September 29, marks World Heart Day, founded by the World Heart Federation. Started in 2012 by the world leaders with an aim to reduce global mortality caused due to non-communicable diseases by 25% by the year 2025, this day lays emphasis on taking proper care of the most important organ of the human body – The Heart.

Heart is an incredible organ, the lifeline. Cardiovascular Disease is the world’s number 1 reason behind the mortality rate. Unfortunately, youngsters these days are being affected by various heart-related ailments that can cause untimely death. According to statistics, heart conditions cost around 17.9 million lives each year.

World Heart Day addresses how various risk factors like unhealthy diet, lack of physical activity, tobacco, intake of drugs, and other conditions like diabetes, hypertension, stress, and anxiety are leading to heart diseases. Taking care of the heart should be a daily routine for all of us, irrespective of age and gender.

Theme for World Heart Day 2024

The theme for World Heart Day 2024 is centred around personal responsibility and proactive engagement in heart health. The campaign encourages individuals to:

Take Responsibility: Empower people to understand their risk factors and make informed choices about their heart health.

Advocate for Initiatives: Push for stronger policies and community programs that promote cardiovascular health.

Implement Action Plans: Collaborate on national strategies to improve heart health across populations.

Engage the Community: Foster collaboration among patients, healthcare professionals, and the public to create lasting change.

This theme underscores the importance of individual action in conjunction with systemic efforts to combat heart disease, which remains a leading cause of mortality worldwide.

Significance of World Heart Day 2024

World Heart Day serves as a critical reminder of the importance of heart health. Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) account for a significant number of deaths globally, and many of these conditions are preventable through lifestyle changes and awareness. The day aims to:

Raise Awareness: Educate the public about the risk factors associated with heart disease and the importance of maintaining a healthy heart.

Promote Healthy Lifestyles: Encourage individuals to adopt healthier habits that support cardiovascular health, such as regular exercise and balanced nutrition.

Highlight Global Disparities: Address the inequalities in heart health access and treatment across different communities and regions.

Drive Policy Change: Advocate for public health policies that support heart disease prevention and treatment.

By emphasizing these goals, World Heart Day seeks to inspire action and create a healthier future for all.

In this article, we will bring you the top 5 ways to care for your heart, for healthy living.

Eat Right:

The first step towards protecting your heart lies in eating the right type of food, in the right quantities. Cut down on the salts, sugars, oils and fats to prevent the building up of bad cholesterol, hypertension and diabetes.  Stay away from processed and refined foods and adopt healthy eating habits. Doctors recommend legumes, nuts and seeds, whole foods, low-fat dairy and fibre-loaded foods for maintaining a healthy heart.

Get Physical:

Nothing keeps your heart happy and healthy than a 20-minute walk daily. Make it a practice to walk, jog or practice Yoga for both mental and physical fitness. Strength training, resistance training, aerobics, and running strengthen your heart muscles and aid in better functioning.

Sleep Well:

If you are sleep-deprived for various reasons or fighting insomnia, address it right away. An 8-hour sound sleep is all you need for your heart to function to its optimum capacity and to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease and other related ailments. In fact, sleep deprivation is one of the main reasons behind heart problems.

Quit Smoking:

Smoking is injurious to health and even more to the heart. Many assume that smoking affects lung health, but it equally hurts the heart too. Stay away from cigarettes, e-cigarettes and other types of tobacco as they make your heart weaker and cause various complications. You can feel good heart health within a month of bidding goodbye to cigarettes.

Stress Is Bad:

Stress and anxiety have become a norm for many of us these days but both these factors are silent killers. Stay stress-free and stop feeling anxious over petty issues. Yoga, deep breathing exercises, and meditation help in leading a stress-free life and improve heart health.

(This article is reviewed by Soumita Basu Ayurvedic Pharma Expert)

 M Sowmya Binu:

With over 15 years of experience and a Postgraduate Degree in Nutrition, M Sowmya Binu is a seasoned professional. She specializes in creating personalized diet plans, emphasizing the integration of medication with dietary intake for overall wellness. Passionate about educating individuals, Sowmya develops insightful content covering food, nutrition, supplements, and health