Everyday Heart Health Tips

With sedentary jobs and increasing deadlines, we don't end up paying enough attention to our hearts. Cardiovascular disease in India has quadrupled in the last 40 years and WHO estimates that by 2020 close to 60 percent of cardiac patients worldwide will be Indian [source: expresspharmaonline.com].

Don't lose hope yet! Dr Ramakant Panda, who was awarded the Padma Bhushan this year and has had the oppurtunity to operate on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh gives you tips to follow everyday to make your heart healthier.


1. 5-a-day: Eat at least 5 servings of fresh fruits and vegetables for a healthier heart.

2. Banish that salt shaker from the dinner table. Never add extra salt on top of your food. Excess sodium intake causes hypertension.

3. If you must drink, ensure that it's no more than 2 drinks a day for men and a drink a day for women.

4. Walk for your heart. It's the best heart healthy exercise and will not cost you a rupee. Every step you take during the day builds up your heart balance & helps prevent disease.

5. Take the stairs for a healthier heart. When you go up, your blood pressure goes down.

6. Quit Smoking today. Thousands of Indians quit smoking everyday - by dying. Save your heart and lungs. Smoking also speeds up the development of plaque in the arteries.

7. Start slowly. Build up to at least 30 minutes of activity, five times per week. Try two 15-minute sessions or three 10-minute sessions to meet your goal. However, don't exercise right after meals, or when it's very hot and humid. Always warm-up before exercise and cool down after you are done.