining of arteries, decreases blood pressure by improving elasticity of blood vessesl-giving less sresistance to the flow of blood and increasing oxygen flow to tissues and cells.

FREQUENCY - 3 times a week

INTENSITY -

enough to get you slightly breathless, but stillbe able to carry on a conversation, or - an RPE (rate of perceived exertion) of 13or 60 percent to 80 percent of your Target Heart Rate.

TIME - 20 to 30 minutes per session.

Build a walk into your journey to work. Get off the bus early, or park away from the office. Enjoy the challenge of longer walks in shorter times. Save the expense of driving to the shops -walk instead.Involve the family. Walking is good for children too, and it is a great way of exploring the countryside. Don’t use lift or escalator. Walking briskly up and down stairs is really good for the heart.

Keep the heart in shape. If you look after your heart your heart will look after you.

Walking helps develop good posture, firms and tones muscles, improving body shape, burns stored body fat and helps weight loss, promotes strong bone growth, reducing the risk of osteoporis in later life, reduces the risk of heart disease and back pain, makes kid physically and mentally alert.

When and where to walk

Walk in your lunch hour- This is one way to get outdoors and re-charge yourself for the afternoon.

A brisk aerobic walk will lift your energyand vitality and will give you the ‘zip’ you need to get you throuoghthe rest of the day.

Walk the stairs. Use the stairs instead of a lift. Stair climing tones the legs and builds cardiovascular fitness and you can walk away up to twice as many calories as normal aerobic walking.

Walk in the evening -This is a time to relax and ease away the stressafter a busy day. Evening walks are a time to reflect on the passingday, a time to let go, a time to try ‘walking meditation’ Walking is a natural, healthy __ex-pression of the human body. It helpsresotre rhythm and balance, makes you fit, healthy and whole.

Walking is aerobic. It will give all the aerobic benefits of jogging,swimming, aerobics and more extreme exercises -stamina, endurance and cardiovascular fitness.

It is the perfect exercise for weight loss for back pain, osteoporosis, respiratory problems, diabetes, arthritiscardiac rehabilitation, and a variety of other health problems.

Walking improves both muscle tone and strength. It tones and strengthens your hips, thighs, stomach, and buttocks and will help your body look sleek and firm

So, keep walking…

The Organs of your body have their sensory touches at the bottom of your foot , if you massage these points you will find reliefFrom aches and pains as you can see the organs are on right and left foot, the heart is on the left foot.

This time, it put organs on the feet as they are. Typically they are shown as points and arrows to show which organ it connects to. It is indeed correct since the nerves connected to these organs terminate here.

This is covered in great details in Accupressure studies or textbooks.

God created our body so well that he thought of even this. He made us walk so that we will always be pressing these pressure points and thus keeping these organs activated at all times.

So, keep walking…

LEADS TO HEALTHY LIFE

MUSCLE CRAMPS

MUSCLE CRAMPS

Cramps do seem to have a special affinity for the calves, but other parts of your body are just as vulnerable. Your neck, back, thighs, and feet can
also fall victim to these abnormal, agonizing muscle contractions. A
whole host of factors have been linked to the onset of cramps. One
common culprit is muscle fatigue. Cramps may also crop up when a muscle is overstretched or strained or takes a direct blow. Other potential triggers include mineral depletion, impaired circulation, and sudden changes in temperature. Although for the most part, it is not a serious health problem. But that does not mean that you should leave it alone, even if the pain would allow you to. Here are some tips that you can consider to adopt to relieve your pain effectively.

1. Increase Vitamin C Intake

Increasing yoru intake of vitamin -C can help keep your muscles from cramping.. It is recommended to consume timed-release vitamin C
capsules twice a day, 1,000 milligrams in the morning, and 1,000
milligrams at night. Bear in mind that some people may experience
diarrhea when taking more than 1,200 milligrams of vitamin C a day.

2. Toe The Line On Pain

If your calf muscles are susceptible to recurring cramps, they are
probably weak. You can build them up with simple strengthening
exercises. It is recommended to perform toe raises. Simply rise up on
your toes, hold for 5 seconds, then return your heels to the floor.
Repeat 15 to 20 times, two to three times a day. To enhance
the benefits of exercise, you may want to try holding dumbbells at your
shoulders.

3. Try Sports Drinks

If you are low in sodium or potassium, you might be prone to cramping. The reason is that both minerals are electrolytes, which regulate muscle
contractions. Sports drinks such as Gatorade can help replenish your
supply of sodium and potassium. It is recommended diluting drink with a little water, so that your body absorbs it better.

4. Turn Up The Heat

For recurring cramps, it is recommended regular applications of moist heat to the affected muscle. Warm the muscle for 10 to 15 minutes, five or six times a day. Continue the applications every day until there is no
trace of cramping.

5. Rub The Right Way

Massage the calf, arch, and toes with baby oil for 5 minutes, using a
back-and-forth motion, across the length of the muscle. Rolling over
the affected muscle from side to side with the palms of your hands can
also help.

6. Fill Up With Fluids

Keeping yourself adequately hydrated can help prevent cramps. Be sure to top off your tank before and during any physical activity, especially if
you are working up a sweat in hot weather. You should drink 8 to 12
ounces of fluid before you start exercising. Follow up with 4 to 8
ounces of fluid every 30 to 45 minutes while you are working out.

7. Counter The Contraction

Youcan gently relax a cramped muscle by guiding it through its normal
range of motion. For a cramp in your calf, it is recommended to hold
your calf with one hand while pulling your foot toward you with the
other hand. The same instructions apply for a cramp in your foot, just
place your hand in the arch of your foot instead of on your calf. In
both cases hold the stretch until you feel the cramp release.