Are you at risk for heart disease? Ask yourself these 5 questions in 10 minutes.
Most of us get our cars serviced on time, but heart health is only considered when a problem arises. In today’s fast-paced lives, many working people spend mornings and evenings sitting in front of computers, enduring stress and compromising on sleep. This is why heart disease is no longer a disease of the elderly.
Dr. Rajasekhar, Senior Consultant Interventional Cardiologist at Yashoda Hospitals, Hyderabad, says that many working people have problems like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or prediabetes, but they are unaware of it. Taking just 10 minutes to assess your risk factors can be an important first step towards heart health.
The doctor says that every working person should periodically ask themselves these questions.
1. Have you had your blood pressure checked in the last year?
2. Have you recently had a fasting blood sugar and lipid profile test?
3. Do you engage in at least 150 minutes of physical activity or exercise per week?
4. Do you get 7 to 8 hours of sleep daily?
5. Has anyone in your family had heart disease at a young age?
If the answers to these questions are concerning, it may be a sign that you need to pay attention to your lifestyle.
Dr. Rajasekhar explains that maintaining a healthy heart doesn’t always require major changes. Taking the stairs instead of the elevator, taking a 5-minute walk every hour, replacing sugary snacks with fruit or nuts, and practicing deep breathing for a few minutes every day can make a big difference in the long run.