AndaPescariu,MD SeniorConsultantinCardiology SeniorConsultantinInternalM edicine Ifyou have notyetbeen diagnosed with aheartcondition,now isthe besttim e to take care ofyourheart: •Stayphysicalyactiveeveryday,evenshortwalkshelp. •Sleep7–8hourspernight. • M anage stres through breaks from your daily activities, mindfulnes , deep breathing,orspendingtimewithfamily. •Reducesaltintakeandavoidlate,high-fatm eals. •Haveanannualm edicalcheck-up,evenifyoufeelwel. •Pay atention to the foods you and yourfamily consume daily.Avoid proces ed productsasmuch aspos ible and ensure a properintake ofvitaminsand minerals. Unfortunately,modernagricultureoftenleadstoreducedmineralcontentinfood. Prevention thatbeginsbetween 25 and 40 yearsofage can m ake a significant diference at60–70 yearsofage. Ifyou have hypertension,coronary artery disease,arhythm ias,have suferedaheartatack,orhaveanyotherheartcondition: •Takeyourm edicationexactlyasprescribed.Donotstopyourtreatm ent withoutyourdoctor’sapproval.Lookforaphysicianwhocommunicates clearly and provides explanations you can easily understand.Before yourconsultation,preparealistofthequestionsyouwouldlikeclarif ied. •M easureyourbloodpres ureandpulseregularlyandrecordthevalues. • Atend regular medicalcheck-ups,even if you feelwel.Ac es healthcareservicesintim e. Smaldailychangescanhaveamajorlong-term impact. Almostevery second,in a specialplace within ourheart,a remarkable electricalimpulse is generated.This electricalenergy is transformed into mechanicalenergy and,through its pumpingfunction,itbringslifetoourarteries.Theheartbeatsabout100,000timesadayand pumpsbloodthatcariesoxygenandnutrientstoalorgans. W hentheheartfunctionswel,wehaveenergy,wecanconcentratemoreeasily,andweenjoy lifemore.W henproblemsoc ur,seriousconditionsmaydevelop,suchasmyocardialinfarction (heartatack),arhythm ias— w hetherextrasystolesoratrialf ibrilation— up to the m ostfeared condition,heartfailure. Ac ording to the W orld Health Organization,cardiovasculardiseasesare the leading cause of death worldwide.The good newsisthatmany ofthese problemscan be prevented orkept undercontrolthroughsimpledailychoices.Mostdiseasesdonotappearsuddenlyinourlives. W ebringthem upon ourselvesdaybydaythrough ourlifestyle— through thewayweeatand thewaywelive:sedentaryandsometimesperhapsunhappyorunfulf iled. M ostriskfactorscan beinf luencedthrough lifestyle,which means we can manage them through knowledge, determination,andconsciousdecisions. • Quitsmoking –smoking directly damagesblood ves els andincreasestheriskofheartatack. Balanced nutrition – more vegetables,fruits,f ish,and whole grains;fewerproces ed foods,fried foods,sugar, and salt. • Regularphysicalactivity–atleast30m inutesofexercise, atleast5daysperweek. • W eightcontrol–evena5–10% reductioninbodyweight can signif icantlyreduce risks. Monitoringbloodpres ure,bloodsugar,andcholesterol– annualtestscandetectproblem searly. Prevention doesnotmean radicalchangesovernight,but smalandconsistentsteps. Theheartisthe“engine”ofourbody. Recommendationsforhealthyindividuals Practicalguidanceforthosealreadydiagnosed W hetheryou are 25 or70 yearsold,whether you are perfectly healthy oralready have a diagnosis,your heartneeds daily care and atention.Itisnotaboutperfection,butabout consistency.Every step,every m ore balanced m eal,everywalkm aters. You have m ore control over your health thanyoum ightthink.Starttoday-form ore energy,m ore tim e with your loved ones, and a life lived with a strong and healthy heart. A mes ageforyou Cardiovasculardiseaseprevention –whatcanwedoinpractice? 40 HEALTHANDIMMUNITY GESUNDHEITUNDIMMUNITÄT
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