Globally speaking, death triggered by cardiovascular diseases accounts for 32 percent making it one of the most common causes, according to recent research, among which cholesterol is seen by many health experts as the ‘silent killer’ in today’s humdrum of daily life.
In this context, the Indira Gandhi Centre for Indian Culture (IGCIC) helmed by its Director Padma Shri Balwant Thakur and Teacher for Indian Culture (TIC) at IGCIC Ms. Sowmya who facilitated a talk hosted by Senior Cardiologist at Welkin, Dr. Mahesh Krishna Kumar on LIFE’s SIMPLE SEVEN Rules for healthy well being.
In her address, Teacher for Indian Culture (TIC) at IGCIC Sowmya Ji recited a quote in Sanskrit from the Bhagavad Gita which loosely translates into: “Nothing is permanent in this world. Even the most beautiful person in this world will one day become old, the richest person will not be the richest one day…the richest country will not be the richest. Nothing stays permanent.”
She asks: “So what is permanent in this world? Only Knowledge is. Knowledge cannot be ruined, it cannot burn or bury…it will be staying with us and so let us increase our knowledge with such kind of workshops and to increase our knowledge we have an eminent person, Dr. Mahesh Krishna Kumar.”
In his address, IGCIC Director Shri Balwant Thakur remarked, “I am happy with such kind of workshop and talk series touching on a series of topics of varied interests taking place at the centre where we have an eminent doctor on the day. Ever since Sowmya has joined us at the IGCIC, she is experimenting with new things such as this kind of workshop and helping us to extend the scope of work spearheaded by such activities.”
In his address, the eminent cardiologist at Welkin Dr. Mahesh Krishna Kumar eloquently stresses life’s simple Seven firmly entrenched as the seven most impactful changes that can be adopted to increase longevity and improve health span. They include:
Healthy Diet
One can be confused by conflicting information on what’s a healthy diet. The problem is that many of the claims are based on weak evidence. If we keep things simple, most foods can be categorised into three categories. Those that are good for your health, those that are bad for you, and those which are essentially neutral. Heart-healthy foods you should seek out and eat often. These include fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, and whole grains.
Foods to avoid include soft drinks and juices with added sugar, refined carbohydrates such as pasta and most breakfast cereals, processed meat, and finally packaged foods such as chips, and microwaveable meals. The final category consists of foods that you don’t have to avoid but should consume in moderation such as red meat, dairy, and eggs.
Weight
Ensuring your weight is in the healthy range and keeping the waist size about half your height.
Exercise
Exercise is one magic pill that improves nearly every aspect of your health and appears to produce benefits no matter how small the dose. To earn optimal benefits, though, target at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week.
Avoidance of Tobacco
Cholesterol
Cholesterol plays a role as a risk enhancer, and a holistic and personalised approach to dealing with it is advocated. Diet and lifestyle changes can improve your numbers but it may not be enough at times and you may have to resort to medications.
High Blood pressure
Ideally, your blood pressure should be around 120/80 mmof Hg. If consistently high, then the importance of getting your blood pressure into the normal range cannot be overemphasized.
Blood Sugar
Blood sugar should be ideally less than 100. Higher values increase the threat of diabetes. Exercising and eating smart can go a long way to keeping you in the safe zone.
Sleeping
Sleeping 7-8 hours of sleep during the night has recently been added to this list, recognizing how the decimation of sleep is affecting our health and wellness where it is becoming one of the greatest public health challenges of the 21st century. During sleep, we cycle through four stages and it’s during the deeper stages of sleep that our brains process memories and release hormones that trigger functions such as restoring energy, repairing tissue, regulating appetite, and strengthening the immune system.
When sleep deprived the brain region responsible for receiving and preserving memories seemingly appears incapable of receiving and preserving the memory files contributing to cognitive and memory decline. People who are short on sleep feel hungrier, crave more sweet and salty food, and consume more calories than those who sleep longer. Recent evidence has revealed that poor sleep appears to disrupt the basic fabric of our genetic blueprint particularly enhancing genes, associated with the promotion of tumor formation and long-term inflammation and stress and as a consequence increase the risk of heart disease and cancer.
Among the many sleep-enhancing tips, two of which are particularly impactful are going to bed at the same time and waking up at the same time no matter if it’s a weekday or weekend. Regularity is critical as it anchors sleep and improves the quality and quantity of your sleep. The second is keeping it cool and dropping our core temperature by 2-3 degrees Fahrenheit to induce sleep. Taking a shower before bed and sleeping in a cool room is sleep-inducing.
Sleep is a non-negotiable biological necessity and deservedly finds a place in life’s simple rules.
