Heart talk...(Part 1)

Stop Press Ladies....and Gents.

The media has been agog recently with the news of the sudden demise of our own Goldie, at 31. Quite young.
She has been laid to rest earlier today. May her beautiful soul rest in peace.

Cause of death: Hypertensive heart disease that triggered Intracerebral Haemorrhage. Long and nasty name for a dreadful disease, full stop.

Just read another sad news on Daily Mail a few minutes ago about a 19 year old promising woman, Charlotte Mayes who passed on late in 2012.

Very young.

Cause of death: Undetected heart ailment - hypertrophic cardiomyopathy which causes a thickening of the heart muscle forcing it to work harder to pump blood.

Both were relatively young, beautiful with dreams, shinning aspirations, lofty ambitions and their whole lives ahead of them before death came calling.

Though I know very little about Goldie's lifestyle prior to her demise (doesn't matter now, does it?), Mayes was reportedly thought to be perfectly healthy- a non-smoker, non-drinker and as clean as could be; she just came back from an holiday in Turkey. She also just completed a childcare diploma and was on the verge of studying to fulfill her ambition of becoming a teacher.

Both are so scary, sad and tragic indeed and I have had cause to really look inward in the course of the past few weeks. I decided to post this and if just one person gets to read this and has a lifestyle change, then this might just be worth the time put into typing these words.

Ladies..and gents, we need to cultivate the habit of taking care of our hearts; most of us dont.

And I’m not just referring to our emotional well-being (though also very important to nurture this), but of what use are our emotions and dreams if the heart fails suddenly?

More women will die from cardiovascular disease than from any other affliction including breast cancer. Eighty percent of heart attacks in women are attributable to unhealthy habits. Since the early eighties, it has been the number one cause of death for women age 35 and older; and now the window is widening with women below 30 suffering from heart attack. Worldwide, 8.6 million women die from heart disease each year, accounting for a third of all deaths in women. Three million women die from stroke each year. For more info on women and heart disease, visit Source

Factors that predisposes women to heart diseases are found to be drinking, smoking, drugs, contraceptives, excessive weight, obesity, physical and emotional stress, diabetes, etc

Preventive measures

Exercise, exercise, exercise!!!

It has been found from research that exercise or aerobics improves cardiovascular health because it helps control our blood pressure and cholesterol.

Exercises such as walking, cycling (hardly practicable / possible in Lagos State for fear of crazy drivers), or swimming for at least 30 minutes a day will help in reducing the exposure to this dreadful condition. And the good news is excercise doesnt have to be vigorous or strenuous to be beneficial to our hearts.

Whatever makes you sweat for at least 30minutes a day would do the trick. Excercising puts positive stress on our muscles, bones, joints, heart, lungs and blood vessels that deliver the necessary oxygen for energy. The more you get your heart pumping the better the flow and the better you feel. 

Regular exercise helps reduce the amount of fat stored inside the abdomen area. Excess fat is this location increases the risk for diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease.

Exercise also helps prevent and treat depression, improve memory and problem-solving ability. It’s a great stress reliever and improves quality of life generally.

Don't know how to start yet?

• A brisk 15 - 20minutes walk from my office to the bustop and back during lunchbreak can significantly help with high blood pressure and reduce both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. (The top and bottom reading of a blood pressure reading are referred to as the systolic and diastolic blood pressure) Blood sugar regulation improves, thus decreasing risk for Type II Diabetes or improving blood sugar control for people already diagnosed with diabetes.

• Thinking of using the elevator to get to the 2nd or even 7th floor? Think again and use the stairs!

• Want to change DSTV channel from Super Sports to African or Movie Magic? Don't start looking for the remote control, get up and manually change it.

• Want to get to the bustop to pick a cab? Stop looking for a bike, get mobile and trek the few metres or kilometres to the bustop.

• Need a glass of water? Get moving and walk the short distance to the dispenser or refrigerator instead of calling out for someone to get it for you.

And that's just to mention a few of the ways we could get (pro)active. It's as simple as A.B.C and would definitely go a long way in curtailing this dreadful disease. The payoff is more than the temporary discomfort, I assure you.

What more can I add?

Our heart is very very crucial to our existence, let's take care of it.

PLEASE let's all get moving on the pathway to get healthier and live longer.

Together, we CAN.

Do have a stress-free week.

Abiola.

PS: Above is for information purposes only, posted by a non-medical personnel (with medical affiliation though). Please consult a medical personnel for detailed information and advice as appropriate.