A staggering 18.6 million people die every year owing to heart disease. World Heart Day is observed every year to raise maximum awareness about such heart diseases and how by timely intervention we can prevent them. Through the right knowledge about heart health, we can enjoy a carefree life, away from medicines, and even have a greater life expectancy. In this article, you will not only get to know about World Heart Day and important facts but also learn how you can prevent falling prey to cardiovascular diseases. This article also talks about the activities you can participate on September 29, some heart-related quotes, and important FAQs.
So, without any delay let us start our reading adventure!
What is World Heart Day?
- World Heart Day is an international observance day celebrated every year on September 29 to raise awareness about cardiovascular diseases and how we can prevent such health risks.
- More than 90 countries celebrate World Health Day.
- Information regarding cardiovascular diseases is broadcasted through televisions, podcasts and discussed through forums, events etc.
When was the first World Heart Day celebrated?
- The idea of celebrating World Heart Day was first conceived by the President of the World Heart Federation, Antoni Bayés who served during the years 1997 to 1999.
- This day was established as a joint initiative by both World Heart Federation and World Health Organization.
- The first annual event of World Heart Day was celebrated on September 24 in the year 2000. Till 2011, World Heart Day kept being observed on the last Sunday of September. After the period, September 29 became the day for the international observance for World Heart Day.
What is Cardiovascular Disease?
Cardiovascular diseases refer to heart diseases like stroke, high blood pressure, cholesterol, blocked blood vessels, blood clots in veins and arteries etc.
The reasons of a cardiovascular diseases are as follows:
- Lack of physical activity leads to high blood pressure as the body requires more oxygen that is supplied by the blood. Obese people are prone to increased cholesterol levels and diabetes mellitus.
- Smoking is another reason behind cardiovascular diseases. The chemicals present in smoking thickens the blood and forms clots within the arteries and veins that can cause heart attack and immediate death.
- Poor diet is one of the chief causes of heart diseases. Consuming more saturated fats, trans fat present in fast foods and fried foods is harmful for health. Taking more salt leads to high blood pressure and therefore must be avoided.
- It is generally perceived that developed countries, because of their tech-governed, sedentary lifestyles have more instances of cardiovascular disease patients. However, the reality is entirely the opposite. 80% of cardiovascular diseases are spotted in developing countries.
How can we keep our heart healthy?
The answer is simple. By avoiding the things that increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases, we can successfully prevent our health from getting out of hand. The need of the hour is to follow these steps:
- Have physical activity everyday. If you are not willing to run or do intense physical exercises, simply taking a walk is enough to get your heart pumping.
- Choose a healthy lifestyle by choosing a healthy diet. Have enough greens, fresh fruits, vegetables and try to avoid junk food as much as you can. There are plenty of healthy, delectable preparations that can replace the food that is harmful for your health.
- Smoking has always been injurious to health as it leads to heart diseases and cancer. Quitting smoking is not only ideal for us but also others who live by our side.
- Also, periodic checkup of your body and particularly your heart is essential to know if you have any cardiovascular ailments.
- Having a positive lifestyle is essential. Activities like yoga or meditation provides you a balanced mind and heart that will keep diseases away.
What is the World Heart Day 2022 theme?
The World Heart Day 2022 theme is “Use Heart for every heart”. Beating cardiovascular diseases should be a priority for every beating heart. To celebrate World Heart Day in the best way possible, the World Heart Federation has partnered up with digital health companies.
The World Heart Day 2021 theme was “Use Heart to Heart” and the World Heart Day 2020 theme was “Use Heart to beat cardiovascular disease”.
World Heart Summit 2022
The 2022 World Heart Summit was held in May in Geneva, Switzerland by the World Heart Federation. It discussed on the preventive measures alongside treatment of cardiovascular diseases occurring worldwide. The theme of 2022 World Heart Summit was “Cardiovascular Health for Everyone”.
Interesting facts about the human heart
- The human heart beats over 100,000 times in a day.
- 5 gallons of blood is pumped every minute by the human heart that stands to 2,000 gallons per day.
- The woman’s heart pumps 8 beats faster than a man’s heart.
- The size of an adult heart is equal to two hands clasped together whereas the size of a child’s heart is equal to his fist.
- The heart continues to beat even when it loses connection with the body.
- The earliest evidence of heart disease was discovered in a 3,500 years old Egyptian mummy.
World Heart Day activities
To have a happy World Heart Day this year, you can start doing this list of activities presented below:
- Find an event celebrating World Heart Day near you where you can participate in the most engaging manner. You may also avail health check-up services organized by such events.
- If you have been looking forward to start your fitness journey, then there is no better occasion than the World Heart Day. Having a fit body reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases and makes your life happier. Also, you may gather useful tips and tricks to get your body into shape and a low BMI index.
- Knowing CPR or resuscitation is a vital step when it comes to saving lives. Attending a CPR class is a wonderful idea to celebrate World Heart Day.
- Choosing a healthy diet and cooking methods must be a part of World Heart Day activities. Start today and you can build a healthy life for a long. For an instance by making certain lifestyle changes like opting for an air fryer, you have the best way to enjoy oil-free snacks.
- Attending a health lecture on World Heart Day is also beneficial as it will make you more aware of the possible risks associated with heart and how you can intervene timely to prevent any mishap.
- You may look up blogs, online journals and medical websites to update your knowledge base on the importance of heart health and share them with others through social media posts, messages etc.
- Making your own World Heart Day poster is another alternative.
World Heart Day quotes
- “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” – Hippocrates (Greek physician)
- “We’re in a situation now where weight and extreme weight and heart disease is the biggest killer in this country today.” – Jamie Oliver (Celebrity chef)
- “The problem with heart disease is that the first symptom is often fatal.” – Michael Phelps (American former swimmer)
- If you knew you could change your lifestyle and diet and avoid heart disease and other things, you should do it.” – Laila Ali (American TV personality and former professional boxer)
- “A healthy heart is the main source of your strength.” – unknown
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Which day is marked as World Heart Day?
29 September of every year is marked as World Heart Day.
What is World Heart Day celebrated for?
World Heart Day is celebrated to raise awareness about keeping our hearts healthy by avoiding cardiovascular diseases that leads to 18.6 million deaths every year.
Why 29 September is World Heart Day?
Until 2011, the World Heart Day was celebrated on the last Sunday of every September. In 2012, the World Heart Day was observed on September 29 and is continuing to be celebrated on that particular day each year.
What is heart week?
Heart week or Britain’s Heart Week is an initiative by the country to spread awareness about heart diseases and its treatment.
What does World Heart Federation do?
The World Heart Federation is responsible for championing heart health and in reducing cases of heart diseases and stroke. The vision is carried forward by forming partnerships with more than 200 heart foundations, scientific societies and patient organizations to bring change at the local, regional and global level.
What is the World Heart Day 2022 theme?
The World Heart Day 2022 theme is “Use Heart for every heart”.
What is the World Heart Day 2021 theme?
The World Heart Day 2021 theme was “Use Heart to Heart”.
Final Thought!
World Heart Day is an amazing initiative by the World Heart Federation to let people know the reasons behind cardiovascular diseases and suggestive measures for its prevention. By staying aware and taking proper actions, any disease can be warded off. The Governments and organizations of each country must collaborate to create more awareness and find effective solutions to battle heart diseases. Furthermore, If you apply the useful advices presented through this article, in your lives, you can certainly get rid of your heart ailments or prevent a stroke in future. Remember always, “With a healthy heart, the beat goes on”.
How are you maintaining your heart’s health? Do you exercise often or meditate? How will you be participating in the World Heart Day for 2022? Leave us your comments in the comment section below.
