World Heart Day:
‘Know Your Heart, Use Your Heart’
Let’s celebrate World Heart Day! Today holds special significance for Australian Cardiovascular Specialists as it serves as a powerful reminder for everyone to embrace actions that empower their community to comprehend their heart’s well-being and adopt measures for a heartier lifestyle.
Following the guidance of our esteemed cardiologists, we emphasise that a heart-healthy way of life and practicing moderation is the key. Read our blog to get one step closer to your heart.
The 29th of September is an important day for us here at Australian Cardiovascular Specialists, and we want it to mean something to you as well. World Heart Day, led by the World Heart Federation (WHF) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) is held annually and is a day dedicated to reminding people over the world the importance of heart health.
Why is it important?
World heart day is vital, (just like your heart) considering that cardiovascular diseases are the leading causes of death globally, and a cause that should remind you that you have the power to greatly reduce your risk of.
If World Heart Day incepts a reminder to someone to prioritise healthy lifestyle choices that may lower the chance of a cardiovascular disease diagnosis, then it has already achieved what it was set out to do.
What we love about World Heart Day is that it represents the importance of one’s health globally and does not discriminate by age or nationality.
Promoting Heart-Healthy Lifestyles
A key message of World Heart Day is promoting a balanced lifestyle. This doesn’t mean we expect you to hit the gym every day. All you need is to take small steps that will reduce your risk.
These should include life’s simple activities such as gardening, going for a short walk, dancing, eating more vegetables or quitting smoking. The message is, taking care of your heart health doesn’t need to be extreme.
Moderation is key
A consistent approach to moderating things such as alcohol and foods high in saturated fats can go a far way in long-term heart health. On top of that, excessive alcohol consumption drastically increases the risk of harming your heart.
We’re not saying get rid of it completely. A tasty meal while enjoying a glass of wine with family friends is healthy in so many other ways, however instead of over indulging, enjoy and savour these moments in balanced moderation.
World Heart Day isn’t about shaming others for their lifestyle choices, it’s about giving everyone an opportunity to reflect on their risks and feel confident making chances knowing the impact they will have.
How should I spread the word?
Unlike some charity fundraisers, World Heart Day’s activities are open to interpretation and aren’t limited to a fun-run. It is encouraged that organisations take any action they can in educating their staff/members. For example, serving a low GI meal for lunch that day, encouraging everyone to wear red. Remember – the goal is to remind everyone about the importance of their heart, not actually save the world in just one day.
If you’d like to find out more, you can access free resources on event hosting for World Heart Day via WHF’s website.
At Australian Cardiovascular Specialists, our goal is to provide accessible heart care to those who need it. Our other priority is to leverage the knowledge of our professionals and use our platform to spread awareness around the importance of cardiovascular health.
But it’s not just up to us. If you have the power in your organisation to suggest an activity for Heart Health Day, please do! We want everyone to take their heart health seriously, so this world heart day and in years to come, let’s pledge to keep our hearts healthy and beating.
If you are over 50 and haven’t had your annual medicare subsidised heart health check, please see your local General Practitioner.
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CATEGORIES: Heart Condition Management
