A healthy heart begins with you!

Did you know that heart conditions don’t discriminate? September marks Heart Awareness Month in South Africa as the government aims to raise awareness about cardiovascular diseases in preparation for World Heart Day on 29 September.

Under this year’s theme – my heart, your heart and the hearts of all South Africans – the community is urged to take a personal interest in their heart health.

According to Dr Yair Edinburgh of the Ubuntu Family Health Centre, there is a common misconception about cardiovascular health as most people tend to think about the heart itself. It also includes stroke awareness.

“Probably the most important thing is lifestyle – lifestyle changes and modifications. When we talk about lifestyle we are essentially talking about two components – diet and exercise,” he said.

From a diet perspective, this refers to eating a good, balanced and healthy diet. This entails watching your intake of fats, sugar and reducing the consumption of salt. “Something that people often think when you say ‘salt’, they think about the salt that we add into the food. Salt is sodium, we have to look at the sodium content in the various foods which we eat.”

Your diet should include a daily dose of fruits, vegetables and water. “The average adult should be looking at two to three litres of water a day, which in my experience, very few people actually achieve. A lot of people work in a dehydrated state which is also pressure on the heart and cardiovascular system.”

From a lifestyle perspective, guidelines have recommended a minimum of 30 minutes of exercise a day. This can be split up into 30 minutes every day or essentially one hour every two days. “We are talking about a brisk walk or a jog.”

Lifestyle also includes educating and maintaining chronic conditions such as blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes. Smoking is also one of the biggest problems, he indicated.

Edinburgh added that it is important to pay attention to your body. “When you may be experiencing a heart attack or stroke, there will be warning signs leading up to it. Many people will ignore those warning signs and put it down to stress or indigestion until it is a proper heart attack where they are now forced to seek mediation attention.”

Warning signs may include:

• Chest pain
• An irregular heartbeat
• Experiencing pain in your arms or upper back

“Get checked-up and be proactive about your health versus being reactive. I often tell my patients that even if you have a bad family history, as horrible as that is, it actually gives you a ‘this is where you’re going if you don’t look after yourself’ sort of map. You can then go ‘okay, I know what the end of the road looks like for me but I have the power to change that’. It can be quite empowering for someone to actually realise that [they] don’t have to follow that road,” Edinburgh explained.

Sandton, in particular, presents a very stressful environment. “I see a lot of high anxieties, stress levels and depressions on a daily basis. Even if those aren’t directly contributory to having a heart attack, it does affect the lifestyle quite dramatically.”

He urged everyone not to hesitate to seek medical attention.

Details: Ubuntu Family Health Centre 010 822 3151.

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