India Today – October 08, 2018

“ URBAN HEALTH IS REALLY

DETERIORATING. A MAJOR
REASON IS THE DETERIO
RATING ENVIRONMENT DUE
TO AIR POLLUTION”

DR ASHOK SETH
Chairman, Fortis Escorts Heart Institute,
New Delhi; and Head, Cardiology Council of
Fortis Group of Hospitals

P

olluted air from trac, factories,
power generation or smoking on
a daily basis, along with the daily
pressure of living in crowded and fast-
paced cities, loud noise, serpentine queues
and long hours of commuting from one
place to another turn on our stress system
and over time, wear down our body
and mind. Exposure to environmental
stressors can lead to multiple problems,
from higher cholesterol, blood sugar and
triglycerides levels, increased heart rate,
lower immunity, decreased muscle and
bone density to increased rates of depres-
sion and anxiety. Pollution is believed to
have inflammatory efects on the heart,
causing chronic cardiovascular problems.
Studies have shown increases in the num-
ber of deaths and hospitalisations during
high concentrations of smog.
Air pollution tends to strike especially
the elderly or those already struggling
with heart disease. But it’s not just heart
disease, pollution is linked directly to
multiple problems, including depression.
What are the solutions? Apart from
understanding that we have a respon-
sibility towards our environment—for
instance, create green spaces to breathe,
walk, play and exercise—we have to find

time for ourselves. This year, the World

Heart Federation’s global campaign for

World Heart Day on September 29, ‘My

Heart, Your Heart’, is all about making

a promise: what can I do to look after

my heart right now and everybody we

care about. It’s about making a few small

changes in our lives, so that we can live

longer, better and more heart-healthy

lives. As an individual, make a promise

to yourself to be more active, say no to

smoking, eat more healthy, do things that

you enjoy. As a healthcare professional,

that means save more lives. At the level

of policymakers, it means implementing

an action plan for chronic, noncommuni-

cable diseases.

Most people spend at least 40 per

cent of their waking hours at their work-

places. A lot of companies already have

environment-friendly green oces, but

not many have comprehensive cardiovas-

cular wellness programmes for employ-

ees. So, this year, we could start think-

ing about moving from green oces

to heart oces, where employers will

have to accurately track the heart health

of their employees and provide clear,

evidence-based solutions to improve

their cardiovascular health. These could

include standing desks, treadmill desks,

outdoor meetings; banning smoking at

the workplace, including the building

itself; food in the canteen incorporating

healthy snacks and fruits. Oces should

aim for heart-healthy certification, apart

from green certification.

Three things to keep in mind to take

care of your heart and health:

1) Prevent heart disease: be more active,

play, walk, do housework, dance, say no

to smoking;

2) Be aware of what you are eating: have

water or unsweetened juices, swap sweet

for fresh fruit, eat five portions of fruit and

vegetables a day, limit processed foods

that are high in salt, sugar and fat; and

3) Take time out for yourself and your

family: your health is the state of your

body and mind. And research shows

that positive attitude is linked to better

heart health. ■

As told to Damayanti Datta

High stress at

job can give

you atrial

fibrillation,

a common

heartbeat

disorder that

can raise the

risk of stroke

(European

Journal of

Preventive

Cardiology,

June 2018)

The heart loves

fruits and

veggies. A new

study shows

plant-based

diets lower

risk of heart

disease by 40

per cent, along

with obesity,

diabetes

and certain

cancers

(Progress in

Cardiovascular

Disease,

June 2018)

Ta k i n g

supplements

to protect your

heart? Sorry,

most don’t

work, except

one: folic acid

(Journal of

the American

College of

Cardiology,

May 2018)

HEALTH | WORLD HEART DAY

grain bread, that should be good enough.
However, in large-scale or community
cooking, the dangers of infection with
vegetables and salads is very high. The
reason why deep-fried food is popular in
India is because germs get killed. How-
ever, then you are damaging your arteries
in the long run. So you have to hit a
midway between the risk of infection and
the risk of chronic disease to work out a
properly-cooked clean food that avoids
simple carbohydrates. ■