Here are a few important things you must know about World Heart Day

The heart is one of the critical organs playing a vital role in pumping blood throughout the body, and helps other organs receive nutrients and oxygen. Being such a vital organ for survival, it is no surprise that we celebrate World Heart Day every year on 29th September. The main objective of this day is to raise awareness to heart-related diseases and the importance of early detection. Let us know more about World Heart Day and heart diseases.

What is World Heart Day?

World Heart Day is a global initiative by the World Heart Federation that creates awareness about cardiovascular diseases among individuals and the communities at large. Cardiovascular or heart-related diseases are a major concern globally, and it calls for cohesive efforts from people all over the world to create a positive change.

The World Heart Day aims to educate people about the perils of unhealthy lifestyle, its impact on the heart, and the steps they can take to keep their heart healthy. The theme for World Heart Day 2022 is ‘Cardiovascular Health for Everyone.’

Five simple ways to keep your heart healthy and reduce the risk of heart diseases

1. Eat a healthy diet

Diet plays a vital role in minimising the risk of heart diseases. Make sure that you have a balanced diet every day, with fruits, vegetables, lentils, and proteins, instead of canned and processed food items. Also avoid eating oily, and fried snacks as much as possible to keep the lipid levels low.

2. Exercise everyday

Just as it is important to eat right, it is critical to exercise regularly. Doing any form of physical activity like running, swimming, dancing, aerobics, yoga, etc., for at least 40-45 minutes a day helps in keeping your heart healthy. In addition, exercise improves your overall wellbeing and fitness levels.

3. Alter your lifestyle

Stress is one of the major factors that affects your health. Experts suggest that stress and anxiety are one of the leading causes of heart-related diseases. So, it is paramount that you work on your emotional well-being, and steer clear of harmful habits like smoking, alcohol and other addictive substances.

4. Get sufficient sleep

Many health studies have corroborated that adults should get at least 8 hours of sleep a day. It is vital for a healthy heart and overall well-being.

5. Regular health check-up

Apart from all the above tips, you must go for full health screening regularly. This will let you know your exact health status and you can take immediate action if there is any underlying condition before it aggravates.

Role and importance of health insurance

Sometimes heart diseases can be caused due to reasons beyond your control like age, family history, etc. So, while you may not prevent getting diagnosed with heart disease, you can be sufficiently prepared for it by buying a robust health insurance policy. It will help you get much-needed financial protection against the hospital expenses if you or any of your family members need to be hospitalised.

The treatment for heart-related ailments are often expensive; depending on the severity of the condition, it can run into many lakhs. Without having health insurance, it can be difficult to manage all the medical expenses. With health insurance, you can get the best health care assistance without worrying about the cost.

Final Word

Maintaining a healthy heart is vital, and so is having a good health insurance cover for your family. Kotak General Insurance offers various health insurance plans to suit your needs. You can visit the Kotak health insurance page to know more about these plans.