If the heart flutters in one’s teenage or 20’s, we all know what could be the possible reasonJ
But if the heart flutters or skips a beat in 40’s (&
not for the same reason!), then it is a matter of great concern! And what
better time than Valentine’s Day to shed light on this grey area!
And why not? Globalization, convergence of IT &
communication industries have created millions of new jobs, new opportunities
all over the world but the competition also has increased exponentially. Time
zone for some countries (like India, Philippines) is proving to be the boon
(for getting the offshore/back-office work) and also the bane (need to work in
US time zone while living in India) for millions of employees in IT & ITES/BPO
industry. For most, experience is
becoming a liability at some point of time in the career. (But that would be a different
topic of discussion) . You could be in IT, healthcare, BFSI, manufacturing or
entertainment industry, one common thread amongst all of working population is
the increased stress level. And the sad
part is, a majority of the workforce is not even aware of how that stress is
taking a toll on their health! And this is happening in many cases right from early
30’s! Heart-attack is proving to be the number one silent killer amongst all
life-style related diseases. This
article is a sincere attempt to create the awareness (& that’s why I’m
posting this non-technical article on my blog as an exception) & provide
some help.
·
First things first – Once you reach 40,
get your haemogram (including lipid profile, glucose, T3, T4, TSH, vit. B12 & D2/D3) done every
year without fail. It is ok to be ridiculed as hypochondriac than repent when
it is too late.. And if the doctor
prescribes, go for ECG, stress test (& 2D-Doppler or angiography etc. in
rare cases).
·
Let’s dispel some misconceptions - Being
slim or underweight doesn’t mean you won’t have high cholesterol. Yes, in most cases high cholesterol could be
due to dietary habits and or stress, but it could also be hereditary. Or, your
body just could be creating more cholesterol (& which you could be
blissfully unaware of). Find out your
body fat as a percentage of your weight.
·
Beware of stress - While we can’t
eliminate stress, we should be at least aware of it & try to minimize it.
Spending quality time with family, engaging in hobbies (like gardening),
playing with kids & pets , soothing music, watching comedy movies are some
of the proven ways of lowering stress. Learn to enjoy happiness out of little
things in life; celebrate even small achievements with near ones. Acid test to check whether you are under
stress –Did you laugh heartily, at least once last week, if not today?
·
Breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince
& dinner like a pauper - If one
follows this advice, more than 50% of the battle against cardiovascular
diseases is won! But in South Asia (& mostly India), people follow the exactly
opposite routine. They eat no breakfast,
some working lunch & a very heavy dinner (mostly after 9 pm), watch some TV
program & then sleep. No wonder, all that food gets converted into fat in
no time. And as expected, that spicy
biryani or pizza (& a whole of lot of oily/spicy stuff we indulge in), alcohol
& tobacco are certainly NO-NO.
·
Quantity & quality of sleep – This is
very important. You could be running for hours on treadmill or running
marathons regularly and having the best of healthy food intake but if you sleep
only for 4-5 hours on a daily basis, you’re certainly increasing chances of
heart attack! 7 to 8 hours of sleep is a MUST for working adults. Believe me,
the old gem of ‘early to bed, early to rise’ will never go out of fashion!
·
Cardiovascular exercise – You need to sweat
it out for the sweet victory over cholesterol. Depending on your age &
weight, you should choose at least one of the cardio exercises like 45 minutes
brisk walking/jogging/treadmill, swimming or aerobic dance. Should do this for
at least 4 days a week.
I’ve put above observations out of my own experience. But
what works for John, may not work for Jane or even James! So, consult a good
cardiologist if the lipid profile shows aberrations & follow the
medication/instructions/exercise. And of
course, change your life style, as most probably s/he would advise you!
Last but not the least… Happy Valentine’s Day J
