Heart health: Try these simple tests at home to determine how healthy your heart is

 Source:TIMESOFINDIA.COM | Last updated on -Aug 29, 2023, 14:08

How healthy is your heart?​

With the increasing number of heart diseases or heart attacks, especially among people in the younger age group, it is important to be aware of your heart health and keep a check on it. But how to do a heart check-up at home? Here are a few safe and simple tests that you can try at home. However, it is important to consult your doctor first, especially if you have any pre-existing health condition.

​Stair test​

Do you get breathless while walking up the stairs? The stair test can help determine how optimal your heart health is. A person with a healthy heart should not take more than one and a half minutes to climb four flights of stairs, according to Medanta. Failing to do so may indicate that your heart health is suboptimal. Consult your doctor for a proper diagnosis.

​Check your heart rate​

“To examine your pulse rate at home, you need to place your middle finger and index finger of your right hand on the inner wrist of your left hand to feel the tapping sound of your heartbeat. Next, you need to take a second watch and count the number of taps or pulses for 10 seconds. The number of taps should be further multiplied by six to deduce the heartbeat rate for one minute. A normal pulse measures between 60 and 100 beats a minute, and if your heart beat rate is above or below the regular count, it's time that you seek medical consultation,” Medanta explains.

Aerobic exercises​

If you feel breathlessness while performing light aerobic exercises, there is a high chance that you might have some underlying heart condition. You may also experience fatigue after performing such exercises because an adequate amount of oxygen does not reach down your muscles. It is important to consult your doctor before performing any such test, especially if you have any health problems.

​Signs and symptoms of an unhealthy heart​

Apart from the above mentioned tests, here are some signs that indicate your heart might be unhealthy:

Swollen feet, ankles and lower legs

Lack of stamina

Light-headedness

Discomfort in the chest

Left shoulder and left arm pain

Heartburn or back pain

Sexual health issues

Sleep apnoea

Blue or pale gray skin color

Pain in toes

Tips to keep your heart healthy​

A healthy heart calls for a healthy lifestyle. This includes working out on a daily basis, staying hydrated, managing your blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes; and quitting smoking and restricting alcohol intake.

Walking just 4,000 steps daily can prevent heart attack and increase lifespan

 Source: TIMESOFINDIA.COM | Last updated on -Aug 24, 2023, 18:00  

While the debate over 10,000 steps is on, this study is a breather!​

A new study in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology has shed light on the number of steps one needs to walk in order to stay fit. The study says walking for 3,967 steps a day can also give you immense health benefits. It can reduce the risk of all-cause mortality and heart disease-related deaths. For the meta-analysis, the researchers analyzed 17 studies with almost 227,000 participants. 4,000 steps equal to almost 3 km.

What did the researchers find?​

The researchers found that for every 1000-step increment in walking steps a significant reduction in all-cause mortality was found. "...we showed that a 1000-step increment correlated with a significant reduction of all-cause mortality of 15%, and similarly, a 500-step increment correlated with a reduced risk of CV mortality of 7%," the researchers have said.

There is no fixed rule for this!​

“With regards to the number of steps needed for walking, there is no one size fits all,” says Dr. V Mohan - Chairman and Chief Diabetologist of Dr. Mohan's Diabetes Specialities Centre. “Any number of steps is better than no steps obviously. A minimum should be at least 4000 to 7000 steps per day. On average, a person with a sedentary lifestyle will get 2,000 steps a day. So 4,000 steps a day will be a good start,” the expert adds.

​It is always better to increase the number of steps​

“However, it is better to try increasing the number of steps per day to 10,000 steps for younger people,” advises Dr. Mohan. “A brisk morning walk can give between 4,000 to 5,000 steps and thereafter if one takes effort one can easily complete the remaining 4,000 to 5,000 steps,” he briefly estimates the number of walking steps. Walking helps to not only keep you fit but also reduce weight for those who are overweight, control Diabetes and BP, and reduce heart problems apart from helping in digestion, says Dr. Mohan.

There is no upper limit!​

Dr. Mohan recommends that there is no upper limit for the number of steps as some people do 15,000 to 20,000 steps per day and claim that they don't feel tired and feel fit. On the other hand, in older people and people with comorbidities like heart problems, even getting 10000 steps will be difficult. The expert recommends to choose one’s own fitness routine as per the body’s ability to do it.

What is the ideal time to walk?​

“There are no fixed timing for walking. There are morning people who prefer walking as air is fresh and less polluted and then there are people who prefer to do a relaxed evening walk or walk after dinner and they claim that it helps in their digestion and brings down the sugar levels, particularly to the next day's fasting blood sugar,” Dr. Mohan gives examples. “The time for walking depends on various factors like job, lifestyle habits and many other factors. If within 24 hrs, one is able to get enough time for exercise, that is all that is needed,” he advises.

​Are there any precautions to be taken?​

Dr. Mohan recommends that older people with hearing problems may not be able to hear the traffic sounds and have weak eyesight, so it is better for them to walk when there is sufficient light and they should walk with care. People who may not be steady while walking may need a walking stick or support to prevent falls. Walking after a heavy meal and that too walking uphill may produce angina (chest pain) in those who have heart problems and such people need to be careful about this. Always good to have a 5 to 8-minute warm-up and cool-down time before and after walking. People who have diabetes, and are at risk of hypoglycemia may consider having a light snack before going for a walk in order to prevent low-sugar reactions. Follow these basic rules to improve your life.

 

As 18-month-old baby dies after ‘drinking tea’, expert answers if regular milk tea safe for kids?

 Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/health-news/as-18-month-old-baby-dies-after-drinking-tea-expert-answers-if-regular-milk-tea-safe-for-kids/articleshow/102537923.cms

The news of a 1.5-year-old baby dying after consuming teawas difficult to fathom. Kids often loiter around us and pick the habits we do in front of them. Sipping on tea is one of them. Most probably many kids play with kitchen sets having small tea sets and we introduce them to tea without giving any thought. In many families, kids are given small amounts of tea when they ask for it.In the unfortunate case, which happened in Madhya Pradesh’s Dewas, a 1.5-year-old boy died after consuming tea. As per the report, the child was with his maternal grandparents, and soon after he drank tea he stopped breathing.

“The boy was brought dead to the hospital, so we can’t comment on the cause of death,” hospital superintendent Dr. Preeti Malpani told TOI.
We spoke to Prachi Jain, HOD, Nutrition & Dietetics, CK Birla Hospital, Gurugram on this common practice in households– is tea safe for kids?

“Tea leaves are a naturally occurring compound found in many plants and contain caffeine, a compound which stimulates brain & nervous system,” the expert says.
“There are no recommendations for the intake of tea ( caffeine) for kids at least below 12 years. Caffeine has both pros & cons but is not considered safe for kids aged 12 years & below because of the following reasons,” she says.

• Intake of caffeine directly stimulates brain activity & nervous system which can affect the sleep routine of a kid & result in morning tiredness.
• Daily intake of caffeine makes one addicted to it.
• Caffeine also acts as a diuretic which means an increase in urine output.

“Generally, kids don’t like the taste of plain milk. Instead of adding tea, mothers can add flavors like Tulsi, elaichi, cinnamon, ginger, powdered nuts, dates & raisins which can make milk more palatable & nutritious,” she adds.
Referring to the incident that happened in Madhya Pradesh, the expert says, “It is not evident or conclusive that the heartbreaking incident happened because of consuming tea. However, in toddlers, choking is one of the prime reasons for suffocation which can happen while improper swallowing of anything, liquid, semi-solid food etc.”