An estimated 80% of all CVD cases — heart disease, heart attack, heart failure, and stroke — can be prevented. The key is to control high blood pressure and high cholesterol and to maintain healthy habits, such as exercising regularly, eating a plant-based diet, getting enough sleep, and not smoking.

Exercise: Guidelines recommend 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise five times a week. "Doing more is better.

• Walk for 5 minutes every 2 hours. Do a set or two of push-ups either on the floor or against the kitchen counter.
• Perform up to 10 repetitions of stand-and-sit exercises, where you rise from a chair not using your arms and then sit down again.
• Find opportunities to do extra movements. For example, park farther away from the grocery store, take the stairs, and do simple yard work like weeding, planting, and raking. Every bit of everyday movement can count toward your overall exercise requirements.

Diet: Focus on plant foods; minimize intake of red meat, especially processed meat.

Sleep: Guidelines from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society recommend adults get at least 7 hours of sleep per night on a regular basis. Studies have found that getting less than this amount is associated with heart disease risk factors like higher stress, increased inflammation, high blood pressure, and weight gain. Sleep apnea can also increase the risk. According to a study published online Feb. 12, 2018 in the Journal of Sleep Disorders & Therapy, people with sleep apnea are more likely to also have heart failure, an irregular heartbeat and diabetes

Numbers: Keep the lower BP, LDL cholesterol, abdominal circumference and fasting sugar < 80

(Source: Harvard Health Watch)

Dr KK Aggarwal

Padma Shri Awardee

President Elect Confederation of Medical Associations in Asia and Oceania   (CMAAO)

Group Editor-in-Chief IJCP Publications

President Heart Care Foundation of India

Past National President IMA