February is American Heart Month – aimed at spreading awareness about heart health. These slides will help you know how you can take charge of your heart health.

1. It's American
Heart Month:
What Should
You Know Now?

2. Interesting Heart Facts
February is American Heart Month – aimed at spreading awareness about heart health. Here are some basics
about your heart:
It is about the size
of your fist
It beats about 115,000
times in a day
The cardiac conduction system is
your heart’s electrical system and it
controls the heart’s rhythm.
Women experience faster
heartbeats than men

3. Interesting Heart Facts
The lub-dub sound you hear from
your heart is basically your heart
valves opening and closing
You can actually get a broken
heart, with symptoms similar to
that of a heart attack; it is caused
due to undue stress from an
emotional or physically stressful
event
Heart cancer is almost impossible
because its cells stop dividing.
It weighs less than a pound – a
woman’s heart is on average 2
ounces lighter than a man’s heart
It pumps around 2000 gallons
of blood every day

4. Cardiovascular Disease (1/2)
Cardiovascular disease is the No.1 cause of deaths worldwide, with nearly 50% of deaths by non-
communicable diseases – amounting to roughly 1.75 million people – dying of some form of it.
The most
common types
of CVD are
Coronary artery disease –
restricted blood supply to the
heart
Stroke – blood supply to the
brain is cut off
Angina – extreme
chest pain
Hypertension – high blood
pressure
Arrhythmia – abnormal
heartbeats
Congestive heart failure –
when the heart doesn’t
pump enough blood
Heart attack – when the
heart stops beating
Peripheral artery disease –
blood flow to the limbs is
limited due to poor circulation

5. Cardiovascular Disease (2/2)
Most of the cardiovascular
diseases have one thing in
common – they are caused by
restricted or hardened blood
vessels. This happens due to
excessive deposit of fatty
plaque, which leaves less
space for blood to flow.
Chronic hypertension can also
damage blood vessels.
Congenital Heart Disease –
some people have heart
disease from birth, like a hole
in the heart, or a defective
valve.

6. Causes of Cardiovascular Disease
Smoking lowers HDL or good cholesterol,
and damages your arteries – this can lead
to coronary artery disease or congestive
heart failure
Excessive salt intake can raise your blood
pressure, which in turn can weaken your
arteries and lead to stroke or heart
attacks
Diabetes, if not managed well, can cause
arteries to thicken, and restrict blood
flowing to the heart
In some cases, it’s hereditary, and you will
have to take extra precautions

7. Causes of Cardiovascular Disease
Sedentary lifestyle – having a desk job,
and not taking the time or effort to
exercise, can cause fat to build up in the
blood vessels
Unhealthy diet – food high in LDL
cholesterol like red meat, full fat dairy,
fried snacks, processed and refined foods
can raise your risk of heart disease
Battle of the bulge – if you are particularly
heavy in the abdomen and have a big
belly, you have a higher chances of
developing a heart disease

8. Symptoms of Cardiovascular Diseases (1/2)
Not everyone may experience the same symptoms; however, do go through these symptoms and consider if you have
ever experienced them. If yes, you should not delay visiting your physician at EPIC Primary Care.
Pain in the
chest
Breathlessness at
slight exertion
Feeling exhausted,
lethargic and drowsy
Tightness or discomfort
in the chest
Painful, numb, swollen,
and weak hands and
legs– all indications of
peripheral artery disease
Dizziness, indigestion,
nausea, heartburn
Pain in the throat
and/or jaw

9. Symptoms of Cardiovascular Diseases (2/2)
Sleep apnea or
snoring
Excessive sweating with
the slightest exertion
Abnormal
heartbeats – even
when you’re not
excited or nervous
Incessant coughing,
especially with a
pinkish white mucus
Numbness or paralysis in
the face, problems with
comprehension and
speaking – usually
indicate a stroke
Babies born with congenital
heart disease may have
abnormal heartbeats, bluish
skin, difficulty in eating or
drinking, experience slow
growth, and achieve milestones
much later than normal babies
Studies suggest that erectile
dysfunction may be
indicative of heart problems
(narrowed arteries)

10. Take Charge of Your Heart Health (1/2)
If you are diabetic, manage your blood
sugar levels properly, through diet
control and exercise, and in certain
cases, medications can help you keep a
tab on your glucose level.
If you’re a smoker – quit. It may not be
easy to put a full stop abruptly, but you
can set a target and keep reducing the
number of cigarettes day by day till you
smoke no more. If you’re a diabetic and
a smoker – your risk of heart disease is
more than double as compared to that
of a non-smoking, non-diabetic person.

11. Take Charge of Your Heart Health (2/2)
Learn to de-stress. Laugh a lot, take up a
calming hobby like gardening,
knitting/embroidery, cooking, D-I-Y projects,
tai-chi, yoga, meditation, dancing, quiet walks
in the outdoors, or get a pet.
Exercise regularly – even moderate
workouts for 30 minutes a day will benefit
your heart.
Having a family history of cardiovascular
disease can put you at high risk for developing
it yourself. From the beginning, check your
cholesterol levels yearly, maintain a healthy
lifestyle with workouts, and watch what you
eat.

12. Eating for a Healthy Heart
Nuts like almonds, walnuts, pine nuts,
pistachios –rich in fiber and micronutrients
Foods rich in anti-oxidants like tomatoes,
green tea, and dark chocolate
Whole grains – that contain endosperm,
germ, and bran
Garlic – can help reduce LDL cholesterol and
lower blood pressure

13. Eating for a Healthy Heart
Foods packed with HDL cholesterol like
olives and olive oil, fatty fish like salmon
and mackerel, seeds like flax and chia,
fruits like avocado; these foods contain
omega-3 fatty acids
Leafy green veggies like kale, spinach,
lettuce and berries – strawberries,
cranberries, blueberries etc.
Foods rich in fiber like oatmeal and flax
Beans and legumes (kidney beans,
garbanzo, and greens) can help reduce
triglycerides

14. Eating for a Healthy Heart
Switch to
healthier meals
and snacks like:
Whole
wheat pasta
Whole
wheat/multi
grain bread
Brown rice
Lean meat
instead of red
Bake/grill instead of
frying
Coconut water or fresh
pressed juice instead of
canned/bottled juice and
sodas
Low-fat dairy

15. Simple Ways to Get Moving
Take stairs instead
of elevator; if it’s
more than 5-6
floors, walk a part
of the way and
take the elevator
for the rest
Increase the work
you do around the
house – cleaning,
mopping, dusting are
all great workouts
that involve both
limbs as well as
bends and stretches
Go bowling,
paintball fighting,
or for a laser tag
game; workouts
don’t have to
mean boring
routines in the
gym every day!
Put on your
favorite music and
break into a dance
– you can do this a
couple of time a
day when you’re at
home; you’ll have
fun, and will get
your workout too.

16. Simple Ways to Get Moving
Park your car at
the spot
farthest from
the entrance or
elevator
In the
supermarket or
mall, take the
longest routes to
get to the stores
you want to visit
Play with your
pet-dogs love to run;
if you have a pet
dog, go for a run in
the park, play ball or
fetch; you will get a
good workout along
with your fur baby.

17. Miscellaneous Healthy Heart Tips
Never skip breakfast – it’s the most
important meal of the day; have a hearty,
healthy breakfast like eggs, fruit, whole
wheat toast with peanut butter, oatmeal,
and so on.
Have a light and/or early dinner –
eating late at night puts more
pressure on your digestive system
and can cause weight gain
Brush your teeth twice a day – research
suggests that gum disease causing
bacteria can increase your risk of heart
disease
Learn to control your emotions –
especially anger; it can stress your
heart unduly – try to maintain a
positive attitude always.
Get a wellness check once a year at EPIC Primary Care if you’ve crossed 40, even if you’re
asymptomatic. Regular visits to your physician will allow early detection of a heart disease. Your
EPIC physician, in-house dietician, and exercise physiologist will work cohesively to advice and
train you to lead a healthy lifestyle to keep your heart in great condition.

18. THANK YOU
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