Matters of the Heart

Q1. What are the thumb rules for a layman to take care of his heart?

• Diet – Less of carbohydrate, more of protein, less oil.
• Exercise – Half an hour’s walk, at least five days a week; avoid lifts and avoid sitting for a long time.
• Quit smoking.
• Control weight.
• Control blood pressure and sugar.

Q2. Is eating fish good for the heart?

No.

Q3. It is very shocking to hear that some apparently healthy person gets a cardiac arrest. How do we understand it in perspective?

This is called a silent attack; that is why we recommend everyone past the age of 30 to undergo routine health check-ups.

Q4. Are heart diseases hereditary?

Yes.

Q5. Is walking better than jogging or is more intensive exercise required to keep a healthy heart?

Walking is better than jogging since jogging leads to early fatigue and injury to joints.

Q6. Can people with low blood pressure suffer heart diseases?

Extremely rare.

Q7. Does cholesterol accumulate right from an early age or do you have to worry about it only after you are above 30 years of age?

Cholesterol accumulates from childhood.

Q8. How do irregular eating habits affect the heart?

You tend to eat junk food when the habits are irregular and your body’s enzyme release for digestion gets confused.