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Heart Care
A chat with Dr.Devi Shetty , Narayana Hrudayalaya ( Heart Specialist) Bangalore was arranged by WIPRO for its employees . The transcript of the chat is given below. Useful for everyone .
Qn: What are the thumb rules for a layman to take care of his heart ?
Ans:
1. Diet - Less of carbohydrate, more of protein, less oil
2. Exercise - Half an hour's walk, at least five days a week; avoid lifts and avoid sitting for a longtime
3. Quit smoking
4. Control weight
5. Control blood pressure and sugar
Qn: Is eating non-veg food (fish) good for the heart?
Ans: No
Qn: It's still a grave shock to hear that some apparently healthy person
gets a cardiac arrest.. How do we understand it in perspective?
Ans: This is called silent attack; that is why we recommend everyone past the age of 30 to undergo routine health checkups.
Qn: Are heart diseases hereditary?
Ans: Yes
Qn: What are the ways in which the heart is stressed? What practices do you suggest to de-stress?
Ans: Change your attitude towards life. Do not look for perfection in everything in life.
Qn: Is walking better than jogging or is more intensive exercise required to keep a healthy heart?
Ans: Walking is better than jogging since jogging leads to early fatigue and injury to joints .
Qn: Can people with low blood pressure suffer heart diseases?
Ans: Extremely rare
Qn: Does cholesterol accumulates right from an early age
(I'm currently only 22) or do you have to worry about it only after you are above 30 years of age?
Ans: Cholesterol accumulates from childhood.
Qn: How do irregular eating habits affect the heart ?
Ans: You tend to eat junk food when the habits are irregular and your body's enzyme release for digestion gets confused.
Qn: How can I control cholesterol content without using medicines?
Ans: Control diet, walk and eat walnut.
Qn: Can yoga prevent heart ailments?
Ans: Yoga helps.
Qn: Which is the best and worst food for the heart?
Ans: Fruits and vegetables are the best and the worst is oil.
Qn: Which oil is better - groundnut, sunflower, olive?
Ans: All oils are bad .
Qn: What is the routine checkup one should go through? Is there any specific test?
Ans: Routine blood test to ensure sugar, cholesterol is ok. Check BP, Treadmill test after an echo.
Qn: What are the first aid steps to be taken on a heart attack?
Ans: Help the person into a sleeping position , place an aspirin tablet under the tongue with a sorbitrate tablet if available, and rush him to a coronary care unit since the maximum casualty takes place within the first hour.
Qn: How do you differentiate between pain caused by a heart attack and that caused due to gastric trouble?
Ans: Extremely difficult without ECG.
Qn: What is the main cause of a steep increase in heart problems amongst youngsters? I see people of about 30-40 yrs of age having heart attacks and serious heart problems.
Ans: Increased awareness has increased incidents. Also, edentary lifestyles, smoking, junk food, lack of exercise in a country where people are genetically three times more vulnerable for heart attacks than Europeans and Americans.
Qn: Is it possible for a person to have BP outside the normal range of 120/80 and yet be perfectly healthy?
Ans: Yes.
Qn: Marriages within close relatives can lead to heart problems for the child. Is it true?
Ans : Yes, co-sanguinity leads to congenital abnormalities and you may not have a software engineer as a child
Qn: Many of us have an irregular daily routine and many a times we have to stay late nights in office. Does this affect our heart ? What precautions would you recommend?
Ans : When you are young, nature protects you against all these irregularities. However, as you grow older, respect the biological clock.
Qn: Will taking anti-hypertensive drugs cause some other complications (short / long term)?
Ans : Yes, most drugs have some side effects. However, modern anti-hypertensive drugs are extremely safe.
Qn: Will consuming more coffee/tea lead to heart attacks?
Ans : No.
Qn: Are asthma patients more prone to heart disease?
Ans : No.
Qn: How would you define junk food?
Ans : Fried food like Kentucky , McDonalds , samosas, and even masala dosas.
Qn: You mentioned that Indians are three times more vulnerable. What is the reason for this, as Europeans and Americans also eat a lot of junk food?
Ans: Every race is vulnerable to some disease and unfortunately, Indians are vulnerable for the most expensive disease.
Qn: Does consuming bananas help reduce hypertension?
Ans : No.
Qn: Can a person help himself during a heart attack (Because we see a lot of forwarded emails on this)?
Ans : Yes. Lie down comfortably and put an aspirin tablet of any description under the tongue and ask someone to take you to the nearest coronary care unit without any delay and do not wait for the ambulance since most of the time, the ambulance does not turn up.
Qn: Do, in any way, low white blood cells and low hemoglobin count lead to heart problems?
Ans : No. But it is ideal to have normal hemoglobin level to increase your exercise capacity.
Qn: Sometimes, due to the hectic schedule we are not able to exercise. So, does walking while doing daily chores at home or climbing the stairs in the house, work as a substitute for exercise?
Ans : Certainly. Avoid sitting continuously for more than half an hour and even the act of getting out of the chair and going to another chair and sitting helps a lot.
Qn: Is there a relation between heart problems and blood sugar?
Ans: Yes. A strong relationship since diabetics are more vulnerable to heart attacks than non-diabetics.
Qn: What are the things one needs to take care of after a heart operation?
Ans : Diet, exercise, drugs on time , Control cholesterol, BP, weight.
Qn: Are people working on night shifts more vulnerable to heart disease when compared to day shift workers?
Ans : No.
Qn: What are the modern anti-hypertensive drugs?
Ans : There are hundreds of drugs and your doctor will chose the right combination for your problem, but my suggestion is to avoid the drugs and go for natural ways of controlling blood pressure by walk, diet to reduce weight and changing attitudes towards lifestyles.
Qn: Does dispirin or similar headache pills increase the risk of heart attacks?
Ans : No.
Qn: Why is the rate of heart attacks more in men than in women?
Ans : Nature protects women till the age of 45.
Qn: How can one keep the heart in a good condition?
Ans : Eat a healthy diet, avoid junk food, exercise everyday, do not smoke and, go for health checkup s if you are past the age of 30 ( once in six months recommended) ...
Last edited by sherlyk; 07-08-2010 at 05:57 AM.
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High cholesterol? These foods will lower it
Consuming certain foods has been proven to help lower cholesterol levels, thus helping you to avoid cholesterol medications or take a lower dose of medicines.
We all are familiar with the idea that egg yolk, butter, and fried foods are bad for your cholesterol levels. But are you aware that in addition to cutting down on these bad foods, you can also add some foods to your diet to lower your cholesterol? Consuming certain foods has been proven to help lower cholesterol levels, thus helping you to avoid cholesterol medications or take a lower dose of medicines. Of course, these foods work only when taken as a part of an overall low cholesterol diet and alongside optimum physical exercise. We will tell you more about some of the best cholesterol lowering foods and how you can incorporate them in your diet plan.
Olive oil
Olive oil is good for you, not only because it does not raise your 'bad cholesterol' (LDL), but also because it actually lowers it without bringing down your 'good cholesterol' (HDL). Isn't that absolutely amazing! So if you're concerned about your cholesterol levels, get a bottle of extra-virgin olive oil on your next trip to the grocery store.
As per the scientific data available and the recommendations of the Food and Drug Administration, you should be consuming about 23 grams (2 tablespoons) of it every day. That is not at all difficult to manage. Mixed with some vinegar, olive oil makes a great salad dressing. You can also use it in place of other oils or butter while sautéing or marinating. Stick to extra-virgin olive oil, because it has more antioxidants than the further processed 'light' olive oils (light in this case doesn't mean less fat!).
Soluble fibres
You may think of soluble fibres like a sponge that soaks up the cholesterol in your diet and prevents it from getting absorbed. Oatmeal, apples, pears, barley and prunes are some of the foods rich in soluble fibres. Now this does not mean that you are free to eat cholesterol-rich food with a bowl of oatmeal. You need to take these good foods for that added benefit as a part of a low-cholesterol diet. About 10 grams or more of soluble fibre a day is required to decreases your total and LDL cholesterol. Having one and a half cups of cooked oatmeal for breakfast will give you about 6 grams of soluble fibre. Add a banana to it to get the remaining 4 grams.
Walnuts
Walnuts are a rich source of polyunsaturated fatty acids that keep your arteries healthy and supple. In scientific studies, regular walnut consumption was seen to significantly reduce blood cholesterol. A handful (about 10 to 11 halves) everyday is good enough to give you all the heart-health benefits. They make a tasty and crunchy snack and would surely be a pleasant addition to your diet. If you don't want to go for walnuts, try almonds, hazelnuts, or peanuts. They too can have a good effect on your cholesterol level. The most important factor is limiting the amount that you consume. Since nuts are calorie dense, too much will be counterproductive as your total calorie consumption will shoot up.
Omega-3 fatty acids
Omega-3 fatty acids are good for your health in more ways than one. And their benefits include lowering blood cholesterol. Non-vegetarians can get their omega-3 fatty acids from two servings of fatty fish such as tuna, salmon, mackerel, lake trout, herring or sardines every week. Vegetarians can use flaxseed or canola oil for cooking to get omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 or fish oil supplements are also available in the market. You can discuss whether they're right for you with your doctor.
Plant sterols
Sterols are substances found in plants that help block the absorption of cholesterol. Margarines, orange juice and yoghurt are some of the sterol fortified foods that are available in the market. About 8 ounces (237 millilitres) of fortified orange juice can lower LDL cholesterol by 10 percent or more. The American Heart Association recommends foods fortified with plant sterols for people with levels of LDL cholesterol over 160 milligrams per decilitre. Sterol fortified foods do not have any adverse effect on 'good' high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol or the absorption of the fat-soluble vitamins (vitamins A, D, E and K) in your diet.

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Drink water on empty stomach
DRINK WATER ON EMPTY STOMACH
It is popular in Japan today to drink water immediately after waking up every morning. Furthermore, scientific tests have proven a its value. We publish below a description of use of water for our readers. For old and serious diseases as well as modern illnesses the water treatment had been found successful by a Japanese med ical society as a 100% cure for the following diseases:
Headache, body ache, heart system, arthritis, fast heart beat, epilepsy, excess fatness, bronchitis asthma, TB, meningitis, kidney and urine diseases, vomiting, ga str itis, diarrhea, piles, diabetes, constipation, all eye diseases, womb, cancer and men str ual diso rd ers, ear nose and throat diseases.
METHOD OF TREATMENT
1.. As you wake up in the morning before brushing teeth, drink 4 x 160ml glasses of water .....interesting
2. Brush and clean the mouth but do not eat or drink anything for 45 minutes
3. After 45 minutes you may eat and drink as normal.
4. After 15 minutes of breakfast, lunch and dinner do not eat or drink anything for 2 hours
5. Those who are old or sick and are unable to drink 4 glasses of water at the beginning may commence by taking little water and gradually increase it to 4 glasses per day.
6. The above method of treatment will cure diseases of the sick and others can enjoy a healthy life.
The following list gives the number of days of treatment required to cure/control/reduce main diseases:
1. High Blood Pressure - 30 days
2. Ga str ic - 10 days
3. Diabetes - 30 days
4. Constipation - 10 days
5. Cancer - 180 days
6. TB - 90 days
7. Arthritis patients should follow the above treatment only for 3 days in the 1st week, and from 2nd week onwa rd s - daily.
This treatment method has no side effects, however at the commencement of treatment you may have to urinate a few times.
It is better if we continue this and make this procedure as a routine work in our life.
Drink Water and Stay healthy and Active.
This makes sense .. The Chinese and Japanese drink hot tea with their meals ...not cold water. Maybe it is time we adopt their drinking habit while eating!!! Nothing to lose, everything to gain...
For those who like to drink cold water, this article is applicable to you.
It is nice to have a cup of cold drink after a meal. However, the cold water will solidify the oily stuff that you have just consumed . It will slow down the digestion.
Once this 'sludge' reacts with the acid, it will break down and be absorbed by the intestine faster than the solid food. It will line the intestine. Very soon, this will turn into fats and lead to cancer.. It is best to drink hot soup or warm water after a meal.
A serious note about heart attacks: Women should know that not every heart attack symptom is going to be the left arm hurting.
Be aware of intense pain in the jaw line.
You may never have the first chest pain during the course of a heart attack..
Nausea and intense sweating are also common symptoms.
60% of people who have a heart attack while they are asleep do not wake up.
Pain in the jaw can wake you from a sound sleep. Let's be careful and be aware. The more we know, the better chance we could survive...
A cardiologist says if everyone who gets this mail sends it to everyone they know, you can save a person's life!!
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