Nellore: ‘80% heart diseases preventable’

Nellore : Dr C Bhaktavatsala Reddy, senior interventional cardiologist at Apollo Speciality Hospitals, said that World Heart Day is being celebrated on September 29 every year since 2011, in order to prevent 30% to 50% of coronary artery disease by creating awareness among the public worldwide. Presently 2.2 crores of people are dying with cardiovascular problem worldwide in which 80% are preventable.

Speaking to the media here on Thursday, Dr Bhaktavatsala Reddy gave a few suggestions to the public to follow to prevent or reverse heart disease. He advised to be active and keep on moving, to include aerobic (cardiovascular) in exercise routine, to know cholesterol, LDL, HDL, triglycerides, fasting glucose, HbA1c, blood pressure, to eat greens, beans, vibrant colored fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds, to read labels to know nutrition facts and ingredients lists, to get 7-8 hours of restful sleep every night, to relax by doing meditation, reading, yoga, listen to music, and to stop smoking and avoid second-hand smoke.

He suggested not to eat meat, dairy, eggs, processed grains, fast food/fried food, high added sugar, sweets/desserts, high salt, calorie dense, low fiber and asked the people to eat fruits, vegetables, legumes (beans, peas), whole grains, home-cooked meals, nuts, seeds, low added sugar, low added salt, nutrient dense and high fiber.