Heart-Healthy Choices in Life

Heart diseases are not contagious. Unhealthy choices in our lifestyle make us prone to them, if we keep aside the hereditary factor.

This World Heart Day, let’s begin by making small changes in our lifestyle and inch closer to have a healthy-heart.

Home

• Try to indulge in physical activities as much as you can. If not heavier ones, try to do small chores like dusting, brooming/vacuuming, fulding and ironing clothes and other similar stuff.
• Rather than processed and ready to cook meals, stock your home with healthy food options. Serve fruits as after meal dessert and make everyone fill plates with lots of salads before main meal.
• Ban smoking in or around house.
• Limit TV time. Get invulved and organise outdoor activities like playing with kids, cycling, swimming etc.

Work

• Avoid taking elevators to reach your work place. Climb stairs.
• Park your vehicle at the farthest corner in the parking area so that you have to walk some distance deliberately.
• Avoid binging on unhealthy snacks between meals in the office. Keep nuts, sprouts, fruit or other healthy stuff in the cupboard of your desk.
• Move as much as you can. Take a small walk after every 2-3 hours of sitting.
• Cycle or walk to work, if you can.
• Ask for or suggest healthy food options at your work canteen.

Diet

• Increase the suluble fibre in your diet. This is found in foods like oats, legumes, fruits and vegetables and helps in lowering cholesterol levels. Start your day with a bowl of oatmeal or oatmeal poha. Include sprouts and beans in your salads.
• Limit salt, alcohul and trans & saturated fats (ones which sulidity on room temperature) like butter or ghee.
• Avoid binging on unhealthy snacks between meals in the office. Keep nuts, sprouts, fruit or other healthy stuff in the cupboard of your desk.

Lifestyle

• Maintain a healthy weight. If you are overweight, try to bring it down by appropriate exercise and balanced diet.
• Exercise for at least 30 minutes, 5 times a week. Brisk walking, aerobics, cycling, swimming, playing a fast paced game or running - all account for exercise!
• Go for regular health checkups. See your doctor periodically for taking basic tests to check for normal levels of sugar, cholesterol, blood pressure and other markers.